The 2026 Fellows

2026 Ka Ipu Kukui Fellow

Hauanu “Anu” Bernades

Hauanu’s lifelong passion for serving her community began in childhood, nurtured by her upbringing in Pukalani, Maui and the strong family values passed down by her parents. Growing up in this unique island community has given her a profound connection to its people and places, fueling her commitment to its future.

She currently serves as the Immigrant Services Program Coordinator for the County of Maui’s Department of Human Concerns, overseeing immigrant support services across Maui County. With more than a decade of public service experience, Hauanu previously supervised the County’s Housing Choice Voucher Program, gaining firsthand insight into the housing and economic challenges many families face. She is a graduate of Colorado Mesa University and has completed numerous leadership development courses to strengthen her skills in collaboration and strategic thinking.

Happily married and a mother of two, Hauanu draws strength from her faith and strives to pass on values of compassion, resilience, and integrity to her children. Outside of work, she enjoys supporting her children’s sports and activities, spending time outdoors, and connecting with her community through church and volunteer work. She believes that caring for the land and its people today will ensure that future generations inherit a Maui that remains connected and full of opportunity.

2026 Ka Ipu Kukui Fellow

Denver Coon

Denver Coon is an owner of Trilogy Excursions, a family-operated sailing and ocean tourism business on Maui and Lanaʻi for 52 years, and the President of the Ocean Tourism Coalition. A licensed  attorney, he brings his legal experience to his work advocating for sustainable tourism and policies that protect Hawaiʻi’s natural resources. With a lifelong passion for sailing and a deep connection to the ocean, Denver works to carry forward his family’s legacy while supporting the community and environment. He is also actively involved in the rebuilding efforts in Lahaina following the 2023 fires, working to help the region recover.

2026 Ka Ipu Kukui Fellow

Ashley Cooper

Ashley Cooper is a marketing strategy consultant that specializes in startups and SMBs navigating periods of transition or growth. As a fourth generation Maui resident, she is dedicated to working closely with local businesses that directly impact community and economic development. 

Ashley hails from Upcountry Maui and graduated from Seabury Hall before attending college at Chapman University in Southern California. Throughout her career, she has worked in many different industries and served as a core team member for three different early-stage startups. She has also experienced first-hand the types of challenges which small businesses face in order to operate and continue to contribute to and diversify our local economy. In many ways, this has fueled her drive to work with small local businesses and organizations. 

Ashley combines her diverse background and strategy-driven approach to serve her community in the ways she can– through consulting local businesses, running workshops, mentorship, guest speaking and more. 

Ashley is very active in the Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals Program, where she serves on the Communications Committee, is a member of the 2025 Mentor Hawaii Program cohort, and is embarking on her second year as a Maui High School mentor. 

In her free time, she is an avid traveler and especially loves exploring new cities abroad through food and art. When she is home on Maui, she enjoys playing with her mini schnauzer, cooking with her husband, practicing yoga, sketching, and enjoying a good book at the beach.

2026 Ka Ipu Kukui Fellow

Lika Fujihara

Lika Fujihara is a 4th grade teacher at Kamehameha Schools Maui. He was born and raised on Maui and graduated from KS Maui. After earning his degree in Elementary Education from the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, he taught on O’ahu for nine years. Lika returned home to teach, driven by a deep love for his island and community. As a kumu, he strives to create a classroom where students feel seen, valued, and inspired to become thoughtful, community-minded leaders. He believes that education is the foundation for empowering future generations to care for their home and for one another. Lika is committed to weaving Maui’s history, culture, and current issues into his lessons to foster meaningful learning.

2026 Ka Ipu Kukui Fellow

Noelani Hessler

Noelani Hessler was born and raised in Miloli‘i, Hawai‘i’s last fishing village where she learned to swim in the surrounding tide pools and carries a deep connection to her island roots. Her father inherited Larraburu Bakery, a famous vintage San Franciscan sourdough bread that moved her family to Maui Island, which has become a multigenerational tradition she now helps steward.

After graduating from Baldwin High School, she moved to England to study International Relations at the University of London. Her academic journey took her to different Universities around the World, where upon she enrolled at Kyoto University in Japan, where she explored cultural ties with Hawaii and supported local businesses and nonprofits through translation and marketing. She then moved to the University of Queensland, Australia completing an Indigenous Archaeology field school program in 2005.

She then moved to New York City where she earned degrees in Cultural Anthropology and Environmental Science from New York University and Long Island University in Brooklyn in 2007.

