Board of Directors The E Alu Pū Council elects two of its members to the Board of Directors. The remaining seats are recruited based on subject matter expertise and/or other knowledge and resources they bring to the work.
KUA is led by a 9-member Board of Directors. All members serve as volunteers.
E Alu Pū Council The E Alu Pū Council is selected annually by the communities of E Alu Pū, with two representatives from each island in the network. In addition to their network service and leadership, the Council participates in Board meetings to share their expertise.
Hiʻilei Kawelo currently serves as President of the KUA Board. Hiʻilei is Executive Director of Paepae o Heʻeia, a small non-profit that cares for an 88-acre traditional Hawaiian fishpond in Kāneʻohe, on the island of Oʻahu. Her practice is that of a wahine lawaiʻa (fisherwoman), specific to the Kāneʻohe Bay area.
Aunty Makaʻala Kaʻaumoana currently serves as the Vice-President of the KUA Board. Born in Kāneʻohe, she is a long-time advocate for causes to protect the ʻāina. She is the Executive Director of the Hanalei Watershed Hui, a Kauaʻi non-profit environmental organization that strives to care for the ahupua’a of Hanalei, Waioli, Waipa, and Waikoko guided by Hawaiian and other principles of sustainability and stewardship, integrity and balance, cooperation and aloha, cultural equity and mutual respect.
Kapalai'ula de Silva (Treasurer) was born and raised in Kaʻōhao, Oʻahu, the daughter of composer/historian/educator Kihei de Silva and Kumu Hula Mapuana de Silva. She is a lifelong member and a recent Kumu Hula graduate of her family's Hālau Mohala ʻIlima. She holds a Bachelor's degree in both Hawaiian Language and Music as well as a Graduate Certificate in Professional Accounting, all from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.
Maile Shannon has been involved in aina based work since 1999, formerly as a farmer/rancher. Since 2009 as a conservationist, both working and volunteering, she raised her children Marcus, Shannon, and Hunter in the non-profit world. In turn it has afforded her the wonderful opportunity to serve her community on boards and as a founding members of various NGO’s. Start editing here!
Kahelelani Cruz (Secretary) is an Assistant Professor at the Kapiʻolani Community College’s Hawaiian Studies Department and is the mother of Kailoa. She graciously stepped into this seat held by her late husband, Ernie Cruz, Jr. Ernie passed away suddenly and tragically in 2016.
Aunty Pam was born and raised on Oahu and lives in the ahupuaʻa of Kuliʻouʻou. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Merchandising from University of Hawaii Manoa. Pam is currently employed as a project specialist for the Hawaii Coral Reef Initiative Research Program and the Pacific International Training Desk at the University of Hawai’i Manoa. She is an active member of the ʻEwa Limu Project and volunteers with several community groups. M Pam and her husband Dennis were mentored by Uncle Henry Chang Wo and grateful for his guidance and sharing of his pono wisdom.
Scotty works for Kōkua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services, a federally qualified health center, at Ho'oulu 'Āina, a 100-acre nature preserve, that believes: 'o ka hā o ka 'āina ke ola o ka po'e, the breath of the land is the life of the people. Here he holds space for our keiki, community members, local and national leaders to engage with 'āina, and reconnect with their ancestors. Outside of this work he spends his time building hale, restoring fishponds, teaching lashings, restoring native forest, and building community across Hawaiʻi.
Michael W Kyser Jr., “Mikey” is a kanaka maoli, born and raised in Kalapana and Opihikao, Puna. Mikey grew up learning the traditional practices of lawaiʻa, mahi ʻai, music, and most of all Aloha e na ʻohana. One thing he remembers about growing up in a large hawaiian family, was the importance of Kokua, helping each other in whatever capacity you can offer. He strives to live by this moto in my daily life.
Born and raised on Molokai, La’a Poepoe is a multidisciplinary cultural practitioner, mālama ‘āina advocate, an active community contributor, and a firefighter by profession.
Hannah Kihalani Springer is kamaʻāina of Kaʻūpūlehu, North Kona. She and her husband Michael live on ʻāina aloha of Kukuiʻohiwai, homesteading with their son and his family. Hannah is a life-long student of the cultural and natural histories of Hawaiʻi. She has served in volunteer, appointed, and elected capacities at the Island and State levels. Hannah is active with the Kaʻūpūlehu Marine Life Advisory Committee, which successfully advocated for a ten year, all species rest period, from shore out to a depth of 120 feet at Kaʻūpūlehu and Kūkiʻo. The effort, is affectionately called, “Try Wait”.
