HUGS Announces New Board of Directors Member

Feb 11, 2025

HONOLULU – HUGS (Help Understanding & Group Support), a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping Hawaii’s families with seriously ill children, announced the addition Danka Fabiankovicova (S) to the HUGS Board, and the 2025 officers for its Board of Directors.

Fabiankovicova is a Vice President (Office & Investment, Commercial Brokerage) at Cushman & Wakefield/ChaneyBrooks. She is a seasoned commercial real estate advisor with over 19 years of experience in the Honolulu Market. Fabiankovicova holds a Master’s Degree in Global Leadership and Sustainable Development from Hawaii Pacific University, and her other affiliations include: CREW Hawaii (2022- Founding member, 2023 President Elect, 2024 - President, 2025 - Past President)/CREW Network, Kailua Chamber of Commerce, Wish Grantor (Make-A-Wish Foundation). Fabiankovicova past professional experience includes 18 years spent at CBRE, Inc. and the George P. Shultz National Foreign Affairs Training Center in Washington, D.C.

“I am so incredibly honored and thrilled to join the Board of Directors for HUGS,” said Fabiankovicova. “This truly feels like a full-circle moment for me, as my passion for their mission spans over two decades. As a college student, I was an active volunteer with HUGS. I supported their incredible respite nights and saw firsthand the vital role they play for families with seriously ill children. Now, I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to contribute on a different level and help further their impact on our community. To be a part of such a meaningful organization is both humbling and inspiring, and I look forward to working alongside this outstanding group of individuals dedicated to spreading hope, understanding, and support.”

The 2025 HUGS Officers of the Board of Directors are:
• President: Kanani Kealoha-Faleafine, Sr. Manager, Loyalty and Partnerships, Hawaiian Airlines
• Past-President: Ben Morgan, VP Customer Operations, HMSA
•Vice President: Julie Hirano Kaneko, Director of Marketing & Communications, aio Media Group
• Vice President: Charles Loomis, Retired
• Vice President: Kevin Yim, VP, Marketing, FCH Enterprises
• Treasurer: Catha Combs, CPA, Managing Director, Wikoff Combs & Co., LLC
• Sectary: David Ching, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management

The 2025 HUGS Board includes the following additional Directors:
• Kelly Berganio, Project Manager, Dispute Prevention & Resolution, Inc.
• Joseph Castaneda, Principal Broker & Realtor Associate, Better Homes & Garden Real Estate Advantage West
• Christian Chambers, Partner, Lung Rose Voss & Wagnild
• Calvert Chipchase IV, Partner, Cades Schutte, LLP
• Kanani Kaopua, Sr. Vice President/Sr. Community Portfolio Manager, Hawaiian Properties, Ltd.
• Patrick Klein, Chief Revenue Officer, aio Media Group
• Keven Matsuura, VP, Finance Factors
• Kirsten Pennaz, RN, BSN, MBA, FACHE, Director of Family Practice, Hawaii Pacific Health Medical Group
• Greg Pietsch, Owner and Operator, Sunset Ranch Hawaii
• Michael Tottori, Executive Vice President, First Hawaiian Bank
• Jody Shiroma, VP, Communications, PBS Hawaii

Media Contact:
Alex Wereszczynskyj
alex@hugshawaii.org