BOARD MEMBERS
Susan Berk, President
Sue Berk lives in Hawaii Kai with husband Brent and son, Brett, age 36. Brett attended schools in Hawaii Kai and is fondly recognized around the community. Brett has Down Syndrome, participates in Special Olympics, Easter Seals activities and is active in Holy Trinity Church. He hopes to continue living in east Honolulu where he has a circle of friends and support. Sue is a retired Hawaiian Telcom executive.
Valery O'Brien, Secretary
Valery O'Brien lives in Kuliouou with daughter Katie, age 37. Katie attended the Hawaii School for Deaf and Blind and Kapiolani Community College. Katie was born with CMV which left her deaf and with other disorders. Nothing lets her down and she participates in Special Olympics, Easter Seals, Academy of Arts and is active in Peter & Paul Church. She looks forward to continuing to live in her neighborhood where she has a circle of friends and support. Valery is retired from the Kamehameha Schools but continues to work for the Catholic Diocese of Honolulu and Holiday Retirement.
Barbara Poole-Street, Treasurer
Barbara and her son Ethan, 45 years old, live in Kaimuki where many activities and responsibilities keep him happily engaged in the community. A Kalani graduate, he spent almost 20 years in the workforce, working for Ross Dress for Less and Chaminade University's cafeteria before taking his present well-deserved break from the workforce to do volunteer work in the community he knows and loves. Barbara is a retired economics professor and former Business School Dean at Chaminade University of Honolulu.
Kim Miller, Board Member
Kim Miller lives in Hawaii Kai and has extensive and varied real estate careers. Currently she holds a Broker Realtor License in the State of Hawaii and works for the State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR). She has worked for State of Hawaii agencies PUC,HHFDC, OHA; the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii-consumer housing unit; and some well-respected realty firms.
Kim has done volunteer work for severalHawaii State Bar projects ; Honolulu Habitat for Humanity; Mediation Center of the Pacific; and the Mighty Ducks Special Olympics team.
Rev. Jeff M. Lilley, Board Member
Jeff has served as a Lutheran Parish pastor for 32 years, and is presently
the Pastor at Lutheran Church of Honolulu in Makiki, He grew up in Arizona and SoCal.and is married with two adult children and a fabulous grandchild. He is a former President of the Board for Hawaii Health and Harm Reduction Center (Life Foundation), a current member of the Pacifica Synod Council, Executive Committee , Congregational Constitution Review Committee, Synonical Constitution Revision Taskforce, Former Dean of the Hukilau Conference of the Pacifica Synod, Constitution committee and former Dean of the Hukilau Conference of the Pacifica Synod.
Patricia Morrissey, Board Member
Patricia Morrissey is the President of the US international Council on Disabilities. She recently left her position as director of the Center on Disability Studies at the University of Hawai’i, Mānoa. Prior to coming to Hawaii in 2016, she served as Commissioner of the Administration on Developmental Disabilities in the US Department of Health and Human Services. Over 20 years she served in senior staff positions in the Executive Branch of the U.S. Government and in Congress. When serving in the George W. Bush Administration in 2004-2006 she was part of the US delegation to the UN when the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was being drafted. She has keen interest in working with others, especially those with disabilities, to promote meaningful inclusion of people with disabilities in all aspects of society.
Rida Ching, Board Member
Rida Ching is the parent of a 30 year old son with Autism. An enthusiast of continuing education for people with Intellectual Challenges, she has been working for health plans in Hawaii for 30 years, largely focussing on Medicaid populations. Currently she is the Director of Health Coordination at Aloha Care.
Scott Suzuki, Board Member
Scott C. Suzuki, J.D., M.P.H., has been in private practice since 2004, serving as the Principal of the law firm of Scott C. Suzuki, Attorney at Law, LLC, since 2008. With a unique background in Gerontology and Public Health, Scott has dedicated his career to serving the needs of seniors, persons with disabilities, caregivers and families in the State of Hawaii.
Matthew Cohen, Board Member
Matthew is an Associate Attorney with Case, Lombari, and Pettit. He previously served as a clerk for the Hawaii Supreme Court and as a Corporate Analyst for the Bank of Hawaii. He volunteers as a swim coach for the Honolulu Ducks Special Olympics Swim Team.
