Tenly Pau Biggs, MSW, LMSW, is the Deputy Director at the Office of Behavioral Health Equity (OBHE) at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). She is coordinating SAMHSA’s efforts to reduce disparities in mental and substance use disorders across racial, ethnic, LGBTQ+ and other underserved populations.

She is a member of a workgroup dedicated to implementing the HHS response to the Memorandum on Condemning and Combating Racism, Xenophobia, and Intolerance Against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) in the United States.

Prior to joining OBHE, she was the Grants Coordinator for the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) and the lead for the disparity impact statement and strategy (DIS) work pertaining to the access, service use, and behavioral health outcomes of discretionary grants at SAMHSA.

Tenly was the former primary and behavioral health care integration lead for CMHS grant programs. Previously at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Office of Minority Health, Tenly was the mental health lead and provided technical assistance on achieving health equity to health plans, health systems and networks, hospitals, and primary care providers. She also updated CMS’ Disparity Impact Statement for health plans and providers review their disparities data and create an action and implementation plan to close the identified gaps.

Tenly is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer who served in Niger (West Africa). She continues to build upon her areas of interest in leadership, management, and training opportunities within the AAPI communities. She is a licensed social worker in Maryland and received her Master of Social Work degree at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations from the University of Southern California.

Kathleen Wong(Lau) is the University Diversity Officer at California State University East Bay, where she leads the Office of Diversity providing vision, strategic direction, and support for university-wide efforts to ensure a welcoming environment and systemic equity for members of campus and in its relationship with the surrounding communities. Prior to her current appointment she served in a similar role as Chief Diversity Officer at San Jose State University for six and a half years.

She served as the Executive Director of the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education (NCORE) and as Director of the Southwest Center for Human Relations Studies at the University of Oklahoma. Prior to that she served as faculty at Western Michigan University and as a research associate in the national Multiversity Intergroup Dialogue Study at the University of Michigan. Her noteworthy accomplishments include co-founding the Journal of Commitment to Social Change on Race and Ethnicity (JCSCORE), and serving as a faculty associate and facilitator for Campus Women Lead, a transformative leadership initiative of AAC&U. As a graduate assistant she helped co-found the Asian Pacific American Studies Program at Arizona State University. She received her PhD in Communication Studies from the Hugh Downs School of Human Communication. She is a first-generation college student having worked in community-based organizations in San Francisco Chinatown and as a union butcher in Oakland, CA who entered higher education as an older returning student.

She is a bilingual second-generation Chinese American descending from working-class immigrants from Hong Kong who migrated to California in the 1950s under Asian Exclusion.

Dr. Lesther A. Papa (He/Him/Siya/Esuna) is an assistant professor of psychology at San José State University’s (SJSU) Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. He was born and raised on the westside of the island of Kauai to immigrant Filipinx parents. As an undergraduate at the University of Hawai’i Mānoa (UHM), he was actively involved with the Filipino language program and organization, Katipunan. He participated in a Fulbright-Hays program (Advance Filipino Abroad Program) to learn Filipino language and literature after graduating from UHM and received a Master’s degree from Northern Arizona University before heading to Utah State University (USU) to pursue a doctoral degree. The combined clinical/counseling/school psychology program at USU provided excellent training in providing mental health services to diverse populations. In addition, Dr. Papa has participated and facilitated workshops and presentations on multiculturalism, cultural competence, and allyship (https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/ies/2020/all2020/1/) at USU, which has also informed his clinical practice.

He completed his predoctoral internship in clinical psychology at the University of California – San Francisco’s (UCSF) Multicultural Clinical Training Program where he was trained in trauma-informed mental health treatment for youth and their families. He was also a postdoc at UCSF providing trauma-informed mental healthcare in schools during the COVID-19 pandemic before starting at SJSU. Dr. Papa now uses his clinical expertise to provide consultation to students in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program.

Dr. Papa’s research focuses on the experiences of minoritized people in the form of microaggressions and examines racial/ethnic microaggression detection in higher education, misgendering of trans/non-binary individuals, colorism within the Filipinx community, and intersectional microaggressions toward queer/trans Black, Indigenous, people of color (QTBIPOC). His lab also focuses on training students who have minoritized identities as well and together they focus on making a difference in the lives of minoritized people. He has also come full circle and is now the faculty advisor for SJSU’s Filipinx organization, Akbayan, and Pilipinx Graduation, which recognizes and celebrates graduates for their baccalaureate achievement.

