HFCC Board of Directors

Kathy Wyatt is President of Hale Hauʻoli Hawaiʻi, whose mission is to promote positive aging through community education programs, adult day care options, and caregiver support groups, established in 2017. She is a registered nurse with Master’s degrees in Nursing and Business Administration, and is a licensed Nursing Home Administrator. Ms. Wyatt’s experience spans 20 years working with the elderly in skilled nursing and assisted living facilities, as well as adult day care.

She is on the Board of Directors of the Policy Advisory Board for Elderly Affairs (Chair of the Recognition and Awards Committee), the Hawaii Family Caregiver Coalition, the Caregiver Foundation, and Kokua Council (Secretary), is the 2019 President of the Hawaii Pacific Gerontology Society and she is active in the Kupuna Caucus. In addition, she operates Hale Hauʻoli Hawaiʻi, an adult day care center in Aiea and is founder and instructor for Hoaloha Nurse Aide Training Program. She is past President of Adult Day Centers Hawaii

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Savina “Savy” Makalena is a result-driven Retail Legend.  She has an extensive background in retail operations, financial management, sales management, marketing & branding, and training & development.
With more than 30 years of experience across the retail industry, Savina is currently the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Gimme A Break.  As Chief Executive Officer and Founder, she helps non-profit organizations whose mission is to care for caregivers by giving an emotional and physical break as well as resources for their continued well-being.

Prior to Gimme A Break, Savina was Executive Vice President of Sales for Maui Divers Jewelry.  During her time with Maui Divers Jewelry, she was responsible for 35+ retail stores and staff and achieved 20%+ over targeted goals as well as developed and initiated Regional Managers and Store Managers training programs. She also set the standard, executed, and trained management to recruit, interview, select, and retained quality employees, created a TEAM environment, and built trust and loyalty amongst the employees.

Savina has also served as the Executive Vice President of Corporate Strategy and the Vice President of Retail Operations for Martin & Macarthur where she grew retail from 2 to 12 stores with 2 new stores on the horizon and was responsible for 12 retail store operations, management, and staff. Throughout her career, Savina has also worked with Sephora USA, NCL America, and was an instructor for Hawaii Prep Academy.

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Cyndi Osajima is the Executive Director of Project Dana, a volunteer caregiving project for the frail elderly and disabled in Hawai‘i.  Cyndi earned her bachelor’s in sociology from California State University, Los Angeles, and her master’s degree in public health, specializing in gerontology, from the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa.

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Gary Simon is the State President for AARP Hawaii.  He is also the chair of the AARP Hawaii Executive Council.  Prior to his time at AARP Hawaii, he worked as Director of Corporate Affairs and Advocacy at St. Francis Healthcare System, Executive Director of St. Francis Hospice, and Program Director for St. Francis Health Services for Senior Citizens. 

He is serving a fourth term on the State of Hawaii Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs.  He serves on various nonprofit boards, including Kokua Council and The Arc in Hawaii.  Gary was a member of the Statewide Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias from 2011 to 2013 and is a former U. S. Peace Corps Volunteer stationed in Sierra Leone, West Africa.

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Helen Wagner was born and raised in Southern California and a retired business owner. Her husband was CEO of the Bobby Benson Center and a Marriage and Family therapist for the federal government and office in Kailua. Originally, she advocated for Grandparents raising Grandchildren.

She is very much involved in politics and community service. She currently services on the Kokua Council Board of Directors and a member of the State’s Kūpuna Caucus. She is a life member of Oahu Republican Women’s Club and member of AARP (district 60). 

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Audrey Suga-Nakagawa, MPH, is the Assistant Executive Director at Kāhala Nui, where she provides operational and strategic management and oversight for the continuing care retirement community. She has more than 25 years of professional experience in healthcare administration and gerontology.  She was the former Advocacy Director for AARP Hawaii, and a private consultant.

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David Nakamaejo is President of Comforting Hands Senior Care, a home care agency.  From 1976 to 2010 David was Professor of Business Education at Kapiolani Community College, teaching marketing and management.  He served as a volunteer member, on the State of Hawaii Department of Health Fall Prevention Consortium and Injury Prevention Advisory Council.  He also served on the Advisory Committee for the Executive Office on Aging, Fall Prevention Strategic Plan.

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Eldon Wegner received his Ph.D in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in 1967.  He retired in 2009 after 43 years in an academic career, 38 of those years in the Department of Sociology at the University of Hawaii at Manoa where he taught Medical Sociology and Sociology of Aging and was 9 years Chair of the Department.  He is Professor Emeritus in Sociology. He served as the 2010 President of Hawaii Pacific Gerontological Society. 

In 2008, he was appointed by the Hawaii Legislature to the Hawaii Long-Term Care Commission, which made policy recommendations to the Legislature on financing and restructuring long term care in its final report in 2012. He served for many years as an ex officio member representing the University on the state Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs, where he also was vice-chair of the Legislative Committee.  He was a founding member and continues to serve on the Board of the Hawaii Caregiver Coalition where he is active in their advocacy efforts including contributing to its annual Aging and Disability Report.

Tani Kalei Salazar, LSW is the Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia Services Coordinator at the Executive Office on Aging (EOA), Hawaiʻi State Department of Health. Tani earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s in Social Work with a specialization in gerontology from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Prior to her time at EOA, she worked as a Social Worker in a post-acute rehabilitation skilled nursing facility setting. She loves working with ku̅puna and caregivers. From a young age, she adored her hard-working immigrant grandparents and helped her family care for them in their golden years. Although they have since passed on, they continue to inspire her to work towards improving things in Hawaiʻi for older adults, people living with dementia, and caregivers.