Laura Pokipala was born in Kaneohe, Hawaii 59 yrs. ago and transplanted to Hilo, Hawaii in 1995. She is a graduate of the University of Hawaii at Hilo with both a Bachelors of Art in Psychology and a Masters of Art in Counseling Psychology. She has worked with vulnerable youth and families in the non-profit sector for almost 25 years, and worked for almost nine years with the federal office of the Social Security Administration. Currently, she is a Direct Service Specialist with Liliʻuokalani Trust Kīpuka Hilo, working with native Hawaiiian youth and families as directed by the Queens Deed and Trust. Certified as a trainer of Mindful Forgiveness and Attitudinal Healing, she has been sharing the health benefits of peace through forgiveness developed from the work of Dr. Frank Luskin with the Stanford Forgiveness Project and the strength of choosing our daily attitude to build love for self and others based on the work of Dr. Gerald Jampolsky.

Ebra was born and raised on the Big Island. She graduated from a local public high school, earned an Associates in Liberal Arts and Bachelors in Sociology from UH Hilo before earning her Masters in Social Work from Portland State University. She has been practicing social work for the last 13 years mostly with kamali’i and their ‘ohana, and most recently in a medical setting. When no practicing social work, Ebra can be found spending time with her ‘ohana, reading, or crafting.

Shana Young is a Marriage and Family Counselor in Hilo. She grew up in Pearl City and in Hilo. As the oldest sibling, she was often tasked with the kuleana of caring for her two sisters and brother while her mom worked; a role she took seriously. She eventually became the neighborhood child care provider and as she got older ahe found her passion was caring for and educating children, though it didnʻt stop with keiki. She enjoyed talking with their makua and helping them work through difficult and challenging times that often come with family life. People are interesting and each of us come with a story to tell; her counseling style comes from curiousity,
genuine warmth and a nurturing spirit she’s carried with her from “small kid time”. Shana hold