Staff

Linda Hufano, Ph.D.

Executive Director

Dr. Linda Hufano’s professional history includes having been the Executive Director of Alaka’i Na Keiki and its predecessor, the Hoahana Institute, for over twenty years. From 1990 – 1997, she was the Branch Chief of the Diamond Family Guidance Center (FGC); and from 1985 – 1990, she was the District Psychologist for the Honolulu District, DOE. Dr. Hufano is a Hawaii-licensed psychologist, who has maintained private practices in Leeward Oahu and Honolulu in addition to providing contract services for the Kalihi-Palama Family Guidance Center. She has held research and/or teaching positions at UCLA, Pepperdine University, the University of Hawaii, and the University of Colorado; and served as Adjunct Faculty for the Department of Psychology, University of Hawaii, and the American School of Professional Psychology – Hawaii Campus.

Currently, Dr. Hufano has executive responsibilities associated with program development, program evaluation, and quality assurance for Alaka’i Na Keiki. She also provides training, consultation, and supervision for professional and paraprofessional providers as well as postdoctoral residents, interns and practicum students. Dr. Hufano was a senior leader and supervisor participant in the Hawaii TF-CBT (Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) Learning Collaborative.

 

Richard Kravetz, Ph.D.

Associate Director

Dr. Richard Kravetz’s administrative background includes having been President and CEO of Alaka’i Na Keiki and its predecessor organization, the Hoahana Institute, for over 20 years. He was responsible for directing Hoahana’s Tween Project, a DHS-funded project for at risk youth in Windward Oahu. He conceptualized and directed Hoahana’s consultant-skills trainer model for delivering intensive in-school support services under its CAMHD and Zero-to-Three contracts for young children with Autism. As Associate Director for Alaka’i Na Keiki, Dr. Kravetz continued to provide direction for these services, and additionally initiated its intensive in-school, in-home and community based services for children and youth with disruptive behavior disorders.

Prior to working in the private sector, from 1985 through 1997, Dr. Kravetz was employed by the Hawaii DOE and the CAMHD. He held various administrative positions within the CAMHD, including Head of the Central Oahu Children’s Team, Head of the Diamond Head Adolescent Day Treatment Program, and Chief of CAMHD’s Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatient Unit at Hawaii State Hospital. He also served as a Psychological Examiner for the DOE’s Windward district, Special Services Team, a Staff Psychologist for the Central Oahu Children’s Team, and a Staff Psychologist for the Leeward Oahu Children’s Team.

Dr. Kravetz is a Hawaii-licensed psychologist who for several years maintained a private practice in Leeward Oahu. Dr. Kravetz is a former university professor and special education teacher of children with severe emotional/behavior disorders, including those having developmental disorders, and has been on the faculty of the Pepperdine University, the University of Hawaii, and the University of Colorado at Boulder, and the Los Angeles Unified School District. He has trained clinical psychologists, school psychologists and special education teachers. Dr. Kravetz was a trainer/supervisor participant in the University of Hawaii – CAMHD sponsored training “Local Champions” which trained clinical supervisors to use, train and supervise therapists in using “Modular Approach to Therapy for Children with Anxiety, Depression, Trauma or Conduct Disorders (MATCH-ADTC)”. He was also a senior leader and supervisor participant in the “Hawaii TF-CBT (Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) Learning Collaborative”.

Kali Ikemoto, M.S.

Clinical Supervisor and Trainer

Kali Ikemoto, M.S, is a Hawaii-licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Hawaii. He is a Kamehameha graduate and has a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Hawaii. Manoa, and a M.S. in Counseling Psychology from Chaminade University, Kali has 17+ years of experience in the behavioral health field. He is a supervisor, trainer, and member of Alaka’i Na Keiki’s quality assurance team. His professional experience includes having worked as a Youth Counselor at Mari-Med, a Relief Counselor at Hale Kipa, and an Autism Consultant and Skills Trainer with various agencies. Kali’s specialty areas include youth with disruptive behavior and conduct disorders, schizophrenia, older adolescents and young adults who are transitioning to adulthood, and emotional/behavioral disorders with co-occurring autism spectrum disorders/PDD. Kali is a mentor-participant for post-master’s individuals in ANK’s early career therapy program. In addition to didactic training, he is available to be the “lead therapist” for early career therapists on complex or particularly difficult cases to help develop an early career therapist develop the attitudes, knowledge and skill set needed to work with individuals and families having a variety of treatment needs.
He is also a therapist in ANK’s outpatient and Autism clinics, and provides therapy for children, adolescents, families and couples.

