Meet The Team
![Reid Photo Cecilia[2671].jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/364952_efc42c1b3a8c44359fd67f86cae6be52~mv2.jpg/v1/crop/x_0,y_189,w_933,h_687/fill/w_109,h_80,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_avif,quality_auto/Reid%20Photo%20Cecilia%5B2671%5D.jpg)
Medical Oncologist
Cecilia Choi, MD
Dr. Cecilia Choi is a board-certified medical oncologist. She has a Master's degree in Gerontology (study of the aging process) and received certification as a Gerontology Nurse Practitioner from the Univ of California, Los Angeles. She completed her medical training at the American University of Integrative Science and has her MD degree with certification in Medical Oncology. She has over 20 years of experience in the healthcare field, including clinical, education, research, and health system administration.
Dr. Choi is a cancer survivor and has dedicated her life to helping cancer patients. She lives in Makawao with her husband, daughter, and two dogs, Loki and Lychee. She is a member of
Academy of Integrative Health & Medicine and Society of Integrative Oncology.
Nurse Practitioner
Mikiala “Miki” Maynard, APRN
Born and raised on Maui, I cherish our unique Hawaiian culture and diverse populations. After years in hospitality, I became a Nurse Practitioner to provide patient-centered care and clinical excellence.
I hold a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from the University of Hawaii at Mānoa, with a strong foundation in advanced health assessment, diagnosis, and evidence-based treatment. My healthcare approach emphasizes empathy, collaboration, and shared decision-making, ensuring strong patient relationships and adherence to evidence-based guidelines.
Dedicated to improving healthcare outcomes, I am committed to continuous learning and professional growth. In my free time, I enjoy family, cooking, napping, and reading. I look forward to serving you and your ‘ohana.
Director of Clinical Services
Chelsea Yamashige, RN BSN
Chelsea is a founding member of Maui Care Physicians and brings an extraordinary depth of commitment and expertise to our oncology team. Her journey to nursing began after a career in engineering, a field where she developed strong analytical skills and a meticulous approach—qualities she now channels into providing compassionate, highly skilled care in oncology.
Chelsea’s nursing path started at Maui College, where she earned her RN certification, followed by a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Boise State University. She began her career on a neuro-cardiac unit in acute care, gaining invaluable experience in managing complex patient needs. Inspired by the memory of her father, who battled cancer, Chelsea felt a calling to work in oncology, where she could make a direct and meaningful impact on patients facing similar challenges.
Beyond her dedication to patient care, Chelsea finds joy in spending time with her family, friends, and her beloved cats, and she has a special talent for cultivating succulents.
Palliative Care & Symptom Management Nurse
Malia Gomes, RN
Malia Gomes joins the team as a Palliative Care and Cancer Symptom Management Nurse with over 20 years of diverse nursing experience. Her background includes critical care, emergency medicine, urgent care, internal medicine, pediatrics, and hospice and palliative care, along with various leadership and management roles throughout her career.
Born and raised on Maui, Malia has a deep connection to the island and its people. She values spending time with her family and is passionate about giving back to the community. Malia enjoys helping the community, whether it’s supporting the youth with their chosen extracurricular activities, especially rodeo, or offering a little extra TLC to the kupuna who need it most
Malia is dedicated to providing compassionate, personalized care to those facing serious illnesses and looks forward to making a meaningful difference in the lives of patients and their families. Mahalo for welcoming her to the team—she is excited to work alongside everyone.
Operations Manager & Treatment Coordinator
Neau Paleka, MA
Neau is our Operation Manager and was born and raised here on Maui. She has worked in healthcare since 2015 and loves helping people and seeing our community strive for the best. Her passion is to support our community by providing the best healthcare possible and supporting them through the different seasons of life. In her spare time, she enjoys spending it with family, adventuring at the beach, or doing some hiking.
Medical Assistant
Jade Nikaido, MA
Jade Nikaido one of our medical assistants and part of our in office team. She is a born and raised Maui girl, and has been working in the healthcare related field for nearly 20 years now. She is brand new to oncology, but intelligent, highly motivated and eager to learn. In her spare time, she loves spending it with loved ones and relaxing at the beach
Oncology Technician & Financial Manager
Danny Goto
Danny is our financial manager and doubles as a pharmacy technician for Maui Care. He has been working in and alongside healthcare since 2018. He was born and raised on Maui and loves the beauty of the Valley isle. He is excited to provide support to Maui Care Physicians and provide a much needed service to the community. His free time is spent spending time with the family and loves to drive with the windows down to feel the Hawaiian ‘A/C’.
Remote Medical Assistant
Tom Christopher Chan, RN
Tom is a registered nurse in the Philippines and has been working in the medical field in various capacities since 2014. He is HIPAA certified, and previously worked with health insurance as a grievance/complaints case coordinator. Involved in community outreaches to help, uplift, and support those who are deprived of certain services. Tom enjoys surfing, fire dancing and going to the beach on his spare time.
Remote Medical Assistant
Joshua Panes, Pharmacist
Josh is a registered pharmacist in the Philippines and has been working as a remote assistant in US medical facilities for more than a year. He graduated his bachelor's degree in Pharmacy as Magna Cumlaude and with high distinction. Joshua is also a chess varsity in his high school and college. This allowed him to have free education at both education levels in exchange for bringing multiple medals and awards for his schools. If there is free time, he still joins chess tournaments to keep up with his peers and colleagues in chess. He is a HIPAA certified medical virtual assistant exploring the US healthcare system. Guided by the principle of being patient-centered, he will always be ready to help you.
