2022 Women Veterans Summit

Born and raised in Hawai’i, Nova Akau obtained her BA in Justice Administration from Hawai’i Pacific University, a Master of Science in Criminal Justice Administration from Chaminade University and a Master of Social Work from the University of Southern California. With over 25 years’ experience working in and around mental health, public safety and education, Nova comes with a wealth of information.  Nova is an LCSW working at the VA Pacific Island Health Care System as the Intimate Partner Violence Assistance Program Coordinator.  In addition, she is an adjunct lecturer at Chaminade University of Honolulu and the Honolulu Community College in the Criminal Justice Program. She is a member of the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals and Threat Team Hawai’i. 

Shannon Gorman PT, DPT provides care using telehealth for VA patients in VISN 21 (Western US).  She received her physical therapy education at USC and has been in practice for 8 years.  She is a board-certified women’s health clinical specialist.  Her special interests within telehealth include improving access for pregnant and post-partum moms and men going through prostate cancer, as well as leveraging telehealth to provide interdisciplinary interventions to improve population health.  Her treatments are influenced by her training in Applied Functional Science, Yoga, and Tai Chi.

Ron Han is the son of a retired Senior Non-Commissioned Officer who served his country in both the United States Navy and the United States Air Force during the Vietnam conflict. Ron received his commission as a second lieutenant through the AF Reserve Officers Training Program at the University of Hawaii and served on active duty for over eight years with the Air Force and another 20 years of active duty with the Hawaii Air National Guard.  He is a graduate of Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College, Air War College and completed the Advanced Officers Logistics Program. Ron also deployed with the tanker task force in support of Operation Allied Force in the European Theater. He has commanded two squadrons, a group, and has held major command staff level positions. He advanced to the rank of Colonel on 17 March 2005 and retired on 1 July 2011 with over 28 years of military service.  Ron was appointed by the Governor of the State of Hawaii, the Honorable David Y. Ige, on July 1, 2015 as the Director of the State Office of Veterans Services under the Hawaii State Department of Defense.  He’s also a member of the State Advisory Board on Veterans Services, Board Trustee and the Vice Chair for the Finance Committee for the Hawaii Veterans Memorial Fund and a member of the University of Hawaii Task Force for Student Veterans.

Angela Heiligenthal, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist with the Traumatic Stress Recovery Program and one of the facility’s Military Sexual Trauma (MST) coordinators. She has worked at several VA facilities primarily working with PTSD and MST. Her professional interests include the role of empowerment, culture, and relationships in building/fostering resiliency in trauma recovery. 

Kristen Salles is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist passionate about preventative wellness through all stages of life. She currently supports the Pacific Islands VA as the outpatient Women's Health Dietitian. Her specialties are in heart health, pregnancy and lactation. She works with veterans individually and in group settings, where she offers a range of classes, including cooking demonstrations. Prior to the VA, she has helped build healthy eating, interdisciplinary programs at Ekahi Health and Queen’s Medical Center. She has also worked in a Women, Infants and Children (WIC) clinic and a national food marketing role. In all of her positions, she uses Medical Nutrition Therapy to help manage or reverse chronic conditions. In her free time, she enjoys surfing, hiking, drawing and camping! 

Dr. Vosters has worked with VA Pacific Islands Health Care System since 2018, initially as an Intermittent RN and currently as a Complimentary and Integrative Health Nurse Practitioner.  Prior to nursing, Dr. Vosters was full-time yoga therapist and instructor for 10 years and currently combines her experience to lead efforts integrating yoga therapy into patient care.  She serves as a subject matter expert for the VA Integrative Health and Coordinating Center and provides Whole Health employee education by teaching local and regional courses as a Network Wide Education Facilitator.