President
Pat Englehard has been on the BISAC Board of Directors for 24 years and is its current President. She serves as Secretary for the Lyman House Museum, Vice President of the Friends of the Panaewa Zoo, Treasurer for the Haili Tournament and is a member of the Crime Stoppers Board. Pat retired after 20 years in County Government, with 2 stints as Director of Parks and Recreation and 8 years as the Housing Specialist for the Assisted Housing Program.
She also spent 18 years at the Naniloa Surf Hotel in various management positions, the last being Hotel Manager. Pat brings management experience with government agencies as well as private industry to the BISAC Board. “BISAC provides a much needed service to Hawai‘i Island not only with its substance abuse and mental health programs but with its training and prevention offerings.”
Vice President
Catherine is the Senior Marketing Specialist at HPM Building Supply. She has been involved with New Hope Hawai‘i: Celebrate Recovery, Prison and Hula Ministries, Camp Agape Big Island, Camp Agape O‘ahu, Hawai‘i Island Food Basket’s Hootenanny and ‘Ahahui Ka‘ahumanu ‘Ekolu. “Hope,” said Catherine, is what inspired her to be on the BISAC Board of Directors. “Hope that my small part can help a hurting broken person become a healed contributor in our community.”
Catherine is an avid reader and a writer with strong commitment to engaging others in the possibility of a different tomorrow and assisting others in succeeding.
Treasurer
Richard Henderson has been on the BISAC Board of Directors for 26 years. He is the Managing Member of Advanced Wireless Systems, LLC and the President and Director of HSC, Inc. and its subsidiary companies. Richard’s background as a Certified Public Accountant, his 63 years in the business community and 17 years in the State Senate give him valuable insight that can lead BISAC in serving the community in the best way possible.
In the community he serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Lyman House Memorial Museum, Director of the Hawai‘i Island Economic Development Board. He is a member of the Hawai‘i Island Chamber of Commerce, the Japanese Chamber of Commerce, the Portuguese Chamber of Commerce and the Hilo Yacht Club. “I serve on the board because I witnessed the problems of alcoholism and substance abuse in my own family, both as a child and as a parent.”
Secretary
Born and raised in Hilo, Vanessa is a graduate of Waiakea High School, UH-Hilo where she earned her BA in communication, and Walden University where she earned her MS in nonprofit management and leadership.
Vanessa enjoys volunteering in her community and is an active member of the Hawaii Island Chamber of Commerce Social Committee as well as involved with the East Hawaii Kiwanis, the Japanese Chamber of Commerce as A Taste of Hilo co-chair, the American Cancer Society Relay for Life Event Leadership Team, and new member of the board of directors at BISAC.
She is married to radio personality Darrin “DC“ Carlson and together they have two married children (Devin & Hannah; Noe & Jordan) and two grandchildren (Zhycen & Zhyler). When she’s not volunteering, she is helping support her grandson’s distance learning and dreaming up new ways to save the world...or reading a really good book.
Board Member
I have been the Faculty leader teaching Anatomy & Physiology at Hawai’i Community College, at Manono Campus, for four years now. Most of my students are working towards a Health & Nursing career. In my position, I developed several learning materials, including lab manuals and I am a co-author in the new Anatomy and Physiology Textbook that is in the process of being adopted by the University of Hawai’i System (UH System). This is an Open Education Resource that will save students more than $400K. I love serving my community in the Big Island. Amongst other activities, I currently serve on the following committees at my College: Executive Committee and the Academic Senate (as Secretary); Faculty and Staff Development Committee; Distance Education Committee with the UH System. Previous to my position here, I was teaching Biology courses, including Neuroscience and Advanced Physiology in different colleges in Colorado. Although, I loved the mountains, Colorado was too cold for me!
Prior to my teaching career, I was working as a neuroscientist researcher at Indiana University and at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa. In these positions, I studied neuropsychiatric disorders and published several scientific articles. In my last postdoctoral position at Yale University, I characterized a new animal model for the study of Tourette’s Syndrome. This was my most significant work and resulted in a high-impact publication in the scientific journal “Neuron”.
I am originally from Brazil. I got my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Clinical Psychology. I got my Master’s degree in Biological Sciences and my Ph.D. degree in Medical Sciences at the University of São Paulo, Brazil.
My favorite “hobby” is Aikido, a Japanese Martial Art for self-defense. I have been practicing Aikido for many years and I also have experience teaching it. I love Nature, and swimming and playing with the waves in our wonderful Ocean!
Board Member
David Bishaw has been on the BISAC Board of Directors for one year. David is a Plant and Soil Scientist working for the U.S. Geological Survey as a contractor through RCUH-HCSU. His deep understanding of how drugs and alcohol can impact the lives of individuals and families helps to guide BISAC in a direction that always aims to serve the needs of the community.
“I’m honored to be a part of BISAC’s decision making process, and to assure organizational success through client success in battling addictions and behaviors associated with drugs or other related substance abuse.”
16-179 Melekahiwa Street
Kea’au, Hawai’i 96749
© 2021 Big Island Substance Abuse Council. All rights reserved.
Website by Morweb.org
