E KOMO MAI
Welcome To Manakai O Malama
Manakai O Malama was established in 2002 by Dr. Ira Zunn, M.D., M.P.H., and Alia Zunin, L.A.C. Dr. Zunin, a preventive medicine physician, and his wife Alia, an acupuncturist, envisioned an integrative healthcare clinic to serve the people of Hawaii by bringing together both modern medicine and traditional healing practices to offer the best pathways to healing. Our unique approach to medicine and healthcare is based upon our name, “Manakai O Malama,” which roughly translates to “the healing power of the ocean” in Hawaiian. By embodying the natural healing and changing flow of the ocean, we hope to incorporate both the time-honored traditions of ancient medicine with innovative contemporary healthcare.
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WEALTH OF HEALTH
By Dr. Zunin
Each month, Manakai O Malama Founder and Medical Director, Dr. Ira Zunin, offers medical insight and expertise in the Honolulu Star Advertiser. His column, “Wealth of Health,” is an introspective look at the health of the local community and a salve to residents on how we can prioritize optimal health.
For more on Dr. Zunin’s medical insights, head to his Wealth of Health archive in the Honolulu Star Advertiser.
(Founder, Medical Director, Primary Care & Preventative Medicine)
Dr. Ira Zunin
Dr. Zunin has been practicing medicine in Hawaii since 1993. He is the medical director of Manakai O Malama Integrative Healthcare Group and Rehabilitation Center and maintains a full-time integrative clinical practice specializing in occupational health, preventive medicine and chronic pain.
He earned his medical degree from the UCLA School of Medicine, and completed a residency in Preventive Medicine in Hawaii. He also earned a Master’s Degree in Public Health. After further experience in the field, he earned Specialty Board Certification in General Preventive Medicine and Public Health and has served as an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of HawaiiSchool of Public Health.
In addition to his practice at Manakai O Malama, Dr. Zunin lectures locally, nationally and internationally on a variety of aspects of health and wellness with a particular focus on integrative medicine. He is frequently featured in the media and writes a regular column, Health and Wellness in the Honolulu Star Advertiser.
(Founder, Acupuncturist)
Dr. Alia Zunin
Born and raised in Ireland, Alia received her Social Work degree from Trinity College, Dublin. Ten years in California exploring various healing and life enhancing arts led her to the study of acupuncture. She moved to Hawaii in 1993 where she received her Master Degree in Oriental Medicine from Tai Hsuan Foundation. She currently lives in Honolulu and practices acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine at Manakai O Malama.
(General Medicine & Pain Management)
SCOTT ACREE
Christopher “Scott” Acree is a Board Certified Physician’s Assistant in Primary Care. He joined the Manakai O Malama team in December 2013. He specializes in general medicine, chronic pain management, minor outpatient procedures. He earned his degree in 1998 from the University of Nebraska Medical Center with a BS in Physician Assistant Studies. He served in the United States Air Force from 1996 – 2003 where he achieved the rank of Captain, serving as a linguist and later a Certified Physician’s Assistant.
He speaks Spanish and Vietnamese conversationally. Having moved to Hawaii in June 2009, he has embraced the local culture stating, “The social differences of the local Hawaiians are very unique and allow excellent experience in dealing with people from different ethnic backgrounds of the many pacific islands.”
(Family Nurse Practitioner)
JULIE RIZZOLO
Julie Rizzolo is a Family Nurse Practitioner, FNP, that is certified by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. She graduated from Simmons College in 2018 with her FNP degree. Prior to becoming a FNP, Julie was an ICU nurse in the Washington D.C area for over 5 years specializing in Trauma and Transplant services. Her nursing degree was received in 2008 from Northeastern University in Boston, MA.
She moved to Hawaii in May 2018 and has been embracing the local culture since then. She enjoys hiking, cooking, snorkeling, and enjoying the beautiful weather.
