Rely on the experienced health care professionals at Hilo Urgent Care for quality urgent care at affordable costs. Learn more about the staff at our facility below.
Meet Our Staff
Dr. Katelyn Steele
Director of Medicine
Dr. Steele is an avid dog lover, and enjoys skiing during the winter season. Originally from western North Carolina, Dr. Steele graduated from the University of Utah School of Medicine in 2018. She then subsequently completed the Hawai’i Island Family Medicine Residency at Hilo Medical Center and has been practicing medicine in Hilo ever since. She is board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine.
Lokenani Kealoha Souza PhD, APRN-Rx, FNP-c
Director of Nursing
Hawaii Community College Certificate in Nursing (LPN) 2001
University of Phoenix Bachelors of Science Nursing 2006
University of Hawai'i MS Family Nurse Practitioner 2011
Kingdom College of Natural Health Doctorates in Medicinal Herbalism 2019
Kingdom College of Natural Health Post Doctorates in Natural Medicine 2021
Lokenani was born in Hilo and raised in Honoka'a, Hawaii. At 18 years of age, Loke began her nursing career as a nurse’s aid with Hawaii Island Adult Care Center. She graduated from Hawaii Community College Hilo with a certificate in Nursing in 2001. Loke practiced as an LPN for 5 years. In 2006 she graduated with a Bachelor degree in Science and practiced as a RN at Queens Medical Center. In 2008, Loke went to Emory University in Atlanta Georgia to become a certified wound, ostomy, continence and foot and nail care nurse specialist. She returned home to the Big Island in 2009 and became a CWOCN and CFCN for West Hawaii Home Health. It was then that she realized that she wanted to continue her education and become a Nurse Practitioner to serve the community in which she was raised. In 2011, Loke graduated from University of Hawaii Manoa's Family Nurse Practitioner Program with a master's degree in science. In 2012 she began her career in primary care at the North Hawaii Primary Care Clinic. Loke has always had an interest in herbal medicine; she decided to go back to school to learn more and had obtained a Doctorates in Medicinal Herbalism (a.k.a. Pharmacognosy) in 2019 and a postdoctoral PhD in Natural Medicine in 2021.
She has been with the Hilo/Kea'au Urgent Care Center since 2019.
Heather Hirata, DNP(c), APRN
University of Hawai'i BS Nursing 2006
University of Hawai'i MS Nursing 2008
University of Hawai'i Doctor of Nursing Practice 2019
Asst. Director of Medical Services, University of Hawai'i (Hilo) - Student Services
Dr.Hirata has been in practice as a Family Nurse Practitioner since 2008 in the fields of asthma, allergy, immunology, pediatrics, women's health, and urgent care. Since 2010, she has been Director of Student Medical Services at UH Hilo, and serves as a clinical preceptor for the Doctorate of Nursing students and the BS nursing program. She and her 7 children have lived in Hawaii for over 30 years. She has a passion furthering the Big Island community educational system for healthcare providers.
Dr.Hirata has been with the Hilo/Kea'au Urgent Care since 2011.
Leilani C. Kerr, APRN
University of Hawai'i AS Nursing 1990
University of Hawai'i BS Nursing 1992
University of Hawai'i MS Family Nurse Practitioner 2011
Ms. Kerr of Waianae, Oahu has lived with her husband and children on Hawaii Island since 2005. With a strong passion to malama the people of Hawaii, she served as the Waianae Coast Outreach Missions Coordinator, President of the Hawaii National Guard Family Program State Advisory Council, and Merrie Monarch Festivals Royal Court Assistant. Her community commitment was recognized as 2004 Hawaii Navy League Award recipient for that as well. She is former 2000 Mrs. Leeward Oahu and Moi Wahine for Merrie Monarch 2008. She has 22 years experience as a Registered Nurse in a variety of medical practice environments such as hospital in-patient orthopedics and urology, post-anesthesia recovery, ER, outpatient cardio-vascular, family medicine primary care, University of Hawaii and Kamehameha Student Health, urgent care, and as a Clinical Instructor in the University of Hawaii Hilo School of Nursing. She is a Commercial Drivers License / PUC certified examiner.
She has been with the Hilo/Kea'au Urgent Care since 2012.
Jennifer Grune, DNP, FNP-BC, MBA
Missouri Western State University, BS Nursing 1995
William Woods University, MBA 2002
University of Hawai'i Doctorate of Nursing Practice, 2016
Dr. Grune, APRN graduated from University of Hawaii, Hilo in 2016 with a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner.
She has nearly 30 years of healthcare experience, including Emergency and Trauma Nursing, Quality Management and Hospital Administration.
In 2017, she and her family opened Park Wellness, a primary care practice in Keaau.
Dr. Grune has served as faculty for University of Hawai'i School of Nursing and continues to precept Nurse Practitioner students.
Originally from O'ahu, Big Island has been home since 2006.
In her downtime, Dr. Grune enjoys time with family, travel and a good glass of red wine (it's heart healthy!).
She has been with Hilo and Kea'au Urgent Care since 2018.
He has been with the Hilo/Kea'au Urgent Care Center since 2018.
Dr. Hart Miller
Dr. Miller is a veteran doctor of over 20 years and has had a huge influence in medical practice for the Puna community. We are happy to add him to our team at the Hilo and Kea’au Urgent Care Centers. Dr. Miller graduated from the Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine. He is board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine.
Douglas Metz, PA
Having spent quite some time abroad utilizing and fine tuning his medical skills, helping those in need. He spent over 4 years family medicine practice in Northern Mariana Islands in Micronesia, and a year in Liberia, Africa assisting with the Ebola crisis.
Douglas graduated from the Primary Care Associate Program at Stanford University School of Medicine in 2013, then received a Master of Medical Science from St. Francis University in 2014.
Amanda Crandell, APRN
Amanda Crandell completed her nursing education at University of Houston and Houston Baptist University and has practiced in emergency medicine, urgent care, and primary care settings.
Prior to pursuing nursing, Amanda attended medical school in Beijing, China at Capital Medical University and completed a dual program through the China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, earning qualifications in Traditional Chinese Medicine with focus on Acupuncture and Moxibustion. While in China, Amanda practiced as a TCM physician, performing acupuncture in the Neurology department of a large public hospital in Beijing.
She is excited to be a part of the Hilo Urgent Care team.
Dr. Svetlana Shchedrina
Dr. Svetlana Shchedrina graduated M.D from Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, in 1996. She met her future husband fellow medical student (and general surgeon) Victor there, now married with two children. She practiced in internal medicine for 12 years. Dr. Shchedrina moved to Hawaii with her family in 2011, and is a proud graduate of the inaugural 2017 class of the Hawaii Island Family Medicine Residency Program. Dr.Shchedrina serves our local community as a hospitalist at the Hilo-Benioff Medical Center, and is active in primary care and urgent care.
Dr. Ross Vanderhoof
Ross A. Vanderhoof, MD received his Doctorate of Medicine in 2014 from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD. Graduating in the top third of his class, he completed a transitional year internship at David Grant Medical Center at Travis Air Force Base. He was designated Flight Surgeon and Officer in Charge at Andersen AFB , Guam, leading the medical team for Airmen deployed as part of the Continuous Bomber Presence.
After leaving the Air Force, Dr. Vanderhoof joined Lompoc Health in Lompoc, CA as a primary care provider and also providing occupational medicine services for the community. During this time he was appointed Chair of the Family Medicine Department for Lompoc Health.
Outside of medicine, Dr. Vanderhoof spends his time with his wife and daughters, coaching his kids soccer teams, volunteering on the local AYSO Board, and getting his hands dirty working around their homestead.
