Jeff Kaplan is a program director for the Waikiki Health Center, a federally qualified private non-profit community health center in Honolulu, Hawaii.  Raised in St. Petersburg, Florida, he moved to Hawaii in 1994 where he completed his graduate work in public health at the University of Hawaii.  He joined the Waikiki Health Center soon thereafter to direct the Youth Outreach Project, a health and social services program for homeless, runaway, and street identified youth and young adults.  He has spearheaded various community health initiatives and conducts countless health education workshops throughout the island of Oahu.  He works extensively with the Hawaii state legislature and was responsible in 2007 for the passage of Act 035, a statute providing the ability to unaccompanied minors to consent for their own primary health care.

He currently serves as a member and consultant for the Keiki Caucus, an entity of Hawaii state legislators dedicated to central issues regarding Hawaii’s youth.  He has served on the boards for the Hawaii Public Health Association and Harm Reduction Hawaii.  He has written numerous grant proposals to fund health services for at-risk youth.

He is active in a variety of civic organizations including the Rotary Club and the Aloha United Way. Outside of professional interests, he enjoys travel (particularly to his family in Japan) enjoys playing the guitar and electric bass.   An important aspect of his life is his wife Akemi.

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