Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 37, Number 6, 1 June 2020 — A Hui Hou Kākou! [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

A Hui Hou Kākou!

J MĀLAMAI w > KOU KINO f

By Claire Ku'uleilani Hughes, Dr.PH., R.D. Aloha to our readers! After twenty-plus years of writing this monthly Ka Wai Ola eolumn on heahh, nutrition and traditions, I am retiring. This is my hnal eolumn. However, because it is important to eonhnue providing messages to you on heakh, healing and traditions, I asked Dr. Jodi Leslie Matsuo for her kōkua to eonhnue this eolumn. Please allow me to introduce Jodi to you. Jodi Haunani Leslie Matsuo, Dr.PH., was born and raised in South Kona and graduated from Konawaena High Sehool. Jodi attended the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa where she completed both Master and Doctorate degrees in Public Heakh. She also earned additional certification as a Registered and Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and is on staff at the Kukui Lifestyle Medicine Clinic in Kailua-Kona. Jodi and her husband, Dr. Leon Matsuo, an internist and pediatrician, live in Captain Cook with their two daughters. Jodi' s experience has eome from her work as a Public Heakh Nutritionist at the State

Department of Heakh in Honolulu, and as an instructor at The University of Hawai 'i' s Mānoa, Hilo and West Hawai'i campuses. Jodi has taught UH courses in basic human nutrition, kinesiology and exercise science, child nutrition, as well as data and statistics in kinesiology, weight control and sports Nutrition. During her collegiate years Jodi received many academic and community honors, awards and scholarships. Jodi interned as a Clinical Dietitian in Food Services Management at Tripler Hospital and at the Queeif s Medical Center in Honolulu while completing her studies for a Public Heakh Master's degree. Jodi subsequently worked as a Nutrition Consultant and Public Heakh Nutritionist for a number of rural heakh care centers and community heakh agencies in Hāna, West Hawai'i, Kohala and Kona. She later earned her Doctorate in Public Heakh to expand her expertise and skills to better work with and help Native Hawaiians. True to her Hawaiian roots, Jodi is observant, perceptive and analytical with a heart for service and a passion to maintain and improve the heakh of our lāhui. Jodi has experience working with the entire spectrum of ages, from infants to kūpuna, as well as patients in long-term care programs. Jodi also garnered experience studying, researching and publishing about traditional hawaiian diet and nutrition programs, such as the 'Ai Pono Program, Uli'eo Koa and weight loss programs for keiki. In March I reached out to Jodi, whose career I have watched with great pride. To my surprise and delight, Jodi agreed to take over the longstanding Mālama I Kou Kino eolumn. Before I began writing this eolumn, it was originally authored by our beloved kupuna, Dr. Kekuni Blaisdell. Thus, it is with confidence and great aloha that the torch is now passed to Jodi. To my readers and friends, I bid a fond aloha. E mālama pono, a e mālama i ko mau kino. ■ Dr. Claire Ku 'uleinani Hughes has written over 200 articles on health from a Hawaiian cultural perspective for Ka Wai Ola. Findthematk.awaiola.news. Mahalo nui me ke aloha pumehana e Aunty CIaire, for sliaring your aloha and 'ike. E mālama pono a Ke Akua pū.

« 1 Jodi Haunani Leslie Mafsuo ■ Photo: Courtesy