SONDH Appoints Dr. Donna-Marie Palakiko as Inaugural DEIB Director

The School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene (SONDH) is excited to welcome Dr. Donna-Marie Palakiko, PhD, APRN, as its new Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB). A Native Hawaiian nurse scientist and a Fellow of the UC Davis Betty Irene Moore Nurse Leaders and Innovators Program, Dr. Palakiko brings more than two decades of expertise in launching innovative programs, building collaborative teams, and fostering community engagement around critical issues.

Dr. Palakiko’s work is deeply rooted in cultural humility and systems thinking, informed by her training under renowned anti-racism leader Dr. Jann Murray-Garcia. She also draws on global perspectives in reconciliation, truth-telling, and cultural safety. Her commitment to DEIB leadership is clear: “My lifelong commitment to racial healing is grounded in identity, cultural safety, and cultural humility. I hope to create a safe and brave environment where students, faculty, and staff thrive.”

Her professional journey reflects this dedication. Dr. Palakiko has held influential national leadership roles, including chair of the American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian Caucus of the American Public Health Association, treasurer of the Asian American Pacific Island Nurses Association, and board member of the National Coalition of Ethnic Minority Nurses Associations. Through these positions, she has championed policies and amplified the voices of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities on a national stage.

Dr. Palakiko’s leadership extends far beyond the school. Recently, she was elected to the Executive Board of the American Public Health Association (APHA), one of the nation’s most prominent public health organizations. Among five distinguished candidates selected by the nomination committee, Dr. Palakiko attributes her success to the unwavering encouragement of mentors and colleagues, including the late Dr. John Casken, former Associate Professor and Department Chair for SONDH; Michael Bird (APHA Past President); Sheri-Ann Daniels (CEO of Papa Ola Lokahi); Holly Kessler (Hawai‘i Public Health Association); and Dr. Gary Glauberman, Associate Professor and new Department Chair for SONDH. With 21 years of membership in APHA and a legacy of service, including her recent role as Immediate Past Chair of the American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian Caucus, Dr. Palakiko has long been a voice for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities on a national stage.

As DEIB Director at SONDH, Dr. Palakiko’s work will focus on embedding the Native Hawaiian Place of Learning (NHPoL) into the school’s culture and curriculum, aligning with her vision to create environments that celebrate diversity and cultural identity.

 “The uncertainty of our current political climate should not deter us,” she says. “Instead, we must model how DEIB principles can integrate the values of Hawai‘i into our practices.”

Dr. Palakiko’s role also aligns closely with the Mentoring for Success Program, an initiative originally funded by the Office of Minority Health and now supported by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Foundation. Designed to connect nursing students and faculty with volunteer mentors, the program emphasizes retention and graduation success for underrepresented communities. As part of the AARP Volunteer Mentor Incentive Program, SONDH will expand its mentorship efforts, strengthening mentor-mentee connections and tracking outcomes to ensure the program’s continued impact.

This initiative reflects Dr. Palakiko’s larger kuleana as DEIB Director to cultivate a safe and inclusive environment where students, faculty and staff thrive. By fostering mentorship, cultural humility, and systemic change, she aims to position SONDH as a national model for advancing DEIB in higher education and health care.

Looking ahead, Dr. Palakiko is developing a five-year plan to integrate DEIB into all aspects of the school—from leadership development to curriculum transformation. With her guidance, SONDH is well-positioned to lead the way in creating a future where diversity, belonging and cultural identity are not just celebrated but fully embraced.