Stephanie N. Iona, Chair – Is a resident of Waimea, Kauai with over 40 years of knowledge and experience in the Hotel Management/Hospitality Industry. She was an honor student and received her education through the University of Hawaii and the Sacred Hearts Academy respectively. She is a dedicated leader who loves to create a synergy of positive results for the company she represents, her community and Hawaii. Stephanie is active in the community through service on various boards such as the HHSC Kauai Region Board of Directors, the Kauai Chamber of Commerce, and the Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association to name a few.
Dee Crowell, Vice-Chair – Mr. Crowell was born and raised in Waimea. He attended the Kamehameha Schools, and the University of Southern California, where he received a degree in Architecture. He is a Licensed Architect in the State of Hawaii.
His professional career is split between the private and public sectors. He spent seventeen years in Honolulu as an architect. He was one of the founding partners of Urban Works, Inc., an architecture and planning firm. He returned to Kauai to work in the County Planning Department, where he served as the Planning Director from 1993 to 2003. After leaving the Planning Department, he worked in the private sector, including jobs at Kukui`ula Development Co., and Princeville Development Co. He returned to the Planning Department to serve as it’s Deputy, from 2010 to 2015. He also served on the Kaua`i Board of Water from 1997 to 2003 and from 2008 to 2010. Mr. Crowell currently serves on the board of the Kaua`i Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC). He also owns his own consulting company. He currently resides in `Ele`ele, with his wife, Kathy.
Donna Okada-Asher, Secretary/Treasurer – was born on Kauai and attended Kekaha Elementary and Waimea High Schools. She continued her Education at the University of Hawaii, Manoa where she earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Medical Technology.
Diagnostic Laboratory Services, Inc. (DLS) employs her where she currently holds the position of Senior Marketing Representative and is in her 16th year. She is based on Kauai but her area of responsibility includes Maui, Molokai and Hawaii Island. This necessitates her to travel off island three to four times a week.
Prior to her current assignment she practiced as a medical technologist for twenty years for both DLS and SmithKline Beecham Clinical Laboratory.
Donna is married to Roy Asher and they have three children, Stevie, Evan, Marissa and a Grandson Lyon. She cherishes the time she spends with her family especially her Grandson. Her interests are in traveling abroad and relishes coordinating and planning the Family vacations. She has a passion for motorcycles and annually accompanies her husband on cross-country runs across the continental States and to date has explored 46 States in addition to four Canadian Provinces.
Donna enjoys her time on the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation-Kauai Region Board. It been both an honor and rewarding time.
Laurel Loo – Laurel Loo was born and raised on the west side of Kauai and is a proud graduate of Waimea High School. She is currently a real estate attorney and also a per diem judge.
Ms. Loo was recently named an outstanding alumnus of Waimea High School and was a 2018 awardee for the Kauai County Committee on the Status of Women, primarily for her work as Girls’ Court judge.
Ms. Loo also sits on the board of Kikiaola Land Co., based in Waimea, and was formerly a newspaper reporter for The Honolulu Advertiser. She is a retired golfer.
Tito Villanueva, Ops Manager/Chief, Kaua‘i County Emergency Medical Services – Mr. Villanueva is responsible for Kaua‘i County Emergency Medical Services operation. He was born and raised in Apayo, Philippines. Starting out as a Navy Corpsman, he is a State and nationally certified EMT with 25 years of experience for AMR and its predecessor companies. He also has a B.S. degree in business management. Mr. Villanueva is a member of the Hawaii Trauma Advisory Council and a member of the Kaua‘i Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition. He is a nationally certified child passenger safety seat technician. Certifications- BLS training center faculty for the AHA, CPR/First Aid instructor, successfully completed Senior workshop for all-hazards preparedness, successfully completed pediatric disaster response and emergency preparedness, completed planning for the unique evacuation and shelter-in-place needs of people with medical dependencies during disaster, completed USFA Type 3 Incident management training, ICS 300- intermediate ICS for expanding incidents, ICS 400- advanced ICS, Firefighter 1 and 2, fire instructor 1, airport rescue and firefighting, Haz-mat awareness, and Haz-mat operation.
Affiliations- Wilcox Hospital stroke committee, State Health Planning Development Agency – Kauai Sub-area Advisory committee and CON panel review, Hawaii health system corporation- Kauai region board member, HHSC Kauai region CQI committee, Kauai fil-am chamber of commerce board member, Kauai Filipino Council board member, East Kauai Lions, prevent suicide task force, violence prevention coalition, child death review, Kauai Trauma Advisory Council, and Kauai Fire Dept. Emergency Medical Services committee.
Pat Gegen – Pat Gegen has enjoyed being a HHSC Kauai Regional Board member since 2012. Pat is currently teaching World History at Island School and also provides the “back office” services for his wife’s mobile primary care business. In addition to being on the HHSC Kauai Regional Board, Pat spent 6 years as a member of the Kauai Island Utility Board of Directors for, 5 years as a Commissioner on the Kauai’s Open Space Commission, and he continues to be involved in Zero Waste Kauai, a community non-profit group that focuses on solid waste / recycling issues. The Kauai Region has undergone many changes in the past 6 years and it has been a challenge and a privilege for Pat to be a member of the HHSC Kauai Regional Board – Thank You.