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Marjorie Mau, M.S., M.D., Term: 2005–2009
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 Dr. Marjorie Mau is Professor and Chair of the Department of Native Hawaiian Health at the John A. Burns School of Medicine of the University of Hawai’i. Dr. Mau, a Native Hawaiian, was born and raised in Honolulu and has spent more than 12 years working with Native Hawaiian communities to improve their health status and eliminate health disparities. The Department of Native Hawaiian Health is the first of its kind in an accredited U.S. medical school. The department’s role is to highlight the unique contributions the indigenous people of Hawai’i bring to the state, the United States, and the international community and to improve access to health care in underserved communities of Native Hawaiians and Pacific Peoples throughout Hawai’i. As a physician, Dr. Mau provides diabetes and endocrinology subspecialty services to patients on the island of Molokai, where approximately 60% of the residents are of Native Hawaiian ancestry.
Dr. Mau has gained a reputation for building and fostering relationships for the betterment of health and for the elimination of health care disparities, especially among Native Hawaiians. A major focus of Dr. Mau’s career continues to be the prevention and control of diabetes mellitus in Native Hawaiians and other ethnic populations. Her work has led to the development and implementation of the Kulia Ola Kino Maika’i Program (Strive for Good Health), a peer educator–led program that has been shown to improve diet and exercise behaviors in Native Hawaiians with or at risk for diabetes.
Dr. Mau is also a strong advocate for increasing the number of Native Hawaiians and other underrepresented ethnic minority students in higher education. In the Department of Native Hawaiian Health, two programs—the Imi Ho’ola (Those Who Seek to Heal) Program and the Native Hawaiian Center of Excellence—are aimed at recruiting and supporting medical students and faculty of Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Island ancestry to pursue careers in health and medicine.
Dr. Mau is an active member of the Ahahui O Na Kauka (the Association of Native Hawaiian Physicians), the American Diabetes Association, and the Endocrine Society, and she is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and the American Society of Internal Medicine.
She received her undergraduate and medical degrees from Creighton University and her M.S. from Harvard School of Public Health. Dr. Mau enjoys body surfing, hiking, and bicycling and is a member of Pa Ku’i A Lua, a Native Hawaiian martial arts group.
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