(Internal Medicine)
DR. YEFIM LEVY
Dr. Levy is a board certified Internist with over 25 years in practice. Dr. Levy operated a successful private practice in Detroit, Michigan until relocating to Honolulu in 2017. Through his work in private practice and hospital based care, Dr. Levy is highly experienced in managing patients with basic primary care needs to patients with complex chronic and acute medical conditions. Dr. Levy was born in Russia and is fluent in both English and Russian.
(Family Nurse Practitioner)
ROXANNE HAVERKORT-YEH
Haverkort-Yeh is a board certified Family Nurse Practitioner, certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. She completed both her Masters in Biology degree and her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Her training has prepared her to approach patient care holistically: treating the patient as a whole, including mental health, social factors, as well as physical symptoms of illness.
Haverkort-Yeh is originally from Curacao, a Dutch island in the Caribbean. She relocated to Hawaii in 2008 and loves the culture and the beautiful landscapes that the Hawaiian Islands have to offer. In her free time she enjoys hiking, beach time, reading books, traveling, and spending time with her family, friends, and furbaby.
(Chief Behavioral Health Officer)
DR. JULIE TAKASHIMA-LACASA
Julie Yurie Takishima-Lacasa, PsyD., obtained her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and is a National Register of Health Service Psychologist. She specializes in providing integrated behavioral health services in a primary care setting, working closely with medical providers to address behavioral factors in chronic illness care, physical symptoms associated with stress, and health behavior change.
As a generalist, she treats a broad range of mental health problems and disorders across the developmental spectrum, and has specialized training in the treatment of eating and personality disorders. In her research position at the University of Hawai‘i she focuses on addressing disparities in the accessibility and utilization of effective, culturally informed behavioral health services for at-risk, rural communities of Hawai‘i. Julie is also very active in local and national legislative advocacy for the profession of psychology and the communities psychologists serve. Julie was born in Japan, and was raised
(Sleep Medicine Specialist)
DR. HARAMANDEEP SINGH
Dr. Haramandeep Singh is a board-certified sleep medicine specialist. He practiced psychiatry in the community for 8 years prior to getting his sleep medicine fellowship where he developed a keen interest in neuropsychiatric and other physiologic consequences of untreated sleep disorders. He has a large population of patients with OSA, narcolepsy and the gamut of sleep disorders. He is a key opinion leader in the community for the diagnosis and management of narcolepsy and has made numerous presentations across the United States to help health care providers recognize, diagnosis and adequately treat this disabling, chronic illness.
Dr. Singh earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign where he graduated Summa Cum Laude. He earned his medical degree from Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, Missouri where he graduated in the top third of his class. He completed an internship in internal medicine at the University of Chicago Hospitals in Chicago, Illinois, a residency in psychiatry at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, and a fellowship in sleep medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. He served as chief fellow and published a paper on the use of low dose doxepin for insomnia during his fellowship.
Dr. Singh has been the Principal Investigator for several clinical trials focused on novel and upcoming treatments for narcolepsy, sleep apnea, and restless legs syndrome. He recently has published abstracts focused on dosing and titration strategies for solriamfetol in patients with OSA and narcolepsy (START studies). He is a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the California Sleep Society. Dr Singh is a diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and is board certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine.
(MD)
NATALIE KITAMURA
Comming soon…
(Physical Therapist)
STEVEN THOMAS
Steve Thomas has been practicing physical therapy since 2004 when he graduated from the University of North Dakota. In 2007, he continued his education and graduated from the University of North Dakota with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy. Steve’s focus is general orthopedics, but because of his experience as both a high school and collegiate athlete, he has a passion for treating sports medicine patients as well.
(Physical Therapist)
LIA YAMAMOTO
Lia has been practicing physical therapy since 2005 after graduating from Pacific University with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy. Born and raised on Maui, Lia has been greatly enjoying her recent return to Hawaii after practicing in Portland, Oregon for over 10 years. She is certified in ASTYM soft tissue therapy, and enjoys helping people return to activity, sport, and work.
(C.O.O.)
