Connecting with Catherine Ben-Yossef

Catherine Ben-Yossef – Cathi, to those who know her – has never approached healthcare as a job. It has always been a calling; one she pursued even when her path led somewhere else first.

Before finding her footing in Hawai‘i’s healthcare field, she earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Michigan and spent time in the automotive industry on the mainland. Neither chapter felt permanent. “I always knew I wanted to go into healthcare,” she says. “It was just a matter of when the opportunity would present itself.”

When she returned home to Hawaiʻi after earning an MBA in Strategic Marketing & International Business from Arizona State University, that moment arrived. A position with Hawai‘i Medical Service Association drew her into the world of health insurance and set her on a course that would eventually lead to advocacy, quality improvement, and a seat on the Pacific Health Ministry (PHM) Board of Directors.

Years working on the insurance side of healthcare gave Cathi a broad view of the system, but over time she found herself wanting to sit closer to the people at its center. “You’re sitting on two sides of the table,” she explains, describing the tension between administrative and clinical perspectives.

In 2019, she joined the Healthcare Association of Hawai‘i, where her focus shifted to reimbursement and public policy, advocating on behalf of hospitals and post-acute care organizations statewide. Then the COVID-19 pandemic arrived and reshaped everything. Her work expanded to include quality initiatives and direct collaboration with hospitals on improving patient care. “It’s not just about reimbursement or regulations. It’s about caring for the patient.”

Cathi’s introduction to PHM came through Rev. Preston Lentz, PHM’s Board President and a longtime family friend who had known Cathi since childhood. Recognizing her background in advocacy, reimbursement, and quality improvement, he encouraged her to bring her experience to the organization. The invitation felt like a natural next step because it aligned so closely with the patient-centered philosophy that had shaped her career.

It didn’t take long for Cathi to realize why the organization felt like such a natural fit. What resonated most was PHM’s commitment to caring for the whole person. Spirituality has always been an important part of that equation for Cathi, as she was raised in the United Church of Christ, and her husband is Jewish. Together, they’ve raised their children with an open approach that encourages exploring beliefs that offer meaning and support, particularly in life’s most difficult moments. “My career has led me to develop a passion for advocacy work on behalf of Hawaii’s healthcare system,” she says, “but in reality, it’s the advocacy work on behalf of the patients – our community – that feeds that passion.”

She also sees opportunities for PHM to extend its presence beyond acute care settings. Drawing on her years representing post-acute providers within home health agencies, hospice organizations, and skilled nursing facilities, she believes spiritual care belongs throughout the full continuum. It was with this mindset that she helped recruit Bethany Geiger, a long-term care leader, to the PHM board.

One of the things Cathi values most about PHM is what the organization offers before anyone has thought to ask for it. “Sometimes you don’t know what you need until it’s thrust upon you,” she reflects. “PHM provides an incredible resource through the spiritual support it offers to patients, their families, and the healthcare teams caring for them.”

For Cathi, that quiet presence is what makes PHM indispensable. Chaplains are there not only for patients facing uncertainty but also for families making difficult decisions and for healthcare workers carrying the emotional weight of caring for others. By meeting people where they are, PHM embodies the whole-person advocacy that has guided Cathi’s career from the beginning. For someone who has spent her professional life championing better care, supporting PHM isn’t just another role – it’s a continuation of the work she has always believed in.