The Senate Health Committee held an emotional hearing Monday as senators began vetting Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s appointee for director of the Department of Health — a position left vacant when Director Loretta Fuddy died in December after a plane crash off Molokai.
DOH Deputy Director Keith Yamamoto choked up as he testified in strong support of Dr. Linda Rosen.
"I’ve known Linda a long time," Yamamoto said, pausing to collect himself. "And I appreciate her willingness to do this, under the circumstances, but I do know that Deliana (Fuddy) would have supported her efforts to commit to the department (and) continue the work we’re doing."
Yamamoto was aboard the Makani Kai Air plane with Fuddy when it crashed Dec. 11 shortly after taking off from Kalaupapa. Seven other people, including the pilot, survived.
Several of Rosen’s current and former colleagues also spoke highly of her ability to bring people together, ask tough questions and use data to craft public health policies.
ROSEN has been with the department since 2000, serving most recently as chief of the Emergency Medical Services and Injury Prevention System Branch. She previously worked for 15 years in the emergency and critical care and neonatology departments at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children.
"I’m just very humbled by the privilege before me, and I just hope that I can live up to all the kind words that were said today," Rosen said after the hearing. "I made a decision to go into public health from my previous career 14 years ago, so I think in many ways I’m prepared for this."
Abercrombie appointed Rosen to the post Feb. 15, days after time ran out on the interim director position held by Deputy Director of Environmental Health Gary Gill.
Sen. Josh Green, chairman of the Health Committee, thanked the department’s deputies for coming together in the absence of an official leader and offered encouraging words to Rosen.
"There’s little doubt that you and Deliana have different styles," he said, "but I think that her legacy and your approach will complement each other very well because you have a strong deputy team."