When Dr. Papa is not teaching or engaged in research, he often spends time sipping, strolling, and shopping, spending time with his community, and gaming.

John Oliver is with the Hawai‘i Department Of Health’s Behavioral Health Administration. Working within Adult Mental Health Division, he is a Public Health Program Manager / Service Area Administrator and oversees Maui County Community Mental Health Center’s locations on Maui, Molokai, and Lana‘i. He is also the Project Director for the Maui County Certified Community Behavior Health Clinic (CCBHC), a project funded by a planning, development, and implementation grant from SAMHSA.  

In addition, he is also the Project Director for the newly formed Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander (AANHPI) ‘Ohana Center of Excellence. Funded by SAMHSA, the purpose of this Center of Excellence (CoE) is to advance the behavioral health equity of AA, NH, and PI communities. The AANHPI ‘Ohana Center of Excellence is a resource for mental health and substance use disorder providers, health care providers, and AANHPI communities in the U.S., U.S. Associated Pacific Islands, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands.

Chantelle Eseta Matagi aka Tellie is a health educator and community leader. As a student, graduate, and academic at the Center for Pacific Islands Studies (CPIS) at the University of Hawai’i Mānoa, she has benefited from their interdisciplinary program. Their courses in history, anthropology, social sciences, art, language, economics, and health gave Tellie, a strong knowledge base that is grounded in historical context, cultural humility, and the ability to create and support community-based solutions.

As a Pacific Islander woman, she understands the cultural nuances of working with diverse communities. It is important to her that those doing the work represent those communities affected (diversity in staffing) and that community-led initiatives be supported. She recognizes the importance of collaborative partnerships with embedded community-based organizations, faith-based institutions, medical and social service providers, and community leaders and advocates. During the pandemic, her work highlighted these partnerships and supported educational outreach and community engagement that was in-language and culturally safe. This approach is considered innovative, inclusive of indigenous/native knowledge, and lead to better community participation.

When Tellie began with the state of Hawai’i Department of Health (HDOH) as the COVID-19 Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander Lead Investigator (Team 6B) in October 2020, Pacific Islanders, Filipinos, and Native Hawaiians accounted for over 50% of the positive cases statewide. Today the number of positive cases in these communities has dropped substantially – approximately 25%. This is an impressive drop and one that could not have been accomplished without the efforts of Team 6B or the support of those communities overly affected by COVID-19.

Under the supervision of Sarah Kemble MD, PhD, HDOH State Epidemiologist and Chief of HDOH Disease Outbreak and Control Division, HDOH has documented and published these innovative practices. The first was the HDOH report “COVID-19 in Hawai’i: Addressing Health Equity in Diverse Populations” which was used as the basis for the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) titled “Disaggregating Data to Measure Racial Disparities in COVID-19 Outcomes and Guide Community Response – Hawaii, March 1, 2020 – February 28, 2021.” This work was cited in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization article “Promoting health equity during the COVID-19 pandemic, United States,” as a successful approach to addressing health disparities. The third was the HDOH report “COVID-19 Vaccination Experiences & Perceptions Among Communities in Hawai’i.”

In addition to Tellie’s academic background, lived-life experiences, and community connections she is extremely hard working, exacting, and possesses a tremendous amount of dedication, enthusiasm, patience, and respect for health equity work.

Dr. Sheri Daniels has been leading Papa Ola Lōkahi, the Native Hawaiian Health Board since 2016 as the Chief Executive Officer. Papa Ola Lōkahi (POL) is the organization charged by the United States Congress with administrative oversight of the Native Hawaiian Health Care Improvement Act [Public Law 102-396]. In this role, she leads efforts to improve the overall health and well-being of Native Hawaiians and their families, through strategic partnerships, programs, and public policy.

Dr. Daniels was born, raised, and currently resides in Maui. A graduate of Kamehameha Schools, Kapālama, Dr. Daniels received her bachelor’s in family resources from the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. She carries a master’s in counseling psychology from Chaminade University of Honolulu, in addition to a doctorate from Argosy University, and currently holds several license certifications. She has close to three (3) decades of experience in social service programs along with years of supervisory experience, including both government and non-profit management. It is through these capacities that Dr. Daniels has worked closely with Hawai‘i’s unique and diverse population to overcome inequities.

