Hawaii nonprofit people in the news

Sue Wesselkamper, Chaminade University president

The “miracle worker” president of Chaminade University of Honolulu for the past 13 years, Mary Civille Wesselkamper, died Saturday, Jan. 3, at her home from bile duct cancer. She had been on medical leave of absence since mid-September.

Wesselkamper was the first woman to head a four-year university in Hawaii and won praise for stabilizing the finances, raising the profile and attracting new donors to the Catholic university she joined in 1995. Her success came from a smart business sense and reliance on strategic planning.

Chaminade Provost Bernard Ploeger told Pacific Business News in April: “She has a kind of appropriate impatience in that she’ll ask, ‘Well, why isn’t that solved?’ and she won’t accept the bureaucratic answer. Just her own personal tenacity gets things done, and she doesn’t let the illness excuse her from her goals.” Her accomplishments at Chaminade won her PBN’s 2008 Businesswoman of the Year award in April.

Wesselkamper, 66, was a native of Dayton, Ohio and dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at the College of New Rochelle in New York before joining Chaminade. She also taught at Virginia’s Radford University and New River Community College. She had a master’s degree in social work from the University of Michigan and a doctorate degree in social welfare from the City University of New York.

Wesselkamper had a strong community presence as a volunteer for the Hawaii Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations, the Rotary Club of Honolulu and the Pacific and Asian Affairs Council in recent years. Chaminade has named Ploeger acting president.

Alzheimer’s Association names new executive director

Elizabeth Stevenson is the new Executive Director and CEO of the Alzheimer's Association, Aloha chapter. She assumes the position with a strong background in fund development, communication and advocacy.  Having worked in the nonprofit sector for more than 20 years, Stevenson moved to Honolulu in 1999 to become director of Development and Communication with the Institute for Human Services, Hawaii's largest emergency homeless shelter. Most recently, she served as development manager of the Ke Ali'i Pauahi Foundation. She will start in her new role on February 2, 2009.

“I am very excited to join the Alzheimer's Association, Aloha Chapter team and look forward to working with such a committed group of people on this important issue,” she said. “The very capable staff and outstanding Board have built a solid foundation of community support and I will work to build on that foundation to expand outreach efforts throughout the state. There are currently an estimated 28,000 individuals in Hawaii with Alzheimer's Disease and, as Baby Boomers reach retirement age, the support provided by the Alzheimer's Association, Aloha Chapter to individuals with the disease and their caregivers will only become more relevant.”

Hawai‘i ACLU elects new board members and officers

The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawai‘i recently concluded elections for its board and leadership. Elected for three-year terms were George Atkins and Sheryl Nicholson. Officers, who will serve one-year terms were Barbara A. Ankersmit, president; Rev. A. Joris Watland, vice president; Roger W. Fonseca, secretary; Marianita Lopez, affiliate affirmative action officer; Pat Hammers, treasurer; Pamela Lichty, at-large; Andrea Low, at-large; and Jeffrey Hong, national board representative. The newly elected members and leadership join current board members Ibrahim Aoude, Barbara L. Franklin (Hawai‘i Island), Gail Gnazzo (Maui Island), Esther Solomon (Kaua‘i Island) and Moana Yost.