Leadership & Management

Aunty Suzi Ko

Native Hawaiian Healer | Cultural Health Leader Educator | Mentor

Leslie Susan Kawaioni‘okekai Kaiona‘okaláni Ko—affectionately known as Aunty Suzi—is a revered cultural practitioner and educator with over 45 years of experience in traditional healing, education, and advocacy. As a Kumu Hoʻōla (Traditional Hawaiian Healer) and Kumu Lomilomi, she carries the ancestral practices passed down from her grandfather and many more esteemed Native Hawaiian healers before their passing. Aunty carries for over 100 lineages of Lomi.

She formally received her cultural designations through sacred ʻūniki rites in 2004 and 2010 from Papa K Kepilino and Kahuna Nui Kawaikapuokalani Hewett. Her expertise includes traditional Hawaiian bodywork, plant medicine, palliative care, and cultural competency training.

Aunty Suzi is the Executive Director and Board Chair of Holistic Honu Wellness Center, where she authors and leads nationally recognized programs in Hawaiian healing, massage therapy, and cultural health literacy. She develops and oversees interpretive education programs, palliative care initiatives for underserved communities, and cultural competency training across healthcare and education sectors.

Her work has earned both national and international recognition, and she holds multiple professional credentials, including:

• Advanced Holistic Massage Therapist, 2,500-hour program – Fair Oaks Massage Institute

• Board Certified by the NCBTMB

• Licensed Massage Therapist in California, Florida, and Colorado

• Certified Instructor under California Private Postsecondary & Vocational Education

• Continuing Education Provider in multiple states

Aunty Suzi also brings extensive leadership and policy experience from her earlier career as a railroad conductor and EMT, diversity and disabilities consultant, and civil rights advocate, where she lobbied for the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act and helped businesses implement compliance programs in ADA, FMLA, and Affirmative Action.

At Menari Body Works and the Mankato School of Massage and Eastern Bodywork, Aunty Suzi serves as a mentor and cultural advisor to CEO Olivia Hageman, guiding the development of curriculum, values-based leadership, and organizational integrity.

Her mentorship is a cornerstone of the vision and growth of both Menari and MSMEB, helping to ensure that their work remains rooted in authenticity, respect, and cultural responsibility.