University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene honored 60 nursing alumni at the Sensational 60th Anniversary Gala event held at the Sheraton Waikīkī on June 16. Of the 60 nurses, 6 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 Hawaiʻi, the U.S. and the world. The service and dedication of these Sensational Sixty nurses honor the nursing profession, advance healthcare and spread the spirit of aloha.
UH Mānoa Nursing inaugural Hall of Fame
- Peggy L. Chinn, University of Connecticut
- Jillian Inouye, University of Nevada, Schools of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences
- Sally T. Ishikawa, Hawaiʻi 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
Outstanding nursing alumni
- 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, UH Mānoa, School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene
- Nicolle Chun, The Queen’s Medical Center—Punchbowl
- Denise Cohen, University of Hawaiʻi Maui College
- Sharon Contrades, Wilcox Medical Center—Hawaiʻi Pacific Health
- Danielle Doo, Hawaiʻi Keiki: Healthy and Ready to Learn Program
- Leina Duchai, The Queen’s Medical Center—Punchbowl
- Aileen A. Duran, Lānaʻi Community Health Center
- Sharon L. Longe Espina, Veterans Affairs Pacific Islands Health Care System
- Gloria Fernandez, Hawaiʻi Department of Health—Public Health Nursing Branch
- Dianne Fochtman, Hospice Hawaiʻi
- Joan Foley, Veterans Affairs Pacific Islands Health Care System and 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—Hawaiʻi 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—Hawaiʻi Pacific Health
- Sandra Kakiuchi, Kaiser Permanente
- Joan Kanemori, Kapiʻolani Medical Center for Women and Children—Hawaiʻi Pacific Health
- Lori R. Y. Kaneshige, Kapiʻolani Medical Center for Women and Children—Hawaiʻi 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, Hawaiʻi Pacific Health System
- Larson P. Layugan, Kaiser Permanente
- Clovita Ledward, The Queen’s Medical Center—West Oʻahu
- Brigitte McKale, Pali Momi Medical Center—Hawaiʻi Pacific Health
- Andrew Moats, Straub Medical Center—Hawaiʻi Pacific Health
- Brenda Mopas, Kaiser Permanente
- Diane Nakagaki, Kaiser Permanente
- Diane Pestolesi, Saddleback College, California
- Jadelyn Pontes, Pali Momi Medical Center Hawaiʻi Pacific Health
- Joanne Potts, Hospice of Hilo
- LTC Editha D. Ruiz, Tripler Army Medical Center
- Lorraine Sakamoto, The Queen’s Medical Center—West Oʻahu
- Sharon Shigemasa, UH Cancer Center
- strong>Corinne Suzuka, CareResource Hawaiʻi
- Kathy Terada, Waiʻanae Coast Comprehensive Health Center
- Joyce Tokuhara, The Queen’s Medical Center—Punchbowl
- Audrey Torres, Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific
- Janet Uyehara, UH Mānoa, School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene
- Christina Wong, MinuteClinic, CVS
- Nancy York, Castle Medical Center
In 1956, the first class of fifteen graduates received the first bachelor in nursing degree awarded for beginning students by UH 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 Hawaiʻi’s. Proceeds from the 60th Anniversary Gala event will support UH Mānoa Nursing student scholarships.
