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Ensuring youth are ready for the challenges of life through
Resilience
Enrichment
Advocacy and
Developmental Programs for
Youth of Hawai‘i
Jefferson Gourley: Executive Director
Jefferson Gourley has been Executive Director of Friends of the Children of West Hawaii since July 0f 2017. Mr. Gourley has been a non-profit professional for nearly fifteen years and has experience in direct services, program management, and organizational management. Under Mr. Gourley's leadership Friends of the Children of West Hawaii has proudly established the Youth Leadership Alliance, Keiki Cabinet, and Prom Closet programs, as well as established changes to the Enhancements and Basic Needs, Supply Our Students, and Kalikimaka o na Keiki programs to improve quality of service provision and tracking of data and program results.
PRESIDENT:
Priscilla Basque
Elected to serve as President of the Board of Directors for 2018-2019, Priscilla Basque is a prominent name in the education and non-profit community of West Hawaii. For more than ten years Ms. Basque has overseen an after school dance program at Kealakehe Intermediate School and the Kealakehe High School dance team and although she has stepped down from the project this year, Ms. Basque has been the Artistic Director of the Miss Kona Coffee scholarship pageant for many years.
Now Ms. Basque has chosen to step back from many time-demanding projects in an effort to focus on her duties to Friends of the Children of West Hawaii and her personal businesses, which include WannaBee Pono, a honey shop and farm in Kainaliu, Hawaii, as well as a property management company.
VICE PRESIDENT:
Michael Olson
In his second year serving the Friends of the Children of West Hawaii Board of Directors Michael Olson has taken on the challenge of serving as our Vice President. In his duties Mr. Olson has been an invaluable asset in fundraising and community outreach. He has also played an integral roll in our weekly "Keiki Corner" activities at the Keauhou Shopping Center.
When not volunteering his time with Friends of the Children of West Hawaii or the various other local groups he is active with, Mr. Olson is Senior Architectural Designer with his own company.
SECRETARY:
Claudette Kapiolani Mahoney
A familiar name to the Friends of the Children of West Hawaii ohana, we are thrilled to have KC Mahoney back for another year on our Board of Directors as our board Secretary. Ms. Mahoney has been a member of our board for nearly six years, and has served as our Secretary for the past two. Ms. Mahoney also served as the President of the Rotary of the Kona Sunrise for the 2017-2018 fiscal year and is a key member of leadership in the Happy Feet Rubba Slippa Social Ministry - an service group providing slippers and footwear to those in our community in need.
When not volunteering with one of her non-profit causes, Ms. Mahoney is a manager with The Employment Experts, a human resources management company serving our island community.
Treasurer:
Eric Brown
By day Eric Brown is a supervisor at Costco Wholesale in Kona. By night, weekend, day off, or any other time that he has free Mr. Brown is a superhero!
In his second year serving on our board Mr. Brown has taken on the treasurer's position with our Board of Directors. These responsibilities are on top of his volunteer hours helping with outreach events, fundraising, and facilitating activities with our Keiki Corner program.
When not working or volunteering, Mr. Brown can often be found with a microphone in hand, having won season two of Portland Idol and being an incredible singer! Otherwise he is most likely cruising with the cats; Luna and Sarge.
DIRECTORS:
Casey Branco
"Everybody's Uncle" Casey is a loveable teddy bear serving with Friends of the Children of West Hawaii for the love of the mission. Outside of his volunteer hours Casey is a landscaper, a painter, and a bouncer.
Karen Nez
One of our newest board members, Ms. Nez joined the Friends of the Children of West Hawaii Board of Directors because she is a local resident who understands the needs for the services we provide.
Keoni Deleon
Demonstrating the power of coworkers' influence, Mr. Deleon is another Costco supervisor serving with Friends of the Children of West Hawaii. Having grown up in Kona he strives to provide resources he knows our community is in need of.
Wanda Thompson-Cash
With a fascinating history including personal expereince with the issues specifically addressed by the mission of Friends of the Children of West Hawaii, Ms. Thomspon-Cash is a transplant to the island who has volunteered in order to help to ensure necessary skills and services for children in the foster care system.
Ramona Estoy
Although "retired" now (and nobody who knows her believes it), Ms. Estoy was a foster parent and foster professional for a number of years. She has volunteered to serve with FCWH in order to cotinue to provide for the betterment of the lives of the children in our community.
Jared Wolfinger
A manager for a local bar by profession, Mr. Wolfinger brings his management experience to the FCWH Board of Directors and his enthusiasm to the programs and events he assists us with.
Ruby-Simone Jordan
Not only the first ever youth member of the FCWH Board of Directors, but also the first Youth Outreach Liaison and inaugural chair to our Youth Leadership Alliance leadership and self governance program. In addition to serving with FCWH Ms. Jordan is also attending beauty school and serving as Miss Kona Coffee.
Would you like to be a part of the Friends of the Children of West Hawaii Ohana?
Friends of the Children of West Hawaii is currently seeking additional members of our Board of Directors. If you would be interested in volunteering as a board member, are able to commit to roughly ten hours of volunteer time each month (some set to a schedule, some as you have time), and have skills, resources, or a voice which you think would help to serve the children of our community, please let us know!
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