Sabiha Sultana (2020-2021)
Health Care Role: Community Health Worker
Organization: NYU Center for the Study of Asian American Health
Sponsoring Organization: CSAAH
Sabiha Sultana is a community health worker at the NYU Center for the Study of Asian American Health (CSAAH), within the NYU Langone Department of Population Health. Sabiha is fluent in Bengali/English and is dedicated to serving the New York City (NYC) South Asian community. She has experience working with patients from NYC primary care practices to prevent and manage diabetes and hypertension by providing in-language and culturally-appropriate health education and lifestyle coaching. She has also built strong relationships with women’s groups in the Bangladeshi community in Brooklyn and Queens for the NYU Community Service Plan. Sabiha is also a certified health navigator and assists in enrolling clients into health insurance plans. Sabiha graduated from the City University of New York (CUNY) at York College with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and a Bachelor’s degree in Social Welfare from National University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Previously she’s worked as a case work liaison and outreach services specialist, providing services with New York City. In her free time, Sabiha likes cooking up healthy Bangladeshi dishes!
Amy Ngoc Hoang (2020-2021)
Healthcare Role:Health and Safety Trainer
Organization: United Domestic Worker (UDW) and Ca Independent Provider Training Center (CAIPTC)
Sponsoring Organization: APALA
Amy has been working as a bookkeeper and became a CAIPTC trainer for the Vietnamese community in 2016. She enjoys art, yoga, music cooking, and travel.
Romeo De Vera MSN, RN, CPAN (2020-2021)
Health Care Role: Chair, Community Outreach Committee
Organization: Philippine Nurses Association of America
Sponsoring Organization: PNAAF
Romeo DeVera is the current chair of the Community Outreach Committee of the Philippine Nurses Association of America. Romeo held previous positions with the PNA America include as the Vice-President of the South Central Region of the PNAA from 2014-2018, a Board Member in 2012-2014, and the chapter president of the Philippine Nurses Association of Northeast Florida Inc. (Jacksonville) in 2008-2010. He earned his Bachelors of Science in Nursing degree from Far Eastern University in Manila Philippines in 1980 and his Master of Science in Nursing degree from University of Phoenix in 2011. He migrated to the United States in 1991, worked as a Staff Nurse, a Charge RN in the Critical Care Unit, and a Nursing Education Specialist at Mayo Clinic Florida for a total of 25 years. He is also an Adjunct Faculty at the Jacksonville University, Keigwin College of Nursing. Romeo is active in different professional nursing associations as an officer and an member. His wife, Lorna DeVera is also a practicing RN, two songs Angelo and Adam who are both nurses, and two lovely grandchildren named Mailani and Konrad from his daughter Maria. All the family live in Jacksonville, Florida.
Shantha McKinlay, PsyD (2020-2021)
Health Care Role: Postdoctoral Fellow
Organization: I Ola Lāhui
Sponsoring Organization: Papa Ola Lokahi
Dr. McKinlay was raised in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi and graduated from ʻIolani School. She earned her Doctorate of Psychology in Clinical Psychology from Chaminade University of Honolulu and also holds a Master of Arts degree in Clinical Psychology. She was the recipient of her program’s Diagnostic Award. Her doctoral clinical research project was a qualitative study exploring a young adult’s experience living with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). Prior to graduate school, she graduated from Villanova University as a distinguished graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Geography.
Through her clinical experiences, she has worked with individuals of all ages from diverse cultural backgrounds in both individual and group settings. Additionally, she completed training in the Maternal & Child Health Leadership Education in Neurodevelopment & Related Disabilities (MCH LEND) Program. During her predoctoral internship at I Ola Lāhui, she worked with individuals and groups on both the islands of Oʻahu and Hawaiʻi.
As a postdoctoral fellow at I Ola Lāhui, Dr. McKinlay is part of the ʻŌlinolino Program for older adults and caregivers.
Daniel Pyen (2020-2021)
Health Care Role: Programs Coordinator
Organization: Center for Pan Asian Community Services
Sponsoring Organization: AAPCHO
Daniel Pyen is a Programs Coordinator for the Health Department of the Center for Pan Asian Community Services (CPACS) in Doraville, GA. Daniel's current projects for CPACS include providing outreach HIV testing and counseling for the immigrant, refugee, and underserved populations within the community. Additionally, he plays a crucial role in designing and managing volunteer opportunities and internship programs for college students who are interested in gaining experience in different health services and helping the community.
Daniel carries a “people first” mindset, which encourages him to establish a meaningful and trusting rapport with everyone he helps and connects with. By maintaining a high degree of accountability, he is eager to become an IPC Champion who is instrumental in creating a positive culture-shift within the healthcare community and workforce.
