Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 39, Number 5, 1 May 2022 — ROY ALLEN NA'AUAOONĀLANIALI'IKAULANA NEWTON [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

ROY ALLEN NA'AUAOONĀLANIALI'IKAULANA NEWTON

Meet the 'OHAna V OHA STAFF PROFILES *

Beneficiary Service Agent Hui H uliamahi (Beneficiary Services) 25 years at OHA FROM: Waihe'e (ahupua'a), Wailuku (moku), Maui (mokupuni) EDUCATION: • Baldwin High School • Kapi'olani Community College • Maui Community College (Associate of Arts degree)

What is your kuleana at OHA? I am the first line ofcontactfor inquiries about OHA, whether in-person at our Maui office or on the phone. I listen to requests, answer questions and determine appropriate referrals. In my position I know a little bit about all ofOHA's programs so I ean share that information with our beneficiaries, kōkua them through theprocess, and connect them to the right people. Should they need assistance that is not currently ojfered by OHA, I direct callers to other "sister" agencies that may be able to kōkua. Why did you choose to work for OHA? I was in theprocess oflookingforajob.Ididn'tknowanythingaboutOHA until I met Ihelma Shimaoka through church. At the time, Ihelma was the community resource liaison at Maui's OHA office, and she suggested that I apply. And the rest, as they say, is history. What is the best thing about working at OHA? I've been blessed to meet and rub elbows with such wonderful and valued co-workers in the office. I've been doubly blessed in have met and be in the eompany of extraordinary, truly caring,full of aloha persons in ourMaui community. I've been exposed to sister agencies and organizations and services that I knew nothing about. What is something interesting for people to know about you? I am the Kahu Kīhāpai ofMaluhia Church in Lower Wai'ehu and at Paia Hawaiian Protestant Church in Paia Town. Who has been your role model? Ihelma Shimaoka. She took me under her wing and mentored me. I am eternally grateful! What is your best OHA memory? The privilege of singing Iesū No Ke Kahuhipa at the Trustees' Investiture at Washington Plaee. Washington Plaee was on my bucket list ofplaces to visit. To be in the personal space ofour Queen was amazing!M