Diane Paloma becomes President and Chief Executive Officer of Hawaii Dental Service

Hawaii Dental Service, the state’s leading provider of dental services, named Diane Paloma, Ph.D. as President and Chief Executive Officer, with a tentative start date of November 22, 2021.

Paloma will succeed Mark Yamakawa, the current President and CEO of HDS, who announced his resignation earlier this year. Yamakawa will help ensure a smooth change in leadership.

Paloma is currently the Chief Executive Officer of King Lunalilo Trust and Home, overseeing the trust and services for kūpuna, including a nursing home, recreation program, adult daycare, and home meal delivery program. She has held this position since August 2017.

“Diane has a reputation for being a passionate advocate for Hawaii’s most vulnerable populations, and we look forward to welcoming someone of her caliber to the Hawai’i Dental Service leadership team,” said Yamakawa. “Diane’s extensive leadership experience in healthcare makes her ideally suited to continue HDS’s mission to improve oral health and make care more accessible to all Hawaiian residents.”

“HDS has a long and excellent track record of community support, and with the company entering its sixtieth year of service, it is a good time to join HDS. I look forward to being part of the team to continue this great tradition, ”said Paloma.

Prior to Lunalilo Home, Paloma was director of The Queen’s Health Systems’ Native Hawaiian Health Program for 11 years from 2006 to 2017.

From 2003 to 2006 she was also director of management affairs for the Department of Native Hawaiian Health at the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaii. As a member of the management team, she oversaw the administration of federal health research grants for disparities. Before that, Paloma worked for the HMSA for six years, initially as a health educator. She was promoted to Product and Service Delivery Coordinator for ISI Health Enhancement Services, a subsidiary of HMSA, where she oversaw a dental benefits and approvals program, a Medicaid services call center, and business services for medical and dental offices.

The Kamehameha Schools graduate earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Physiology from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA); an MBA majoring in Management from the University of Hawai’i-Mānoa and a PhD in Health Administration from Capella University.

Paloma, a resident of ʻĀina Haina, was recently elected to the University of Hawaii Council of Regents and was appointed by Governor David Ige and endorsed by the state legislature. She serves on the boards of the Salvation Army, Partners in Development Foundation, and the Asian & Pacific Islander America Health Forum. Paloma serves on the advisory board of the Bishop Museum and remains active in the community as a member of the Hawaiian Civic Club of Honolulu; Nā Limahana o Lonopūhā, Native Hawaiian Health Consortium; and Ka Pa Hula O Ka Lei Lehua.