Tina Andrade, former chief operating officer of Catholic Charities Hawaii, is stepping into the president and CEO role ready to address the needs of the local community.
“In the spirit of lokahi (unity) and laulima (cooperation), we need to work together to help those who are struggling,” she told ASD on Tuesday at Red Mass, an annual prayer service held at Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in Downtown Honolulu.
“This ceremony is about the call to serve,” said Andrade, a Kamehameha Schools graduate who also recently assumed the role of president and CEO of Catholic Charities Housing Development Corp., an agency that aims to combat the local housing shortage across the Islands.
At the event, Bishop of Honolulu Larry Silva said a special blessing over CCH’s new executive management team, including Andrade; Stella Wong, vice president of programs; Be-Jay Kodama, vice president of philanthropy; Paul Kobayashi, vice president of finance; and Denise Matsubara, executive director of Catholic Charities Housing Development Corp.
Catholic Charities Hawaii has secured $200 million to expand affordable housing in Hawaii and distributed $150 million in federal rental assistance during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the nonprofit.
Andrade is credited for shaping the agency’s mission, strategic direction and more, since joining the 77-year organization in 2003. During her tenure, Andrade has spearheaded relief efforts for the 2023 Maui wildfires. CCH provides disaster case management services, and more recently, introduced wellness centers for both “helpers and survivors,” she said.
“Leadership is about sacrifice. I’ve learned to keep people at the center of all the decisions that we make and to hold to our values and stay grounded in them,” she added.
Outgoing CEO Rob Van Tassell officially retired from the helm on Jan. 6. He told ASD, “Tina is all set to go!”
He noted, “She was the succession plan for a while and underwent various formal and informal training.”
Since joining CCH in 2019, Van Tassell was responsible for growing the organization’s budget to more than $117 million in 2021, per its tax form, as well as its service and program offerings across the four major islands.
“I’ll always be a person of service. I will be involved helping with specific projects at CCH,” he said, along with serving on the board of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement and with Aunty Blanche in Waimanalo.
For more information about Catholic Charities Hawaii, go to catholiccharitieshawaii.org.
Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros can be reached at kelsey@alohastatedaily.com.
