MANAGEMENT TEAM
Heather Lusk, Executive Director
Heather Lusk, LCSW is the Executive Director of the Hawai'i Health & Harm Reduction Center. Heather has over thirty years of experience dedicated to reducing health disparities and stigma as it relates to HIV, viral hepatitis, and other chronic conditions linked to substance use. As a Board Member of Oahu’s Homeless Coalition and the Hawaii Substance Abuse Council, appointed to the Access to Justice Commission, and Co-Director of Hep Free Hawaii, Heather works to support systems integration and the intersection of mental health, substance use, homelessness, chronic health conditions, and the criminal legal system.
Nandi Ishikawa, Deputy Director of Clinical Services
Nandi has more than 17 years of management and supervisory experience in the human services field, and more than 8 years providing direct services to children, adults, and families in crisis. Nandi has a Masters and Bachelors degree in social work. At HHHRC, she ensures that people living with HIV on O'ahu have access to HIV medication, and competent, quality health care needed to suppress the HIV virus and live their best lives.
Kavika Puahi, Deputy Director of Operations
Kavika has more than 15 years of non-profit experience working primarily with The CHOW Project, Hawai'i’s statewide syringe exchange program. He has managed various aspects of administration and programmatic functions during his non-profit career. At HHHRC, Kavika will continue to oversee the administrative components of the organization as well as non-clinical programs.
Beth Littledell, Director of Human Resources
Beth Littledell, PHR, is the Director of Human Resources for HHHRC. Beth has over 20 years of experience working within the Human Resources profession and advocating for a strong, productive workforce. Beth has a bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in Human Resources and completed additional Master’s business classes at Harvard University. She is passionate about harm reduction and is dedicated to ensuring the employees of HHHRC have the tools and resources they need on the front line to assist as many participants within the communities we serve as possible.
Kunane Dreier, Director of Training and Program Development
Kunane is a leader within the LGTBQI Community providing ongoing cultural competency trainings to service providers. He is experienced as a RESPECT, counseling, testing and referral, and rapid testing trainer. Kunane served as the Director of Prevention Services at Life Foundation since 2006, and has experience working with prevention intervention strategies, linkage to care, and prevention for positives. He has completed the Institute for HIV Prevention Leadership Program, and serves as the Hawai'i Community Planning Group Co-Chair.
Andrew Ogata, Director of Marketing and Development
Andrew is a well known leader within Hawaii's LGTBQI Community. Andrew was a volunteer for over a decade with Life Foundation and The CHOW Project before joining the team as the Community Relations Manager. Andrew oversees all of HHHRC's community events and programs, marketing, social media, and communications.
Laarni Flores, HIV Program Director
Laarni Flores has worked with people living with HIV since 2005. She began as a practicum student with Life Foundation and subsequently served as a Medical Case Manager. She fell in love with helping clients gain access to needed care so that they are able to pursue healthy and independent lives. Her longevity in the field is a result of a deep commitment to helping those in need become their own best advocates. Laarni also is grateful to her clients for teaching her how to live a life of meaning and humility.
Nikos Leverenz, Grants & Advancement Manager
Nikos serves as HHHRC’s Grants & Advancement Manager. He returned to Honolulu after 25 years in California, where he worked in Sacramento as a legislative advocate, senior legislative staffer, and policy consultant, developing proficiency around strategic communications and policies related to harm reduction, public health, civil rights, and the criminal legal system. Advancing direct services, partnerships, and policy changes that improve the health and well-being of persons from under resourced and over criminalized communities continues to animate his work. He is a graduate of Maryknoll High School, Occidental College, and University of the Pacific (McGeorge School of Law) and remains an avid reader and wellness practitioner.
Thomas Batten, Finance Manager
Thomas has over ten years of accounting and finance experience across multiple industries, foreign and domestic. Professionally, he actively pursues positions that challenge his knowledge and abilities as well as foster his professional and intellectual growth. Privately, he seeks out individuals and experiences that venture off the beaten path, re-envision the mundane, and challenge the status quo.
