Dr. John Casken, who held the distinction of serving as an esteemed member of the UHPA Board of Directors five different times over the course of 27 years, was honored with a posthumous memorial resolution by the Mānoa Faculty Senate on Nov. 20, 2024. The resolution was presented by UHPA Board Member and Faculty Senator Sarita Rai.
Dr. Casken was a relentless community advocate and a tireless ally for UH faculty and students. He served on the UHPA board from 1997-2000, 2000-2003, 2014-2017, 2017-2020 and 2023 until his passing on October 27, 2024 at the age of 84.
He served as Chair and Associate Specialist of Nursing and former Director of International Health at the Nancy Atmospera-Walch School of Nursing (NAWSON), and made numerous distinguished contributions to higher education and the larger community in Hawai`i. In addition to being a UHPA board member, he served as Chair of the Council on Study Abroad, Chair of the Mānoa Faculty Senate, and President and a board member of the Hawaii Health and Harm Reduction Center (H3RC).
Prior to his appointment to the School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene, he was a faculty member in the UH School of Public Health, where he taught classes, headed the UH Mānoa Health Careers Opportunity Program, and recruited Native Hawaiians, American Indians and Alaska Natives for the Master of Public Health program. Dr. Casken will always be remembered for his commitment to improving community health by influencing health policy and addressing health and social disparities in our state, particularly for rural communities across our islands and for Native Hawaiians.
Dr. Casken’s constant encouragement, insight, kindness, and wit touched the lives of multiple students and faculty colleagues. He was a role model for innovative service to Hawaii and the international health community. We are grateful to Dr. Casken for leaving our world a better place because of his generous mentorship, collegiality, and dedication to higher education and clinical practice in the U.S. and around the globe. We are all indebted to him. Mahalo and aloha, John!