Governing Council

The primary purpose of the Governing Council is to ensure that the goals and objectives of the Real Choices Hawaii Project are met. The Governing Council consists of 56% consumer membership, and is directed by Mark Obatake, Project Co-Investigator. "Consumer members" include people with disabilities, family members or other individuals concerned for the well-being of individuals with disabilities, and representatives of consumer/family organizations. Heads from major public and private service agencies are also members of the Governing Council.

Real Choices Governing Council Members

Aileen Hiramatsu, Co-Chair
Hawaii State Department of Human Services

Mark Obatake, Co-Chair
Equality Access LLC

Dorothy Bremner
Workforce Development Council - Hawaii State Department of Labor and Industrial Relations

Waynette Cabral
Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities

Susan Chandler
School of Social Work - Public Policy Center, College of Social Sciences - University of Hawaii

Rolanse Crisafulli
Work Hawaii/Oahu WorkLinks Consortium Central Office

Ron Gallegos
Alliance of Residential Care Administrators

Randolph Hack
DOH Adult Mental Health Division

Debbie Jackson
Disability and Communication Access Board

Tom Jackson
Equal Opportunity Officer - DLIR

Daniel Grant Johnson
Disability Rights Hawaii

Gwen Kagihara
Department of Human Services, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation

Soon Kim-Rupnow
Center On Disability Studies - University of Hawai`i at Manoa

Tony Krieg
Hale Makua

Sterling Krysler
Krysler Consulting

Sister Alicia Damien Lau
Oahu Care Facility & Pearl City Nursing Home

Patricia Lockwood
Hawaii Centers for Independent Living

Karen Miyake
Elderly Affairs Division - City and County

Sheryl Nelson
Open Access

Milton Ota
Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped

Doran Porter
Statewide Independent Living Council of Hawaii

Rose Ann Poyzer
Home Care and Hospice - Healthcare Association of Hawaii

Kathy Reimers
Hawaii Services on Deafness

Patricia Sasaki
Executive Office on Aging

Kim Shiraishi
Assistive Technology Resource Centers

Madi Silverman
Hawaii State Department of Human Services

Helen Smalley-Bower

Wally Soares
Island Skills Gathering, Inc.

Robert Stodden
Center on Disability Studies - University of Hawaii

Joanne Streeter
Parent

Kevin Sypniewski
Assistguide, Inc.

Myriam Tabaniag
(alternate for Ron Gallegos)

Mike Tamanaha
Hawaii State Department of Health - Developmental Disabilities Services Branch.

Tammy Tom
Executive Office on Aging

Linda Toms Barker
Berkeley Policy Associates

Betsy Whitney
Dolphin Press

Stella Wong
Catholic Charities Elderly Services

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