Niegel is from Makawao, Maui and currently lives in Honolulu. Niegel completed his B.S. at UH-Mānoa with a focus on coastal ecology and coral disease. He is currently finishing his Masters in the Department of Urban & Regional Planning with curiosity to explore land use and community + environment planning.
Previously he worked as a bio-lab tech, scientific diver, relocation liaison/ tetris champion, natural resource management intern at Kamehameha Schools, fisher-person, and graduate research assistant with Hui ʻĀina Momona at UH-Mānoa. When he can he will fish, surf and be near the ocean. He and his wife Ali have been blessed with a growing family that includes two small boys and a little girl. Niegel has been with KUA since 2019.