Volunteer Board

Dr. Karen Zulkowski

Chairperson

Dr. Karen Zulkowski is a retired nursing professor and current coffee farmer.  She is an internationally recognized wound care expert with extensive research experience.  Karen has consulted with AHRQ, CMS, the New Jersey Hospital Association, and Mountain Pacific Quality Health.  In addition, she has been on both national and international wound care boards and served as a grant reviewer for NIH. She was the editor and chief writer for an evidence-based guide to culturally appropriate based care in ostomy treatment.  Since moving to Kona 7 years ago she has been on the Kona Coffee Farmers Association board of directors and provided wound care at homeless clinics on Oahu.

Karen raises coffee, cocoa, macadamia nuts and tangelos on her Captain Cook farm all under the careful supervision of her Samoyed dogs.

Dr. Carla J. Alvarado

Trustee

Carla Alvarado was born and raised in Dayton, Ohio and currently resides in Madison, WI and Kailua-Kona, HI.

Carla received her B.S. from Miami University, Oxford, OH; her M.S. in Preventive Medicine-Infectious Disease Epidemiology and her Ph.D. in Industrial and Systems Engineering-Human Factors from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She retired as an Emerita from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Prior to her retirement, she was employed as an Infection Control Professional for 19 years at the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics (UWHC) and ten years as a U.W. Research Scientist at the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) in the UW College of Engineering and UW School of Medicine and Public Health. Her publications and research areas included health care acquired infections associated with medical devices, safety culture/safety climate, intensive care and healthcare acquired infections, hand hygiene, work redesign and human factors and ergonomics related to health care.

Carla’s past board experience includes national Board of Directors, Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. (APIC), member of the American Hospital Association (AHA) Technical Advisory Panel on Infections in Hospitals, a member of the Board of Trustees, Research Foundation for Complications Associated with Health Care and the Board of Advisors, International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium.

Although at an early age Carla displayed absolutely no musical talents whatsoever, she is an avid subscriber and supporter of the arts. Currently, she is on the boards of the Madison Opera, the Madison Symphony, and the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Organization Foundation. Since residing in Kona, she has been on the boards of the Royal Sea Cliff Condo Association, Wyndham Owners Board, and The Hōkūli’a Community Association.

Locally, Carla and her husband Fernando enjoy attending local arts group performances, benefits for local non-profits, and playing golf at the Club at Hōkūli’a and other courses around Hawaii island.

Tricia Buskirk

Trustee

Tricia Buskirk is President & CEO of Hawaii Community Federal Credit Union, a not-for profit financial institution serving the Hawaii Island Community since 1936.

Tricia was born and raised in Kona and received her B.A. in Economics at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.  After a busy career in finance living on Oahu and in San Diego for 4 years, she and her husband Timothy returned to her hometown in 2011 to raise her two children in the unique culture that Kona offers.

Her 35-year career in the finance industry with both banks and credit unions specialized in management, data analytics, marketing, advertising, branding, public relations and communication, prior to becoming President & CEO of Hawaii Community Federal Credit Union.

In addition to her career, she has served as the Hawaii Credit Union League (HCUL) Big Island Chapter President, HCUL Board Secretary, and currently Board Chair of the American Cancer Society Hawaii/Guam Board, Board Vice Chair of the Hawaii County Workforce Development Board, Board of Governor of the Japanese Cultural Center of Kona, Co-Committee Chair for the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Hoolaulea and current marketing board member for Kona’s American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO).

Noella Callejo

Trustee

Born and raised in Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻi, Noella Callejo brings nearly two decades of experience in healthcare sales, marketing, and community leadership. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University–Hawaiʻi and began her career in public relations, representing Hawaiʻi entertainers, political candidates, and nonprofit organizations— working on communication strategy, coordinating major donor-recognition events, and securing over $1 million in capital funding through grants.

Her career expanded into healthcare sales with global companies including Philips Oral Healthcare and Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals where she earned multiple awards. She has been a featured performer and emcee for “Doctors on Stage” benefit concerts on Oahu. Today, she serves as the Big Island’s marketing representative for Diagnostic Laboratory Services (DLS), where she leads outreach in sales and marketing and builds lasting partnerships with healthcare providers.

In addition to her professional work, Noella is deeply committed to service and family. She is the President of The RISE Project Hawaiʻi, a nonprofit awarding scholarships to women returning to higher education as non-traditional students. RISE also conducts leadership workshops to strengthen resilience and vibrant community connection.

Proudly a mom of three, Noella’s volunteer work is grounded in aloha and inspired by pilina and lōkahi, reflecting her belief in connection and unity.

Jo Ann Iwane

Trustee

Jo Ann was born in the Kona Hospital in July of 1947. A graduate of Konawaena High School, Jo Ann received her Bachelor’s degree in Education from Western Washington University and completed her Master’s degree in Education at the University of Hawaii-Manoa.

As a life-long educator Jo Ann taught at 4 different public schools in Hawaii from 1970-2002: Maili Elementary, Kealakehe Elementary, Kahakai Elementary and Konawaena Elementary. She was also a teacher at the University of Hawaii-West Hawaii Campus and the Kona Adult Community School.

Jo Ann is a member of the Lifewater Church/Central Kona Union Church, Family Support Hawaii Board of Directors, Alpha Delta Kappa Honorary Teacher’s Sorority, Hawaii State Teacher’s Association, and the Kona Japanese Civic Association.

Judith-Ann Nakamaru

Trustee

Judi was born and raised in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, graduating from Liberty High School. She attended Temple University School of Dental Hygiene in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where she met her husband, Dr. Kent Nakamaru. They moved to Kealekekua, Hawaii in 1967 where she helped him set up the fourth dental practice in the community below the Kona Community Hospital. For a time she worked as the first private dental hygienist in West Hawaii.

Judi served on the Kona Community Chorus Board and then on the Kona Association for the Performing Arts board as a director and Vice President, on the Hawaii Preparatory Academy Ka Makani Boosters Board keeping track of the athlete’s varsity letters for fifteen years. At one time, she held four International Game Fish Association world record marlin, ahi, and aku records.

She enjoys traveling, flower arranging, singing, reading, fishing, and spending time with her four children and grandchildren.