60 outstanding UH Manoa Nursing alumni recognized at 60th anniversary gala celebration

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Contact:
Desiree L. Uyeda, (808) 956-2904
Marketing Manager, Nursing
Posted: Jul 6, 2016

60 UH Manoa Nursing alumni honorees.
60 UH Manoa Nursing alumni honorees.
Hall of Fame Nursing inductees, from left: Sally Ishikawa, Connie Mitchell, Jillian Inouye and Mary Frances Oneha.
Hall of Fame Nursing inductees, from left: Sally Ishikawa, Connie Mitchell, Jillian Inouye and Mary Frances Oneha.

On Thursday, June 16, 2016, UH Mānoa Nursing honored 60 nursing alumni at the Sensational 60th Anniversary Gala event held at the Sheraton Waikiki. Of the 60 nurses, six were inducted into an inaugural Hall of Fame and 54 were recognized for outstanding achievement in leadership, excellence and innovation.

The 60 alumni who were recognized represent the best of nursing in Hawai‘i, U.S. and the world.  The service and dedication of these Sensational Sixty nurses honor the nursing profession, advance health-care and spread the spirit of aloha. 

The six alumni -- each representing impressive achievements in research, education and pratice -- inducted into an inaugural Hall of Fame are:

Peggy L. Chinn, University of Connecticut

Jillian Inouye, University of Nevada, Schools of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences

Sally T. Ishikawa, Hawai‘i Health Systems Corporation

Connie Mitchell, The Institute for Human Services

RADM Kerry Paige Nesseler, Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Mary Frances Oneha, Waimanalo Health Center

The school also honored 54 outstanding nursing alumni who make a difference every day in the lives of the people of Hawai‘i.  They are:

Richelle Asselstine, Shriners Hospitals for Children - Honolulu

Nancy Atmospera-Walch, Advantage Health Care Provider, Inc.

COL Takako Lei Barrell, Tripler Army Medical Center

Christa Braun-Inglis, Kaiser Permanente

Clementina Ceria-Ulep, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene

Nicolle Chun, The Queen's Medical Center - Punchbowl

Denise Cohen, University of Hawai‘i Maui College

Sharon Contrades, Wilcox Medical Center - Hawai‘i Pacific Health

Danielle Doo, Hawai‘i Keiki: Healthy & Ready to Learn Program

Leina Duchai, The Queen's Medical Center - Punchbowl

Aileen A. Duran, Lāna‘i Community Health Center

Sharon L. Longe Espina, Veterans Affairs Pacific Islands Health Care System

Gloria Fernandez, Hawai‘i Department of Health - Public Health Nursing Branch

Dianne Fochtman, Hospice Hawai‘i

Joan Foley, Veterans Affairs Pacific Islands Health Care System & Tripler Army Medical Center

 Liane Fujita, The Queen's Medical Center - Punchbowl

Geila Fukumitsu, Kaiser Permanente

Julie Gamboa, The Queen's Medical Center - Punchbowl

Joseph Giovannoni, Joseph Giovannoni, Inc.

Paul Guillory, Veterans Affairs Pacific Islands Health Care System

Jacqueline Haro, John Nagamine MD, Inc.

Margaret Hattori-Uchima, University of Guam, School of Nursing and Health Sciences

Emyline Hiraki, Pali Momi Medical Center - Hawai‘i Pacific Health

Wai Ting "Jackie" Hui, Kalihi Palama Health Center

Nona Irvine, The Queen's Medical Center - Punchbowl

Glenda Kaalakea, Straub Medical Center/Wilcox Medical Center - Hawai‘i Pacific Health

Sandra Kakiuchi, Kaiser Permanente

Joan Kanemori, Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women & Children - Hawai‘i Pacific Health

Lori R. Y. Kaneshige, Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women & Children - Hawai‘i Pacific Health

Catherine Kawaihalau, Veterans Affairs Pacific Islands Health Care System

Lisa Kelleher, The Queen's Medical Center - Punchbowl

Cynthia Kitkowski, The Queen's Medical Center - Punchbowl

Judy Kodama, Maui Memorial Medical Center

Andrea Kubota, Shriners Hospitals for Children - Honolulu

Bridget Lai, Hawai‘i Pacific Health System

Larson P. Layugan, Kaiser Permanente

Clovita Ledward, The Queen's Medical Center - West O‘ahu

Brigitte McKale, Pali Momi Medical Center - Hawai‘i Pacific Health

Andrew Moats, Straub Medical Center - Hawai‘i Pacific Health

Brenda Mopas, Kaiser Permanente

Diane Nakagaki, Kaiser Permanente

Diane Pestolesi, Saddleback College, California

Jadelyn Pontes, Pali Momi Medical Center - Hawai‘i Pacific Health

Joanne Potts, Hospice of Hilo

LTC Editha D. Ruiz, Tripler Army Medical Center

Lorraine Sakamoto, The Queen's Medical Center - West O‘ahu

Sharon Shigemasa, University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center

Corinne Suzuka, CareResource Hawai‘i

Kathy Terada, Wai‘anae Coast Comprehensive Health Center

Joyce Tokuhara, The Queen's Medical Center - Punchbowl

Audrey Torres, Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific

Janet Uyehara, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene

Christina Wong, MinuteClinic, CVS

Nancy York, Castle Medical Center

In 1956, the first class of 15 graduates received the first Bachelor in Nursing Degree awarded for beginning students by the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Sixty years later, the school continues to thrive by providing leadership to advance the profession, excellence in education, research and innovation to improve health in Hawai‘i.  Proceeds from the 60th Anniversary Gala event will support UH Mānoa Nursing student scholarships.

About UH Mānoa Nursing

UH Mānoa Nursing, the Nursing Capitol of the Pacific, is the leader in nursing education and research in Hawai‘i with outreach to Asia and the Pacific Basin. We support the mission of the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa: to provide an innovative, caring and multicultural environment in which faculty, students and staff work together to generate and transmit knowledge, wisdom, and values to promote quality of life and health for present and future generations. The school offers the BS, master’s, and doctoral programs. To reflect Hawai‘i's unique cultural diversity and heritage, UH Mānoa Nursing is committed to increasing the representation of Native Hawaiian and other underserved people in all nursing programs. Visit us at www.nursing.hawaii.edu.

Video:
https://vimeo.com/171474680