EVETTE SMITH
Coming soon…
(Physical Therapist Assistant)
KILNANI ISHII
Nani earned her PTA license from Oregon State University and a PTA certificate from Kapiolani Community College in 1996. She has 15 years of experience in outpatient rehabilitation and offers particular expertise in orthopedics. Nani was born and raised on Oahu where she first became interested in integrative healthcare.
(Acupuncturist)
TARA MATTES
Tara Mattes graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a B.A in World Religions and Biology. Upon graduation her career took her to various parts of the world where she eventually encountered acupuncture. Determined to learn more about this art, she was fortunate enough to land in Hawaii, where she chose to study under Taoist Master, Dr. Chang Yi Hsiang, Ph. D. at the Tai Hsuan College of Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine. She has had a wide variety of experience from women’s health, addiction and recovery, to pain management.
(Massage Therapist)
ROXANA TAMURA
Born in Lima , Perú, Roxana always had a passion for helping people in need. Pursuing her goals, she enrolled in a health care program in Japan in the early 1990s, where she learned about the positive effects of specialized medical massage therapy for patients rehabilitation. After spending some time in Japan, Roxana eventually moved to Hawaii in 2003, where she continued to gain practical experience and receiving her license. Roxana also credit her experiences working for Dr. Body Inc Japan where she learned the crucial aspect of skeletal frame work , muscle development and lymphatic system for massage therapist. Since 2018, Roxana has been working at Manakai of Malama where she continues to provide relief for her patients using her extensive knowledge and plethora of techniques such as trigger point therapy, Shiatsu, Sports Massage, Swedish , and Hawaiian LomI Lomi to offer aid in muscle health recovery.
(Massage Therapist)
LAMA WANGCHUK
Born in Tibet and trained in India as Tibetan Buddhist monk, Lama was assigned by his elder brother His Eminence the 12th Tai Situ Rinpoche to teach meditation in Hawaii. He has followed these instructions over the past 21 years. In 2012 he pursued his education in massage therapy, acquiring his license in 2014. Since that time Lama has worked at Manakai O Malama as a medical massage therapist providing his patients with a variety of massage techniques including Swedish, Shiatsu, and Lomi Lomi with the goal of reducing pain, increasing circulation, and improving range of motion. Lama incorporates his training as a monk and meditation leader into his massage sessions, providing patients with a unique experience.
(MD)
JEANETTE QABLAWI
Dr. Qablawi specializes in Integrative Medicine and has a passion for preventative care and wellness. She believes in the fundamentals of a holistic approach to health and takes this route with all her patients. She completed her medical degree at Morsani College of Medicine in Tampa Florida. She then went on to complete her Family Medicine Residency at New York Presbyterian and Columbia Hospitals in NYC where she also served as Chief Resident during the height of the COVID 19 pandemic.
After residency she went on to complete a fellowship in Integrative Medicine at Mount Sinai in NYC. She also has expertise in Culinary Medicine, a new branch of evidence based medicine which explores the links between food and health, applying the foundations of nutritional science side by side with traditional medical intervention and care.
Dr. Qablawi also has been trained in Gender Affirming Care and PrEP management. She speaks conversational and some medical spanish. Her hobbies include painting, cooking, outdoor activities, health and wellness and hydroponic gardening. She is very excited to bring her skills and services to the people of Hawaii.
LEARN MORE ABOUT DR. QABLAWI’S MANA’O ON INTEGRATIVE HEALTH
IN THIS RECENT UH SPEAKER PRESENTATION
(PA-C)
MICHELLE HORNG
Michelle Horng is a Board Certified Physician Assistant practicing in Primary Care. She graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with a BA in public health in 2013 and obtained her Master’s degree in Physician Assistant Studies with highest distinction at Marquette University in 2020. She has a special interest in public health, lifestyle intervention, and patient education. She relocated to Hawaii with her family in 2021 and enjoys spending time with her daughter, hiking, cooking, trying new foods, and learning to surf!
