St. Francis Healthcare System of Hawaii has named Sister of St. Francis William Marie Eleniki as president of St. Francis Healthcare Foundation of Hawaii and St. Francis Residential Care Community starting July 1.

Sister William Marie just completed 15 years as principal of St. Michael School in Waialua. She is also the regional administrator of Hawaii’s Sisters of St. Francis.

As president of the healthcare foundation, she will oversee its fundraising and community education programs. As president of the residential care community and its subsidiary, St. Francis Development Corporation, she will lead the development of a new 23-acre residential community aimed at helping the elderly maintain healthy living.

Sister William Marie succeeds Eugene N. Tiwanak, who retired in January after 30 years with St. Francis.

She has been associated with St. Francis Healthcare since 1990, serving in a variety of capacities. She is secretary for the healthcare system’s board, and board chairwoman and secretary of Franciscan Adult Day Center. She was a member of the St. Francis Medical Center-West board since 1990, and most recently its chairwoman, until it dissolved last year.

Since 2002, she has served as minister/administrator of the Sisters of St. Francis in Hawaii, responsible for the congregation’s nearly 50 sisters statewide.

“She is an outstanding leader,” said Sister of St. Francis Agnelle Ching, chief executive officer of St. Francis Healthcare System, “and will be an asset to us as we move forward with a focus on caring for Hawaii’s senior population.”

Sister William Marie was born and raised in Honolulu. She received her bachelor’s degree from D’Youville College in Buffalo, N.Y., and master’s degrees in education from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and in private school administration from the University of San Francisco.

She has been principal at St. Michael School since 1992. During her tenure, the school’s enrollment grew from 60 to 254 students. She also added a preschool. She earlier served as principal and preschool director of Our Lady of Good Counsel School in Pearl City and vice principal at St. Joseph Elementary School in Hilo. Before that, she taught at St. Francis School in Manoa and in Syracuse, N.Y.

St. Francis Healthcare System of Hawaii is comprised of five subsidiaries: St. Francis Healthcare Foundation; St. Francis Community Health Services (hospice, home care, health services for senior citizens, Lifeline, parish nurse, and Mobile Care Health Project); St. Francis Healthcare Enterprises; St. Francis Residential Care Community; and Our Lady of Keaau.

St. Francis sold its two acute care hospitals, St. Francis-Liliha and St. Francis-West, last year.