Kerrie Urosevich, PhD

Executive Director

Kerrie Urosevich, MA, PhD, is the lead for network design and collaboration for ECAS. She previously served in both Governor Neil Abercrombie’s and Governor David Ige’s Administrations under the Executive Office on Early Learning (EOEL) Before joining EOEL, Kerrie worked for 15 years in systems building, conflict resolution and violence prevention, through her mediation and facilitation consultancy. She was selected to the Omidyar Fellows Executive Leadership program in 2014 to learn strategies for better supporting Hawai`i’s children and families.

Kerrie serves as Affiliate Faculty at the Matsunaga Institute for Peace at the University of Hawai‘i-Manoa, and is co-founder of Ceeds of Peace, focused on creating a more peaceful and just humanity. She serves on various Hawai`i-based and international Boards working on early development, education, family resiliency and women’s empowerment opportunities. Kerrie received her Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Hawai‘i-Manoa; Master’s Degree in International Policy from the Monterey Institute of International Studies; and Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management.

Doug Imig, PhD

LEARNING AND EVALUATION LEAD

Doug leads learning and evaluation for ECAS. Previously, he directed research and evaluation for the Indianola Mississippi Promise Community and was Professor of political science and Director of the Hooks Institute for Social Change at the University of Memphis.

Doug was also a Resident Fellow at the Urban Child Institute and Director of Memphis Data Partners for Children. He served as a Research Fellow at the University of Oklahoma’s Infants, Toddlers, Twos and Threes (IT3) Research Center, and was a Visiting Scholar at Harvard University’s Weatherhead Center for International Affairs. He received his PhD in political science from Duke University and has authored books and articles on children’s advocacy, social movement mobilization, and early childhood interventions. His most recent book, Supporting Young Children of Immigrants and Refugees: The promise and practices of early care and learning, with Scott Imig and Maura Sellers, was published by Routledge Press in April, 2024.

Jennifer Elia, DrPH

MATERNAL AND INFANT HEALTH LEAD

Jennifer Elia, DrPH, is the Maternal and Infant Health Lead for ECAS. She has worked in public health and clinical research and practice for more than a decade, previously in hospital and academic settings. Through community engagement and qualitative and quantitative methods, her work has focused on pregnancy intention, contraceptive use, and maternal/child health. Jennifer is passionate about better understanding and ameliorating health disparities among Native Hawaiian and other populations, while partnering with community organizations and healthcare providers to improve the accessibility, effectiveness, and cultural relevance of health services, systems, and education.

Raised in rural Puna on the Big Island of Hawai‘i, Jennifer currently lives with her husband and two young sons in Honolulu. Jennifer received her BA in the History of Science & Medicine and her MPH in Health Policy & Administration from Yale University, and her DrPH in Community-Based & Translational Research from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa.

Krista Olson

LATCH Project Coordinator

Krista Olson, MC-MCH, IBCLC, CH, coordinates LATCH (Lactation Access Transforming Communities in Hawaiʻi), a joint initiative of Breastfeeding Hawaiʻi and Early Childhood Action Strategy. Over the past two decades, Krista has addressed the critical intersection between food security and health equity as founding director of Nest for Families, and as Managing Partner at Kealaola Organic Farm & Institute. She brings experience in community organizing, early childhood, clinical lactation, and herbal medicine, and is passionate about the role of traditional foods and medicines, including breastmilk, in restoring community health. She helps to lead the Statewide Breastfeeding Workgroup and the Hawai‘i Maternal Infant Health Collaborative Core Team, and has worked for Head Start, WIC, State Health Departments, and health centers in the U.S. and Central America. Krista is a Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and holds a Master’s Certificate in Maternal Child Health from the John A. Burns School of Medicine. 

Christina Simmons

According to a recent leadership personality test, Christina excels at collecting stuff while exhibiting creativity and thinking strategically.  The stuff she collects tend to be random tidbits of information, cool old furniture needing love, new dance moves, and various degrees and certificates.  This lifetime habit began with a nutritional science degree, moved through a public health one, then dog-legged to a policy certificate in the Positive Deviant Approach to Problem Solving while becoming a Lactation Consultant somewhere in between.  More recently she added a project management certificate to her pile of stuff. 

Christina hopes to use her experience from years of community and public health work, social service directing, family engagement in education work and chronic disease prevention to help move the IECBH Plan forward, with all of your help. 

Jonathan Alexander

Jonathan Alexander, MSW is the lead for the Comprehensive System of Personnel Development for ECAS. After retiring from the United States Marine Corps in 2017, Jonathan completed his Master of Social Work Degree from Hawaii Pacific University. Upon his degree completion, Jonathan was a Care Coordinator with Integrated Health Hawaii connecting families and their Keiki to much needed mental health services, disability assistance, and connections to social services. 

Jonathan was accepted to the Early Childhood Intervention Doctoral Consortium (ECIDC) representing the University of Hawaii at Manoa as an Early Childhood Special Education PhD student. His focus as a student has been families, policy, and advocacy with a focus on Native Hawaiian and Indigenous families in Early Intervention and Special Education. He has just completed his coursework and is working on the next phase of his program. Jonathan joined the Hawaii Early Childhood Personnel Center (ECPC) preservice workgroup as they were transitioning into the CSPD in 2021. In 2022, Jonathan became a member of the Leadership group as well. 

In 2022, Jonathan started as the Social Work Faculty for MCH LEND Hawaii, training interdisciplinary students for future careers in leadership with those with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities and Extensive Support Needs. Jonathan facilitates the Council for Boys and Young Men at The Palama Settlement for boys ages 9-12 and 13-17. Jonathan has recently completed the Trauma Informed Clinical Certificate from the NYU School of Social Work. Jonathan resides in Honolulu with his wife Ashley and three of his five children.