Jenna Waipa works in the Office of Equal Opportunity at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Social Welfare at the Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health and holds a master’s degree and license in Marriage and Family Therapy. Jenna’s professional background spans Human Services, Social Services, Crisis Management, and Community Engagement, bringing both breadth and depth of experience to her work. Her research centers on Hawaiʻi’s Child Welfare System and its impact on Native Hawaiian families and their communities. She was a member of the inaugural cohort of the Health Equity and Disability Inclusion Leadership Training Program through the UH Mānoa Center on Disability Studies and served as a Health Justice and Equity strand chair. Guided by historical and indigenous ʻike, Jenna is committed to fostering positive societal change, advancing equity, enhancing access, and promoting inclusion through system transformation.