Dr. Leolani Ah Quin encourages Indigenous youth to seek out new worlds and opportunities through higher education. Leolani shares her story of resilience, her untraditional path to a doctoral degree, and her advice to students pursuing higher education. She is currently the Clinical Director for a Tribal Nation in Arizona.

Tell us about your background and your path to a DBH (Doctor of Behavioral Health).

I was reared on the north shore of Oahu by my mother (Hawaiian/Chinese) and maternal grandparents. My biological father is Tongan and died in a motorcycle accident when my mother was pregnant with me. I was born 4 months after his death. My paternal grandparents, aunts and uncles were immigrants to America and settled in Salt Lake City, UT.

I had a tumultuous childhood. I attended Kamehameha schools starting in kindergarten, went into foster care in 8th grade then transitioned to public school. By the time I was 15, I was really struggling to stay focused. I eventually got married and took my senior year off to have my first baby at age 16 and returned to get my GED when I was pregnant with my 3rd child. After getting my GED, I was mainly a stay at home mom, watching my three boys while my husband worked.

A pivotal turning point in my life occurred at age 24 when my husband got into a near-fatal motorcycle accident. With my husband recovering from his accident, our family living off unemployment, and the birth of our first daughter, I knew I had to go back to school to help support our family. 

I started at Hawaii Community College at Hilo when my 5th child was 3 months old.In 2005 just after Hawaii’s economy began suffering, I left for Arizona. In 2009 while working for a Native American community, I enrolled in a master of social work program at Arizona State University. While there, I worked with a psychiatrist on integrative behavioral health. I learned about bridging the gap between psychiatric care, diabetes patients and learned about integrative health.

After completing my master’s, I was encouraged by a mentor to apply for a doctoral program. In 2012, I was one of two Native Hawaiian students enrolled in the Doctor of Behavioral Health program which I completed in 2017.I have worked in Native American communities for 10 years now. In 2017, while working in North Dakota, my team was selected as the first from a tribal nation to participate in the Clinical Scholars Program funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

I was selected by the North Dakota State Behavioral Health Department to participate in critical policy development with the Governor’s wife and her committee. In 2018, I received recognition for my work in integrated behavioral health care utilizing the Biodyne Model of care by the Cummings Graduate Institute. I am currently the Clinical Director for a Tribal nation in AZ.

What advice do you have for Pacific students preparing for college?

• On financial aid: There are always ways to bridge the financial gap. Don’t forget that community college can be a great place to adjust to college life before deep diving into university.

• Explore your options: If you don’t know what you want to study, take advantage and explore general education requirements.

• Find a network of support: Create that community of support for yourself. Find those key people. Get connected.

• Be open to learning different ways of life: Hawaiians have a poetic proverb that translates to “Knowledge is not gained in one school.” We have to experience education in different ways. Life experiences are also valid and valuable. It also means don’t be afraid to learn another person’s way if we want to be well-rounded and give back in the best way possible to our communities.

• Keep your community in mind. Education elevates. You have to know where you come from to know where you’re going.

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