Kekoaopololū Kealoha, Ryan White Administrative Manager
Kekoaopololū (Kekoa) Kealoha has been working in HIV care and prevention since 2015 with a deep commitment to serving marginalized and disenfranchised communities. Originally from Hawaiʻi Island, he began his career at Kumukahi Health + Wellness where he most recently served as Medical Case Manager and West Hawaiʻi Team Lead. Kekoa has worked in many different capacities in HIV prevention including HIV testing, PrEP navigation, syringe exchange, and community outreach. He passionately delivered HIV care as a Medical Case Manager and as HIV Program Manager. He has also served on local, statewide, and national cohorts and committees to advance health care opportunities for Kanaka Maoli and all people living in this Pae ʻĀina. Passionate about his work, he has presented at many statewide and national conferences to share solutions and best practices learned here in Hawaiʻi while meaningfully elevating Kanaka Maoli voices in spaces where they are often excluded. Kekoa is very passionate about serving the Kanaka Maoli, LGBTQIA+, and broader HIV communities in the work he does every day.
Keli‘i Abordo, HIV Program Manager
Keli'i has been in the HIV services field since 2005, starting in the community doing outreach, education, and testing in our remote neighborhoods on Oahu and our Native Hawaiian pockets in Papakolea and Waimanalo. Keli'i transitioned into care services by securing the Native Hawaiian HIV case management position. While in case management, Keli'i was involved in the implementation and management of HHHRC’s 340B HIV program and assisted with the establishment of HHHRC’s STD 340B program. Now as a manager, Keli'i can provide support for his frontline team of Medical Case Managers and Patient Navigators.
Jonah Saribay, HIV Program Manager
Jonah Saribay is a longtime advocate for LGB&TQIA+ people with focus in serving our Local/Native Hawaiian/Pasifika, community. Jonah has served field experience under HCAP and the Office of the Governor’s Coordinator on Homelessness. With 5+ years of community resource knowledge, he acquired his schooling from the University of Hawaii System with an AAS in Human Services and BSW from the Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health. He has found solace serving as Medical Case Manager for those in our HIV community who are under-served, in this role, Jonah has fostered skills in intensive care coordination and crisis intervention that met our clients in need with tangible goals and one-on-one support.
Joshua Derrig, Syringe Exchange Program Manager
Joshua has 16+ years in the HIV services field, ranging from HIV testing and prevention education to behavioral research and client services. He got his start volunteering for a social/educational program focusing on men who have sex with men and sexual health, and quickly found his passion for promoting health and wellness within his community. Josh transitioned from his work in HIV prevention to serving those living with HIV when he moved from his home state of New Mexico to Denver, CO. While in Denver, Josh provided critical services to his client through the food bank, financial services, medical case management and housing subsidy support. He moved to Honolulu, HI in spring 2023, and is excited to be a part of the HHHRC team bringing harm reduction services to participants utilizing the syringe exchange program. The work Josh and his team does offer a unique opportunity to be a bright spot in the lives of those we serve.
Maddalynn Sesepasara, Kua'ana Project Manager
Maddalynn began her professional career in 1998 with UTOPIA (United Territories of Pacific Islander Alliance) Hawaii. In 2001, Maddie started working at Kulia Na Mamo as a program coordinator overseeing its transgender program called the HAPI DIVAS Hepatitis Prevention Program. She then transitioned to working at the Life Foundation (now, Hawaii Health & Harm Reduction Center) in 2005 as an HIV counselor and HIV prevention educator. Maddie also provides case management services and a former smoking cession specialist for clients under the Kua’ana Project, HHHRC’s transgender service program. Maddie has now stepped into a management position as Kua'ana Project Manager, overseeing HHHRC transgender program, where she continues to build her leadership role and continue to work and serve a community that she is very passionate about.
Kawaiarii Keaulana, Kauhale Program Manager
Kawaiarii has 23+ years of customer service experience working in the banking industry and transportation industry, this is where she has gained a passion for working with and for people. She began her career at Hawaii Health and Harm reduction's Waikiki Beachside Covid facility as a Covid Case Manager in 2000. She quickly embraced the Harm Reduction approach and mission of HHHRC, and moved on to becoming an Assistant Shift Lead, Shift Lead and Assistant Program Manager. As the current Stabilization Program Manager at Waikiki Beachside, Kawaiarii strives to assist with meeting the needs of our community with compassion and care.
