WE ENVISION SAFE, RESILIENT AND THRIVING COMMUNITIES FREE OF SUBSTANCE MISUSE.

Preventing and reducing substance misuse impacting keiki to kupuna with a focus on eliminating underage drinking.

Alcohol Awareness Month Sign Waving Event

Over 50 Volunteers made posters and lined the main highway near Walmart in Hilo on April 23, 2021
​in observance of Alcohol Awareness Month. 

Data Sources: Hawaii Health Data Warehouse (HHDW), Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) 2017, 2015, 2013. SAMHSA (2017, September 20). The Consequences of Underage Drinking. Retrieved from
https://www.samhsa.gov/underage-drinking/parent-resources/consequences-underage-drinking ​

Jade Iokepa

Coalition Coordinator

Jade has over 18 years of Operations, Marketing, and Management experience and brings an abundance of community connectedness to lead the Coalition in East Hawaiʻi.  Prior to joining HIPHI, Jade was a part of the Blue Zones Project Hawaiʻi team as the Community Engagement Lead for East Hawaiʻi, then the Big Island. Later, she was appointed to host and moderate larger-scale statewide events, social media content, and marketing. Before joining community outreach initiatives, Jade was the Director of Operations at a large local medical eye clinic for over 7 years, overseeing three departments. Born and raised in East Hawaiʻi, she then pursued a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Master’s Degree in Education.  Jade is passionate about our local community in Hawaiʻi and promotes health and wellness throughout.

Rick Collins

Program Director

Rick Collins is a Cincinnati, Ohio native who has lived and worked in Hawaiʻi since 2003. He currently serves as the Director of the Maui Coalition for Drug-Free Youth. Rick’s career passion is in creating responsible drug and alcohol policies that keep youth safe and drug-free. He enjoys playing hockey, is a father of two and husband to one, and partakes in as many outdoor activities as time allows. Rick has an M.S. in Counseling Psychology from Chaminade University and a B.A. in Religious Studies from the University of Dayton. He is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Certified Prevention Specialist.

Stephanie Strutner

Coalition Consultant

Stephanie Strutner, MPH, CPSII is a Lead Epidemiologist for Catalyst Evaluation Group and coalition evaluator. I love being part of the East Hawai'i Drug-Free Coalition and it is a privilege to assist the coalition in making data-driven decisions through strategic planning so we can build a healthy community together.

​@EastHawaiiDrugFreeCoalition