We are extremely saddened to report that our board member, inspiration and dear friend Ernie Cruz Jr. passed away on September 20, 2106. Our tribute to Ernie can be read at www.kuahawaii.org/ernie-cruz-jr

Ernie Cruz Jr. was born in Honolulu and raised in Pālolo Valley, ahupuaʻa of Waikīkī. Ernie currently works at McCabe, Hamilton and Renny as a stevedore and is a highly accomplished and respected Hawaiian musician. Ernie was a member of the popular and highly influential Kaʻau Crater Boys, later released the acclaimed solo-album "Portraits," and has since generously shared the microphone and stage with local and national acts, playing comfortably in venues from local backyards to the Waikīkī Shell.

Anne Swayne is the President of the Keith and Judy Swayne Family Foundation. She is a certified family foundation consultant and serves on the national Association of Small Foundations Next Generation Committee and Impact Working Group. Anne developed a local chapter of EPIP (Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy.) Anne also serves on the Hawaiʻi Art Alliance, and is active in many other aspects of the non-profit and philanthropy communities in Hawaiʻi and beyond. One of KUA's Founding Board Members, Anne served on the KUA Board of Directors from 2012-2021.

Miwa has spent the last 20+ years working for marine and watershed protection–from education to policy in Hawaiʻi, rural Mexico, Central and Southern California, and Tanzania. From 2011 - 2021, Miwa served as a co-founder and co-leader of Kua‘āina Ulu ‘Auamo (KUA). Prior to KUA, she was the executive director at KAHEA, a local environmental and cultural advocacy non-profit. Miwa has a B.A. and M.A. in Economics from the University of Southern California. Our Mahalo & A Hui Hou Tribute for her time spent in leadership at KUA can be read at https://kuahawaii.org/mahalo-miwa/.