Kalehua Tolentino

Kalehua Tolentino is the Native Hawaiian Health Education and Cultural Development Coordinator with Native Hawaiian Health at The Queen’s Health Systems in Hawaiʻi. A cultural practitioner, her work advances Native Hawaiian well-being through culturally grounded education, research, and workforce development. She integrates Hawaiian values and practices into caregiver training, organizational culture, and patient-centered care. Kalehua has contributed to community-based research initiatives, including Ola Hou i ka Hula and the KāHOLO study, and serves as a cultural intervention designer and co-investigator for the PAHU study, which explores hula as a therapeutic approach for individuals living with Parkinson’s disease. As a Bloomberg Fellow, she is committed to bridging Indigenous knowledge and public health to develop and evaluate culturally grounded approaches that strengthen environmental health and community well-being.

The Queen’s Health Systems is a nonprofit, mission-driven healthcare organization serving Hawai‘i and the Pacific Basin since 1859. Founded by King Kamehameha IV and Queen Emma to address urgent public health needs, Queen’s has grown into Hawai‘i’s largest private healthcare provider. Its network includes six hospitals, more than 150 outpatient locations, and over 9,000 employees and 1,400 affiliated physicians and providers. Queen’s is nationally recognized for clinical quality, patient safety, and innovation. The organization is deeply committed to advancing health equity and improving outcomes for Native Hawaiians and underserved communities. Through integrated care, education, and research, Queen’s addresses complex health challenges and works to strengthen the health and well-being of communities across the islands.