History

The Hawai‘i Public Health Association was founded in 1945. Kaarlo Nasi, a sanitary engineerwith the USPHS was the first president and presided over HPHA's first annual meeting that year. The first HPHA constitution stated that the purpose of the association was "to aid in the promotion and protection of public health and to provide for the professional advancement of members".

Please refer to the HPHA publication, "A 40 year History of Public Health and the Hawai‘i Public Health Association", for more details of HPHA’s early years. Charter members are listed, as are the Association’s presidents from 1945-1985.

HPHA Presidents since 1985

1986 - Colleen Spiering, Environmental Office, Department of Health
1987 - Richard Knobel, Project Manager, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan
1988 - Clifford Kam, Financial Office, Rehabilitation of the Pacific
1989 - William Dendle, Public Health Consultant
1990-1991 - Nicola Miller, Project Director, Adolescent Health Network, DON
1992-1993 - Frank Chong, Executive Director, Waikiki Health Center
1994-1995 - Jean Evans, Director, Outreach Education Department, Kapiolani Medical Center
1996-1997 - Deborah Goebert, Director, Resident Research Program, John A. Burns School of Medicine
1998-1999 - Linda Kapuniai, Clinical Associate, Sleep Disorders Center, Straub Clinic and Hospital
2000-2002 - Nancy Partika, Executive Director, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies
2003-2004 - Pratisha Budhiraja, PUblic Health Project Manager, Department of Health
2004-2005 - Loretta Fuddy, Family Health Services Division Chief, Department of Health