Dear DVAC ʻOhana,
As we move through the early months of 2026, I want to begin by hoping that each of you has weathered the recent storms safely — both the literal ones and the figurative ones that so many in our community have been navigating. Here at DVAC, we have felt them both.
This past year has been challenging for our organization. We faced significant leadership transitions, internal rebuilding, and the hard but necessary work of strengthening our foundation from the inside out. And yet — I see blue skies ahead. Real ones. And I want to share some of that hope with you.
On a more immediate note, the March storms caused some water damage to our offices, requiring our staff to work from home for a few days. I am proud to say that even during that disruption, our team never missed a beat in their commitment to survivors. That resilience says everything about the people who make DVAC who it is. For instance, when an evacuation was called some of our survivors were placed in a difficult situation of needing to evacuate to the same shelter as their primary abuser. Advocates were literally on the ground helping them safety plan.
On the leadership front, I am pleased to share that our CEO search, conducted through Alaka‘i Executive Search, is nearing completion. We are genuinely excited about this important transition and believe the next leader of DVAC will inherit an organization that is strong, resilient and dedicated. Over this past year, we have worked deliberately to rebuild our infrastructure, refresh our processes, and lay a solid foundation — so that the incoming CEO can hit the ground running.
One area of particular pride: our Helpline. Today, we have four full-time employees dedicated to that critical lifeline. That growth reflects both the urgency of the need and the determination of our team to meet it. Another area of pride you will find highlighted in this Beacon issue is our Legal Team. Today we are fully staffed with dedicated and talented lawyers and paralegals. Their compassionate care, partnered with outside lawyers working with us on a contractual basis, is inspiring.
We have also been fortunate to receive meaningful support from our legislative partners and from the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation, which together funded two consulting engagements that are helping us elevate every aspect of our work. SAS Services is supporting our organizational healing and staff wellbeing, while the Pinnacle Group is working with us on strengthening our systems and positioning all our programs for excellence. We are grateful for these partnerships.
Finally, I am thrilled to announce the launch of Vela, our new client database management system. Vela brings greater efficiency and accuracy to our data and client services work — which means less time on paperwork and more time where it matters most: with survivors. This is a meaningful improvement for our team and for the people we serve.
None of this work — not the helpline, not the consulting partnerships, not the technology investments, and not the day-to-day advocacy that changes lives — would be possible without you. To every donor who has contributed to DVAC’s operations, whether through a major gift, a recurring contribution, or a one-time act of generosity: mahalo nui loa. Your belief in this mission sustains us in the hardest moments and propels us forward into the brighter ones. You are not just supporters — you are part of this ʻohana, and we are deeply grateful.
It has been the honor and privilege of my professional life to serve as Interim CEO of the Domestic Violence Action Center. I came into this role during a time of transition, and I leave it — whenever that moment comes — with deep respect for this organization, its history, and its future.
Our hope is that the next edition of The Beacon will carry a message from our new CEO. Until then, know that DVAC stands strong, our mission endures, and our ʻohana — all of you — make that possible.
With gratitude and aloha,
Laurie Arial Tochiki, JD, Ph.D.