Divina Telan Robillard
President
Divina Telan Robillard has been a nurse-educator since graduation from college in 1976 and has a Masters degree in Public Health (International Health) from the University of Hawaii. She taught at the Kapiolani Community College for 7 years until resigning to take full-time care of her husband, Professor Britt Robillard who had ALS. She was Britt’s primary caregiver for 31 years until he died in the summer of 2015 from complications of ALS.
Ms. Robillard has been involved with the cause of ALS families since she and a colleague established the oldest and longest running ALS Support group in Hawaii in 1998. She also volunteers for the UP Alumni Association where she served as President in 2010-12, Philippine Nurses Association-Hawaii Chapter, and the Filipino Association of University Women.
Ronaele Whittington
Secretary
For twenty years, Ronaele Whittington owned and operated her clinical practice, Social Work Associates, Inc. Dr. Whittington also founded and operated the non-profit called Total Health, Inc. Ronaele served as bookkeeper and partner in her husband’s construction business. In the past, Ronaele served as an elected board member to the National Association of Social Workers in Washington, D.C. Local board memberships included PARENTS and Hawaii Association of Family and Consumer Sciences. Ronaele’s daughter has ALS.
Katherine O’Connor
Treasurer
Katherine O’Connor is a graduate of the University of California Berkeley and a retired State of Hawaii Social Worker/Case Manager with the Department of Health Developmental Disabilities Division. She has been instrumental in the care of her youngest brother for the past fifteen years after his ALS diagnosis and helps educate newly diagnosed patients and their families. She also finds time to volunteer at events of the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) and at Next Step Shelter feeding the homeless.
She currently serves as President of Make Today Count (MTC), a national cancer support group. Previously she has served as Vice President of Hawaiian Ocean View Estates Community Association and helped with their fundraisers. She also assisted her husband with his moving business. Katherine is an advocate for the National ALS Residence Initiative.