Summer 2022

Lisette Acosta is a Bachelor of Social Work student at the Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. She plans to pursue her Master’s degree in Social Work with a special focus in Behavioral Mental Health. Her long term goal is to pursue a career in Marriage and Family Counseling. She is passionate about people and the health of her community. She hopes to one day provide a creative outlet and safe place for those seeking her services in the future.

 

 

Heidi Allencastre is a undergraduate senior working on obtaining her Bachelors in Social Work degree. She is concurrently finishing up her work experience hours to obtain her certificate of competence in Substance Abuse Counseling. She is very determined and motivated to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Heidi’s areas of interest are Substance use disorder, Domestic and Family Violence, and cultural practices that promote healing, recovery , prevention and intervention. She plans to one day use her credentials and skills to assist women and youth here in the islands to heal from past traumas and work towards making positive changes in their lives. Heidi believes that it is important for people to feel supported and empowered to make changes so that they can become their own #1 advocates.

 

Eden Arthur is studying Psychology and Family Studies at the University of Hawai’i with the hope of taking her strengths to Richardson Law School and becoming a Family Attorney. She hopes to walk away from this program with great connections and field experience.

 

 

 

 

Kira Dante will be entering her second year at UH Manoa Fall 2022. She has graduated with an associates in liberal arts and a human service certificate from Hilo Community College. She anticipates on graduating in spring 2023 with her Bachelors in Social work. After getting her bachelors she hopes to get accepted into the MSW program where she will receive her masters in social work and become a children and family social worker. In the past she has completed two internships, one with Children Welfare Services and another with the Salvation Army Interim home. She has a deep passion to work with children and help them get not only reunited with their families but to reconnect with them as well. Her strengths include: empathy, motivation and self discipline.

 

Caroline Delseaux is an international student from Belgium. Her native language is French. In the fall of 2022, she will be starting her second year of the Master of Social Work at the UH Mānoa, Thompson School of Social Work and Public Health. Her choice of specialization is Child and Family. She is planning to graduate in Spring 2023. In Belgium, she obtained master’s degrees in psychology, in family and systemic therapy and in anthropology. She worked for more than 16 years in a multidisciplinary team specialized in the field of child abuse. In 2011, she came “by chance” to Hawai’i to learn English. Since then, her deep interest in Hawai’i, its culture and its people has only grown. She hopes to continue this wonderful experience and to be able to help the community, with all the wealth and challenges that this implies. She would like to get involved in new projects and challenges in the social, cultural and environmental fields. She believes in a holistic approach as the basis for improving the well-being of people of each generation, past, present and future.

 

 

Haley Hocking is a fourth-year Bachelor of Social Work student at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Her interests include advocacy for marginalized populations and addressing the challenges facing such demographics. Upon completion of the BSW, Haley hopes to attend graduate school and continue research to assist these vulnerable communities. Prior to joining the OD2A-C3 fellowship, Haley has worked for the University since her freshman year and looks forward to furthering her professional experience in academia with her social work knowledge.

 

 

Jennifer Manning is in her first year of her Master’s program in Educational Psychology at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa. She has her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and plans on applying to a Doctoral program in Clinical Psychology specializing in children and adolescents. She is also the current president of the Psi Sigma psychology club at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa. Prior to joining the WFD Fellows summer program, she co-owned a small business with her sister in Mililani, Hawaii for over 20 years. She hopes to work for a non-profit organization that specializes in disabled children and connecting them to working dogs that will assist them in their daily lives.

 

 

Madelyn Lehualani McKeague is entering her final year at the William S. Richardson School of Law with a focus on Native Hawaiian Rights. She previously earned her Master’s in Public Health at Johns Hopkins University and her bachelor’s degrees in molecular biology and biochemistry at the University of Washington. Her passions and interests include reproductive justice, decolonization of systems and structures, anti-racist policies, and Paddington 2.

 

 

Megan Price is entering her final year of pursuing a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. She has completed her Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts at Leeward Community College. After graduation, she plans to gain more experience in the field of Psychology and enter a graduate program in clinical psychology. She hopes to broaden her experiences to explore all aspects of psychology to choose a specialization. Her topics of interest include behavior mental health, forensic psychology, social and behavioral sciences, and family counseling. Megan is excited to start her journey as an OD2A-C3 Workforce Development Fellow to help and contribute to her community.

 

 

 

 

 

Madison Smith is an incoming senior in the Bachelors of Social Work program at the Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Her interests include mental health, substance abuse, healthcare disparities, and working with families and children. After she graduates, she hopes to obtain her Masters degree and become a medical social worker.

 

 

 

 

Kiara Soares graduated from Honolulu Community College with her Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts and an Academic Subject Certificate in Psychology last Fall. She is now a senior undergraduate student at the University of Hawaii at Manoa double majoring in English and Psychology. After she graduates with her Bachelor’s Degree this upcoming Fall 2022, she will be pursuing her Masters Degree in Social work at the Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa in Fall 2023 to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Her interests are in mental health, clinical counseling, and bringing counseling services to Christian churches to mentor youth. She hopes to have her own counseling practice someday to bring forth her interests in helping the community.

 

Juyeon (Julia) Suh is a senior graduating in Fall 2022 with a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Philosophy. Julia is interested in the mind-body connection, consciousness, cognition and the phenomenology of human lived experiences. She will continue her education in Hawaii by obtaining a graduate degree in either Clinical Psychology or Mental Health Counseling. Julia also plans to further her learning by taking courses in entheogen/psychedelic assisted psychotherapy, breath-work and behavior therapies. She is an advocate for harm reduction and decriminalization of drug use. Suffering and death are common phenomena we share as humans, and she hopes to help others build their resilience and awareness to get through these difficult moments. She believes self-actualization is possible for those who are ready to do the work, and is excited to guide people through their own journey of finding meaning and purpose in life.

 

Camryn Toner is a Bachelor’s of Social Work student at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa entering into her final year of the program. After graduating Spring of 2023, she plans to continue her education at the Thompson School of Social Work and Public Health and obtain a Master’s of Social Work degree. Her topics of interests include human rights, rural health, women’s health, reproductive rights, policy, advocacy and harm reduction. Upon completing her education, Camryn aspires to become a macro-level social worker focusing on policy and advocacy for underserved populations.

 

Sena Yang is a Bachelor’s of Psychology student at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa. After graduating in Spring of 2023, Sena will attend law school where she hopes to begin pursuing a career in family law. Sena’s passion for client work and community building has led her to numerous opportunities in various fields including social media marketing, university admissions and law. She hopes to continue to integrate the knowledge and skills gained in each position she has held to further her work within the community and beyond.