New CEO for Health Center

MCHC News Release

There’s new, local leadership at the Molokai Community Health Center (MCHC). Molokai Ohana Health Care, Inc., dba MCHC and the center’s Board of Directors are pleased to announce that Helen K. Kekalia Wescoatt has been named Chief Executive Officer. Wescoatt had been serving in the role on an interim basis since Feb. 6, when former CEO Andrea Trenner resigned.

The board’s recruitment committee initiated a search for a new leader of the organization following Trenner’s resignation and concluded their interviews in July; Wescoatt was included in the candidate pool.

Wescoatt has been intimately involved in the operation of the Health Center for some time, where she previously served the organization as both a volunteer executive board member, and also as a former program and contract manager. Wescoatt’s experience over the last 10 years includes grant and revenue generation, healthcare advocacy and stakeholder collaboration, experience with medical, early childhood development programs and WIC; programs improving health outcomes and social services in the nonprofit sector, and policy development and implementation. With her new role, Wescoatt also currently serves as a Board of Director for the Hawaii Primary Care Association.

Born and raised on Molokai, Wescoatt is both the Health Center’s youngest named CEO and its first Native Hawaiian leader.

Wescoatt is joined in leadership by several new directors and providers. Over the last few months, new leaders at MCHC include Pilahi Arce, Finance Director; Stephanie Aquino, Human Resource Director; Dr. Paula Gardner, DDS and Dental Director; Ty McComas, FNP and Associate Medical Director, and the return of Dr. Darryl Salvador, Psy. D. as the center’s Tele-Behavioral Health Psychologist, where the center will also welcome the launch of telehealth services at the end of August.

Please join us in congratulating and welcoming MCHC’s new leadership team!

Medical hours of operation are Monday through Fri, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dental hours of operation are Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Behavioral health has new, expanded hours coming soon. Contact MCHC at 808-553-5038.