Anna Hao (2020-2021)
Health Care Role: Community Health Representative
Organization: NYU Center for the Study of Asian American Health, New York University School of Medicine
Sponsoring Organization: CSAAH
Anna Hao joined the NYU CSAAH team in 2018 as a community health worker servicing the Chinese mandarin speaking communities in the NYC metropolitan areas. Projects she worked on include a brief period for the type 2 diabetic management, for more than 2 years in the stomach cancer prevention program, the Bill Gates Foundation sponsored nationwide Covid-19 PEP project from March to August 2020. Anna had more than a dozen years past work experience of paralegal/case manager in law firms prior to switching to the healthcare field. She is passionate about serving her communities and makes a team-effort difference on the health disparity.
Angelita Sherburne (2020-2021)
Health Care Role: EVS and CHEST Trainer
Organization: Swedish Medical Center CH
Sponsoring Organization: APALA
EVS leader and certified healthcare environment technician service training trainer with 25 years of expertise in housekeeping including her supervisory and lead position in the Philippines.
Undergraduate in accounting management in PSBA , Manila Philippines
Certified cashier and customer service at Goodwill BURIEN. Done CNA class and BLS and CPR .
Seiu1199NW board member , EVS ,OEI and covid commitee member in SMC CH
Her passion is to help the EVS to educate how to do the right process of cleaning and to control the spread of infection mostly right now that there is a pandemic. Helping EVS to fight for their rights and educate them to utilize safety at their job.
Dr. Gloria Beriones Phd, RN (2020-2021)
Health Care Role: Staff Development Coordinator
Organization: Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affair Medical Center
Sponsoring Organization: PNAAF
A nurse leader with over forty years of exemplary contributions to nursing practice, leadership, education, and research. Currently, the Staff Development Coordinator at Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affair Medical Center, Houston, Texas.
Her life-long learning includes: Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Science at Texas Woman’s University, Houston, Texas; Master of Science in Nursing at the University of Texas Health and Science Center, Houston, TX: Clinical Nurse Specialist Program and Nursing Administration; Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Riverside College of Nursing, Bacolod City, Philippines . A proud graduate of Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Hospital School of Nursing, Graduate Nurse Program, Bacolod City, Philippines.
She was a Nursing Director at Houston Methodist Hospital. Recipient of Houston Methodist Hospital Nursing Leadership Award in 2004 for her exemplary Nursing Leadership. In 2004, one of top 20 Outstanding Nurses by Texas Nurses Association District 9 for excellence in nursing leadership, education, and community outreach services.
In 2015-2017, Manager of Education, Research, Professional Excellence at Saint Francis Hospital Bartlett, Tennessee. A speaker in local, state, national, and international levels. She has presented numerous topics on leadership, clinical practice, education, and research; has written articles and publications. Her greatest passion in life is mentoring and making a difference in the lives of people particularly fellow nurses.
Contributions to the Philippine Nurses Association of America (PNAA) include:
PNA Metropolitan Houston Foundation Vice President 2020-2022
PNAA South Central Region (SCR) Region Vice President (RVP) 2018-2020
PNA Corpus Christi, TX and PNA of Alabama were organized and became PNAA Chapters December 11, 2019.
Organized Philippine Nurses Association of Nashville Tennessee on October 17, 2018
Organized Philippine Nurses Association of Tennessee in June 2016.
PNAA Education Committee Co-Chair 2014-2016.
Conducted four Regional Conferences, two National Conventions, and an International Nursing Conference in Manila, Philippines.
PNAA South Central Region Vice President - 2010-2012
Philippine Nurses Association of Metropolitan Houston Foundation Treasurer 2009-2014
PNAA Board Member and Chair of PNAA Education Committee – 2008-2010
Conducted four regional conferences, two National Conventions, and an International Nursing Conference in Cebu, Philippines.
PNAA Board Member and SCR Region Liaison Officer -2006- 2008
PNA Metropolitan Houston President 2004-2006
PNA Metropolitan Houston Board Member 2002 -2004
Iwalani Kanoelehua AhQuin (2020-2021)
Health Care Role: Director of Adult Day Care & Senior Activities
Organization: Lunalilo Home
Sponsoring Organization: Papa Ola Lokahi
Ms. AhQuin is the Director of Adult Day Care and Activities and Residential Kūpuna Activities. Her role is to develop, coordinate, and implement a variety of senior programs services that support the mission of the organization. She also coordinates all volunteers and on and off-site cultural programs and special events.
She is a graduate of University Laboratory School in Mānoa and has worked at Lunalilo Home since 1993 in increasingly responsible roles from data entry, office clerk, program coordinator when the Adult Day Care Center was first opened, to Interim Director in 2017 and then Director soon after. Ms. AhQuin is Lunalilo Homeʻs longest standing employee with 25+ years caring for kūpuna. She enjoys working with the kūpuna and says she learns new things from them every day.
Ms. AhQuin believes in Lunaliloʻs mission and values and entrusted her fatherʻs care to the Home for several years before his passing. She currently lives in Kailua and considers Lunalilo her second home.