(FNP-C)
REBECCA PELL
Rebecca Pell is a Family Nurse Practitioner, board-certified by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. She completed her Master’s degree from Samuel Merritt University in Oakland, CA in 2019. She has a background in nutrition, integrative and functional medicine and incorporates this into her care. Rebecca also has an extensive background in meditation and utilizes meditation-based tools and techniques to support her patients.
Rebecca moved to Hawai’i in 2021 and spends a lot of her time outdoors either freediving or hiking. In addition, she loves traveling the world and discovering new places. When she is home she spends her time cooking and creating new healthy recipes using local ingredients.
(Psychologist)
DR. JESSICA ROSENFELD
Dr. Jessica Rosenfeld is a licensed psychologist and member of the National Register of Health Service Psychologists. She graduated with her PsyD in 2018 from the University of Denver, and completed her pre-doctoral internship at the University of San Francisco, Counseling and Psychological Services. She recently moved to Hawaii from Oregon with her fiancé and their “furbaby,” Loki. She enjoys many aspects of psychology, including assessments and therapy. In assessment, she has worked across the lifespan and is focused on neuropsychological assessments for ADHD, Learning Disabilities, and other neurodevelopmental concerns, as well as personality testing and therapeutic assessment. In therapy, she works with adults of all ages, with a special interest and experience in young adulthood, neurodiverse women and adults, and adults in transition. In the past, she has had experience working with new parents (in particular, new fathers), ADHD adults, high functioning Autistic adults, and clients experiencing anxiety and stress. She takes a relational stance with her clients, hoping to build trust first, and then co-creating a treatment plan to address their goals. Prior to becoming a psychologist, she was involved in the performing arts, mainly theatre. When not working, she enjoys exploring new foods and restaurants, spending time at the beach or hiking, or having a night in watching movies and knitting.
(Psychologist)
DR. KYLA STUEBER
Kyla Stueber, Psy.D., was born and raised on Oʻahu and received her doctorate in clinical psychology from the Hawaiʻi School of Professional Psychology at Chaminade University of Honolulu. She completed her pre-doctoral internship and post-doctoral fellowship at APA-accredited I Ola Lāhui, Inc. Dr. Stueber has worked in rural and primary care settings in medically underserved communities, including Waimānalo and Kahuku. She is interested in service delivery and research in health psychology and the development of culturally responsive treatments for diverse communities.
Her approach to therapy is built upon a partnership between patient and provider to assist individuals in achieving their goals and living a meaningful life. She emphasizes an evidence-based and culturally mindful approach to change, fostered through reciprocal respect and collaboration, as well as a deepening understanding of the relationship between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. She has particular experience working with depression, anxiety, trauma, gender/sexual identity, and family/peer relationship issues.
While Dr. Stueber works with individuals across the lifespan and from diverse backgrounds, she especially enjoys supporting children (6y/o or older) and teens and utilizes a systems approach to change which can often incorporate a child’s parents and/or entire family unit. She uses culturally-tailored evidence-based approaches to treatment including the following: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Parent Management Training (PMT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).
(Psychologist)
DR. GINA CAMARA
Gina Camara, Psy.D. received her doctorate degree in September 2006. She completed her predoctoral internship with Hawaii’s Department of Health Adult Mental Health Division Forensic Services Section providing assessment to Hawaii’s Mental Health Court, providing mental illness eligibility determinations, and establishing programming for mental health consumers on conditional release. Dr. Camara was the head of mental health services as the clinical psychologist at Hawaii’s Department of Public Safety’s Women’s Community Correctional Center (WCCC) from 2008 to 2017 where she worked with a multidisciplinary team. While at WCCC, she developed and implemented programming for the SMPI population, conducted suicide risk evaluations, provided individual psychotherapy and group therapy for illness management, as well as facilitating seeking safety groups for trauma treatment. Dr. Camara has also provided mental health examinations for Kaiser Permanente. She is currently program manager for sex offender assessment and treatment for Hawaii’s prisons. Dr. Camara has been a licensed clinical psychologist since 2008. She works with adults struggling with severe mental illness, trauma, anxiety, depression, and those coping with grief.