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Our Team
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Ryan Catalani
Executive Director
Ryan has collaborated with communities across the Americas to galvanize solutions to critical social challenges. He joined Family Promise of Hawaiʻi as its Executive Director in 2022. He brings a deep passion for its mission, having previously worked at Family Promise of Northern New Castle County (Delaware) and served on the board of Family Promise of Hawaiʻi.
Born and raised in Kāneʻohe, Ryan was named one of Hawaiʻi’s “40 Under 40” by Pacific Business News. Prior to his current position at Family Promise of Hawaiʻi, he worked at Hawaiʻi Children’s Action Network. He also serves on the boards of Hawaiʻi Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations (HANO), KEY Project, and the Association of Fundraising Professionals Aloha Chapter.
Zoë Brooks-Jeffiers
Chief of Staff
Zoë joined the Family Promise of Hawaiʻi team in 2024. Previously, she dedicated three years to supporting keiki and families with Hawaiʻi Children's Action Network but is excited to shift her focus to addressing families experiencing unstable housing and houselessness. With a passion for bettering the community around her and a commitment to fostering positive change, Zoë is ready to continue working towards a Hawaiʻi where all families can thrive at Family Promise.
Destinee Lazo
Director of Family Services
Destinee returned to her roots and joined Family Promise of Hawaii in 2023 after relocating from Las Vegas, Nevada. Driven by a deep commitment to address the needs of families experiencing homelessness, she brings a wealth of experience and a compassionate approach to her role. Destinee received her Master's in Social Work in 2023 and has been in the non-profit sector for several years primarily working with youth and young adults. Being born and raised in Ewa Beach, HI, Destinee is excited to be involved in her community once again.
Elliot Woods
Director of Donor and Community Relations
Elliot is a community-builder at heart with a background in fundraising, volunteer engagement, and affordable housing advocacy. She’s a former AmeriCorps Volunteer who’s led island-wide volunteer initiatives, written multi-million-dollar grants, and created workshops to empower local families to achieve permanent housing. In 2025, Elliot was named one of Hawaiʻi’s “40 Under 40” by Pacific Business News.
Elliot’s experience spans everything from planning major events to training hundreds of service providers, and she’s passionate about building partnerships that create real, lasting change across Hawaiʻi. Outside of work, she serves on the board of directors for the Hawai‘i Gay Flag Football League and volunteers as an assistant coach for a high school girl’s flag football team.
Matt Hara
Director of Finance
Matt brings more than 15 years of experience in community development finance, banking, and real estate, to his role as Director of Finance at Family Promise of Hawaiʻi. Throughout his career, he has worked to mobilize capital and partnerships that expand opportunity and strengthen communities, supporting affordable housing, small businesses, and neighborhood revitalization efforts. Prior to joining Family Promise, Matt worked with mission-focused organizations, government agencies, and financial institutions dedicated to community investment and economic development. He is passionate about strong financial stewardship that enables organizations to focus on their mission and grow their impact.
Garrett Iha
Accounting Manager
Garrett joined us after he was set to retire but looking for an opportunity to give back to the community. He was already familiar with Family Promise as he had assisted with the mission through Nuʻuanu Congregational Church for years. He now continues to serve the FPH mission by offering his expertise and 30 years of experience in the financial sector.
Chris Ledward
Family Services Manager
With over 20 years of administrative experience and more than a decade working in homelessness and community services, Chris brings dedication, empathy, and a strong work ethic to everything she does. Chris originally joined the Family Promise team in 2024 as a case manager and stepped into the Family Services Manger role in 2025. Her deep empathy for the community drives her to go above and beyond for every client she serves.
Lisa Yamada
Disaster Case Management Supervisor
Lisa Yamada serves as the Disaster Case Management Supervisor for Family Promise of Hawaiʻi's Maui team. With over 20 years of experience working with children and young teens, she brings a strong background in education, advocacy, and community support to her role. Lisa was honored as the 2022 Baldwin–Kekaulike–Maui Complex Area Teacher of the Year and spent over a decade advocating for public school educators and students while serving as an HSTA Grade Level Chair and Union Representative from 2010–2022. Deeply connected to her Polynesian and Asian heritage, Lisa is passionate about uplifting and advocating for the kamaliʻi (children) and strengthening the well-being of families in her community.
Ryan Thomas
Disaster Case Management Supervisor
Ryan joined the Family Promise Team in 2024 in response to the Maui wildfires after serving for the American Red Cross as a Shelter Manager during the initial response. He has previously worked as a Program Manager for Rebuilding Together Minnesota and prior to that was an entrepreneur and served in senior leadership roles in the corporate community. He has a strong passion for serving the people of Hawai'i.
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