STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1807

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    GOV. MSG. NOS. 672, 674, 677

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred Governor's Message Nos. 672, 674, and 677, submitting for study and consideration the nominations of:

 

State Rehabilitation Council

 

G.M. No. 672

TIRA KAMAKA,

for a term to expire 06-30-2024;

 

G.M. No. 674

MERIAH NICHOLS,

for a term to expire 06-30-2024; and

 

G.M. No. 677

JEFFREY HEDRICK,

for a term to expire 06-30-2024,

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     Your Committee reviewed the personal histories, resumes, and statements submitted by Tira Kamaka, Meriah Nichols, and Jeffrey Hedrick for service on the State Rehabilitation Council (Council).

 

TIRA KAMAKA

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination of Tira Kamaka from the Department of Human Services, Division of Vocational Services and The Arc of Kona.

 

     Upon review of the testimony and Ms. Kamaka's qualifications, your Committee finds that Ms. Kamaka is currently employed at Arc of Kona, where she has worked since 2016, serving as the Vice President of Program Services since 2019 and in that role, Ms. Kamaka oversees all programs and services provided by the agency and is responsible for the overall professional operations and delivery of Medicaid Waiver Home and Community Based service provision at all Arc of Kona locations island-wide.  Ms. Kamaka identifies emerging opportunities and strategic leverage points and evaluates the efficiency and effectiveness of programs to provide ongoing feedback.  Your Committee also finds that Ms. Kamaka leads efforts to research, identify, and develop grant and contract funding sources to support existing and potential programs in the field of disabilities.

 

     Your Committee therefore finds that Ms. Kamaka's experience and knowledge of the issues addressed by the Council will be valuable assets and recommends Tira Kamaka for service to the State Rehabilitation Council.

 

MERIAH NICHOLS

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination of Meriah Nichols from the Department of Human Services, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.

 

     Upon review of the testimony and Ms. Nichols' qualifications, your Committee finds that Ms. Nichols is a career counselor with fifteen years of counseling experience focusing on students and clients with barriers to education and employment.  Ms. Nichols is a professional post-secondary teacher and trainer, adept at working with adult students from diverse socioeconomic and multicultural backgrounds.  Your Committee finds that Ms. Nichols is an effective writer and problem solver, as evidenced by the grants received from state and city governments to fund career development programs.

 

     Further, your Committee finds that Ms. Nichols has provided career counseling for returning, non-traditional, and veteran students of the University of California at Berkeley with and without disabilities who faced barriers to continued education and employment.  She has monitored and evaluated students' career related needs and readiness, and provided and coordinated appropriate interventions, resources, and recommendations.  Your Committee also finds that Ms. Nichols was employed as an independent career development specialist with the California State Department of Rehabilitation, from 2010 to 2018.  Prior to that she was a career counselor and program coordinator at the University of California at Berkeley, from 2003 to 2010.

 

     Your Committee therefore finds that Ms. Nichols' experience and knowledge of the issues addressed by the Council will be valuable assets and recommends Meriah Nichols for service to the State Rehabilitation Council.

 

JEFFREY HEDRICK

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination of Jeffry Hedrick from the Department of Human Services, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.

 

     Upon review of the testimony and Mr. Hedrick's qualifications, your Committee finds that since 2018, Mr. Hedrick has served as the Executive Director at the Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center in Pearl Harbor, which provides the highest quality supply and support services to its customers.  Mr. Hedrick is an expert in equal employment opportunity compliance and a member of the Command Resiliency Team, designed to meet federal goals for hiring persons with disabilities.  Your Committee also finds that Mr. Hedrick is an advocate for hiring persons with disabilities and created the highly successful Vocational Rehabilitation Hiring Program so that Division of Vocational Rehabilitation participants can be hired into the federal government.  Mr. Hedrick has worked hard to convince managers to hire persons with disabilities, install automatic doors, and has learned vast amounts about accommodation technology.

 

     Your Committee finds that Mr. Hedrick's leadership, experience, knowledge of the issues addressed by the Council, and expertise and dedication to employing persons with disabilities will be an asset and therefore recommends Jeffrey Hedrick for service to the State Rehabilitation Council.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominees, has found the nominees to be qualified for the positions to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nominations.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,

 

 

 

____________________________

JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair