Biography
Donna-Marie Palakiko, PhD, MS, BS, RN, APRN is a Native Hawaiian mother, health strategist, community-based researcher and nurse. She is an Assistant Professor at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa’s Nancy Atmospera-Walch School of Nursing and Director of Workforce Development at Papa Ola Lōkahi. She is the first Native Hawaiian nurse in a tenure leading faculty position at her school and strives to address social and cultural determinants of health among Indigenous and underserved communities through culturally safe health interventions and building a culturally mindful health workforce to serve in underserved areas.
Dr. Palakiko is committed to working with and in partnership with underserved communities to address health disparities and workforce issues. She is an advocate who values community wisdom and believe that community members of the experts to solving problems. The community wisdom guided the development and successful implementation of the PILI ‘Ohana Lifestyle Intervention and establishing a support system to prepare a culturally mindful workforce.
Dr. Palakiko has been a member of the American Public Health Association since 2003. As a member she served on various sections and caucuses to review abstracts, select student scholarship recipients, and provide mentorship. In 2020, she was elected to the Chair-elect position of the American Indian Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Caucus of the American Public Health Association and is currently the Chair of the Caucus. She is also a member of the Hawai‘i Public Health Association and holds an ex-officio seat on the board and has participated as a member of the program planning committee.
Lastly, her extensive experience working in non-profit organizations and being a part of numerous boards has given her growth opportunities in leadership, management, governance, fiduciary responsibility, fundraising, and public relations. Her leadership style focuses on the leadership principles of modeling the way, inspiring a shared vision, challenging the process, enabling others to act, and encouraging the heart. Her focus is to grow the next generation of change makers who are innovative and divergent thinkers.
Candidate Statement
Aloha mai kākou! I am honored to be a candidate to the Executive Board of the American Public Health Association. I am a Kanaka 'ōiwi (Native Hawaiian) wahine (women) nurse researcher who is committed to improving the health and well-being of our nation in partnership with our Indigenous communities, local communities, members, Affiliates, Caucuses, Forums, Sections, the Student Assembly, Topical Groups and members of the current and incoming Executive Board through understanding the problems communities face and seeking out solutions through community wisdom. I value individuals and conversations and believe that through conversations, solutions are discovered.
As a Kanaka 'ōiwi wahine, I have taken on the kuleana (responsibility) to advocate for diversity, and seats of leadership at national and international levels to increase Indigenous representation. I have done this by becoming the first Native Hawaiian Treasurer for the Asian American Pacific Islander Nurses Association, the first Native Hawaiian Fellow of the UC Davis Nurse Leader and Innovator Fellowship, I am part of the American Nurses Association Racial Reckoning Think Tank, and I serve on the Fulbright Applicant Review Committee.
For the past 25 years, I have worked on addressing social and cultural determinants of health among Indigenous and underserved communities through culturally safe health interventions and building a culturally mindful health workforce. I have become an expert in leadership and management development, health strategy, and board governance. I have held numerous executive positions in the non-profit sector and served in leadership positions on non-profit and organizational boards which is well suited for a position on the Executive Board of APHA.
As I complete my 2-year term as Chair of the American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian Caucus of APHA, I believe that Indigenous representation is essential to diversifying the Executive Board of APHA.