Jessica Kojima, M.A.

Clinical Supervisor and Trainer

Jessica Kojima, M.A. has a master’s in Clinical Mental Health from Hawaii Pacific University and has completed the 3,000 hours of supervision required for licensure as a Mental Health Counselor. Currently, in addition to working as a therapist in ANK’s intensive in-home therapy program for youth with moderate to severe behavior disorders and their families, Jessica coordinates the behavior technician training program and trains and supervisors paraprofessionals to provide applied behavior analysis in the schools and community. Additionally, Jessica assists the Executive Director in achieving quality improvement projects; designs, implements, evaluates and modifies, as needed, the quality improvement aspects of the agency; proposes quality improvement measures; monitors the quality improvement data collection and review process and presents the results to the Executive Director with recommendations and suggested actions for improvement; ensures that policies and procedures are in compliance with CARF, DOE and DOH regulations, Medicaid, HIPAA, and other pertinent regulatory entities; provides ongoing educational activities related to quality improvement and regulatory compliance to staff; monitors and audits written documents.

Aimee McCullough, Psy.D.

Clinical Supervisor and Trainer

Dr. Aimee McCullough, Psy.D. is a Hawaii-licensed psychologist with over 30 years of experience providing psychological assessment and treatment service for toddlers, children, adolescents and adults. Dr. McCullough’s specializes in working with trauma (PTSD), anxiety, depression, loss, attachments and adoption. She has worked as a staff psychologist with the Department of Health’s Diamond Head Family Guidance Center, during which time she provided individual and family therapy; consulted with schools and provided disaster relief work for children and parents on Kauai after a hurricane. As a contract psychologist, Dr. McCullough continued to work with Kauai children on residential trauma symptoms; and later served as Alaka’i Na Keiki’s Clinical Director. Dr. McCullough has maintained a private practice in Kailua for over 16 years. Her practice includes children, families and couples, as well as counseling in the Women’s Community Correctional Center. She spent 8 months in Ireland providing individual psychotherapy, consultation to management, and in-service training and team building for staff at a residential care facility for adolescents. After she returned to the U.S., Dr. McCullough was as an Assistant Professor and Director of the Care Clinic, School of Medicine, University of Maryland. Dr, McCullough wrote and managed a grant to provide trauma-based care for maltreated children and their family; provided individual, family and group therapy; and trained clinicians, interns, and medical students. In 2012, Dr. McCullough rejoined ANK as a psychologist in our outpatient services program, and provides training and consultation on trauma cases.

Samantha Tavares, Psy.D.

Clinical Supervisor and Trainer

Alaka’i Na Keiki’s Support Staff

Supporting Alaka’i Na Keiki’s Administration are…

Alaka’i Na Keiki’s Directors

Alaka’i Na Keiki was co-founded in 1996 by Dr. Linda Hufano and Dr. Richard Kravetz.  Collectively Drs. Hufano and Kravetz, Hawaii-licensed psychologists, bring an extensive experience in service provision and administration to the delivery of mental health services for Hawaii children, youth, adults and families.

Alaka’i Na Keiki’s Clinical Supervisors and Trainers

Alaka’i Na Keiki’s major strength lies in its commitment and demonstrated ability to deliver effective services for Hawaii children, youth, and adults with moderate to severe emotional, behavioral challenges and developmental challenges. Joining Drs. Linda Hufano and Richard Kravetz in leading Alaka’i Na Keiki are the following Clinical Supervisors and Trainers:  Kali Ikemoto, M.S., Samantha Tavares, Psy.D. Each member of Alaka’i Na Keiki’s leadership team has several years of direct experience working with children, adolescents, adults and families, the DOH and other agencies on O’ahu. This leadership team has been recognized by the Council for the Accreditation of Rehabilitative Facilities (CARF), contractor audits, and the community it serves as possessing the knowledge, skills and abilities to train, supervise and monitor the delivery of behavioral health services for individuals and their families.