Dr. Daniels applies the values of Aloha, Hōʻihi, Laulima, Mālama, Hoʻomanawanui, Lokomaikaʻi, and Pono every day in how she engages with her ʻohana, colleagues, and within multiple communities across the State of Hawaii and the continent. She is actively involved in various community and civic organizations locally, nationally, and internationally. Beginning in early 2020, Sheri shared co-leadership for the Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander Hawaii COVID-19 Response, Recovery & Resilience Team (NHPI 3R), for which Papa Ola Lōkahi served as the backbone organization. Committed to meeting the needs of our community through public policy and strategic partnerships, she was named among the Pacific Business News’ 2022 Women Who Mean Business. Dr. Daniels has secured increased funding for Native Hawaiian Health – over $28 million and growing – through her collaborations and engagement with federal partners and our Hawai’i congressional delegation.

She understands the value of ʻohana and community especially related to resiliency in how we work to strengthen our lāhui moving forward. Both her education and professional experiences along with her knowledge in understanding of the needs of underrepresented communities are assets that she brings to be inclusive of people, beliefs, and cultural mindfulness. She uses her experiences and expertise in areas such as board governance and how it will be utilized to create opportunities to empower all communities. Along with numerous awards and being recognized for her hard work and efforts, she continues to work tirelessly to support the various Native Hawaiian communities throughout the state and on the continent. Being Native Hawaiian provides her an opportunity to understand first-hand what that means and entails in dealing with these communities.

She believes to create thriving communities, we need to engage with communities in understanding how to best serve, engage and represent.

Lilinoe Kauahikaua, MSW uses she/her/ʻO ia pronouns and is from Piʻihonua, Hilo on Moku o Keawe (Hawaiʻi Island) but has lived and grown in many other spaces throughout her journey, including Oʻahu, California, and Arizona.

She is a 2021 graduate of the Masters of Social Work program at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (UHM), and now serves as a program coordinator with Papa Ola Lōkahi, for all substance use and mental health projects, as well as the AANHPI ʻOhana Center of Excellence focusing on behavioral/mental health and substance use.

Her research focuses include data disaggregation, and Indigenous approaches to: behavioral/mental health, reentry services, incarceration, and substance misuse. She also received her B.A. in the Administration of Justice, with a minor in Hawaiian studies from the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, along with a certificate in Hawaiʻi Lifestyles from Hawaiʻi Community College. Lilinoe was appointed by Governor Ige to the Hawai‘i Advisory Commission on Drug Abuse and Controlled Substances and serves on the boards of ʻEkolu Mea Nui, Going Home Hawaiʻi, and Kinohi Mana Nui, and as the cultural committee co-chair for The Going Home Hawaiʻi Consortium, organizations serving the Native Hawaiian community impacted by incarceration and substance misuse. Lilinoe also serves on committees for the Institute of Violence and Trauma (IVAT), and Hawaiʻi SUPD (Substance Use Professional Development) initiative.

Lilinoe received the kāhea to return home and serve her lāhui over 10 years ago and is committed to pursuing social justice for the Native Hawaiian Community. She also enjoys singing, going to the beach, cultural learning, and spending time with ʻohana & friends.

I specialize in health communication, social marketing, and community-based participatory research. I received a Bachelor of Medicine degree in Health Administration from Anhui Medical University, a Master of Arts degree in Communication Studies at University of Science and Technology of China, a Master of Public Health, and a PhD at Department of Community and Behavioral Health of College of Public Health in the University of Iowa. During my PhD program, I worked on a project to evaluate the cost of sexual violence in Iowa state. My first job out of the PhD program was working at a community-based organization, Asian Health Coalition for substance abuse prevention among Chinese youth in Chicago Chinatown. I also worked as a research coordinator supervising patient navigators for a NIH R01 grant, to promote breast and cervical cancer screen among Chinese women in Chicago. I recently developed the American Lung Association’s COVID-19 vaccine toolkit for Chinese population. My current research is about how college students are coping with COVID-19 and how the social support on social media is associated with Asian college students’ anxiety level.

Dr. Aukahi Austin Seabury, PhD is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and the Executive Director of I Ola Lāhui, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides behavioral health services to medically underserved Native Hawaiian and rural communities throughout the state with its team of providers and psychology training program. She uses a culturally-minded integrated behavioral health approach with patients with complex chronic disease conditions and significant economic and social disadvantages.

Dr. Austin Seabury provides training to health providers in the use of culturally-minded, evidence-based practices and works as a consultant providing facilitation, strategic planning, team building, training, and evaluation services to Native Hawaiian health and education organizations.