Today, Noelani works as the Office Manager for Cultural Surveys Hawaii, Inc., Hawai‘i’s largest archaeology firm, where she oversees archaeological fieldwork projects across Maui County working closely with DLNR and the State Historic Preservation Division to fulfil Hawaii State law statutes primarily for Historic Preservation and conservation of historic and cultural properties. She also serves as President of Larraburu Bakeries, managing operations and quality control while safeguarding the family’s vintage sourdough legacy. She earned a certificate from the UH Maui Culinary Program to enhance her culinary skills for family and friends. She was recognized by Pacific Business News in 2024, as one of Hawai‘i’s Top 40 Under 40 emerging leaders.

Deeply committed to community service, Noelani has volunteered on various boards, including Heritage Hall of Pa̅’ia and the Portuguese Association of Maui. As an active member of the Society for Hawaiian Archaeology, she works to preserve the cultural heritage of Hawai‘i while continually seeking ways to make a positive impact through service and engagement.

2026 Ka Ipu Kukui Fellow

Shaina Hipolito

Shaina Hipolito is the Senior Development Technician and Office Manager for 4Leaf, Inc., overseeing operations at the Recovery Permit Center in the wake of the 2023 Maui Wildfires. In this vital role, she supports permitting efforts in the burn zones, working directly with residents, contractors, and agencies to help rebuild her community with compassion, efficiency, and resilience.

Prior to joining 4Leaf, Shaina served the County of Maui as a Zoning Inspector and the State of Hawaii as a Labor Law Enforcement Specialist. Her combined public and private sector experience gives her a unique perspective on regulatory compliance, permitting processes, and community advocacy.

Shaina holds a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Columbia Southern University and earned her Master’s in Business Administration from Hawaii Pacific University. Beyond her professional achievements, she is a devoted single mother who cherishes time with her daughter and extended family. She finds joy in cooking, golfing, fishing, and giving back to the community through service and leadership.

Deeply involved in local events and cultural preservation, Shaina currently serves as Director of Events for both the Makawao Parade Committee and the Makawao Town Association. She is also a Director for the Kamehameha Schools Alumni Association – Maui Region, where she continues to champion local engagement and cultural pride.

Rooted in service and driven by heart, Shaina Hipolito is a dedicated leader, community advocate, and proud Maui resident helping shape a stronger future for the island she calls home.

2026 Ka Ipu Kukui Fellow

Rachel Kondo

Rachel Kondo was born and raised on Maui. Her writing has appeared in Electric Literature, Ploughshares Solos and Indiana Review. In 2019, her story “Girl of Few Seasons” was included in The O. Henry Prize Stories and selected as a juror favorite by Elizabeth Strout. She co-created and Executive Produced the FX television adaptation of James Clavell’s novel, SHŌGUN. In 2024, the series celebrated 18 Emmy wins, including Best Drama Series, breaking the record for most Emmy awards won by a single season of a television show. She is a graduate of the Michener Center for Writers and now lives on Maui with her family.

2026 Ka Ipu Kukui Fellow

Chelsea Livit

Chelsea Livit is the Director of Marketing at Fairmont Kea Lani, where she oversees marketing, public relations, partnerships, and programming, in addition to managing the resort’s corporate social responsibility division. She also serves on the Hui ʻOhana board, the resort’s committee dedicated to education, cultural perpetuation, and community initiatives.

Her career in Hawai‘i began on O‘ahu, where she gained experience in PR and communications across industries including film, live entertainment, fashion, government, and tourism. She transitioned into hospitality after moving to Maui to serve as Director of PR & Communications at Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort. Later, as co-founder of The Mo‘olelo Group, she expanded her work into the nonprofit sector, collaborating with organizations focused on stewardship and native land restoration, further connecting her professional expertise to community impact. Through her ongoing volunteer efforts with Kipuka Olowalu, Skyline Conservation, and the Waiheʻe Coastal Dunes & Wetlands Refuge through Ka Pōholima Kāʻeo, she continues to deepen her knowledge of and commitment to Maui Nui.

Today, Chelsea strives to bring a thoughtful, innovative approach to the nuances of promoting tourism on Maui in ways that embody Hawaiian values and resonate with both the community and visitors. She is honored to join the 2025 Ka Ipu Kukui Fellowship cohort — contributing to the ongoing story of Maui’s people and place.

2026 Ka Ipu Kukui Fellow

Angel Melone

Raised in Kula, Maui, Angel Melone grew up surrounded by open landscapes and strong community ties.

With a passion for ʻāina-based stewardship and community resilience, Angel has dedicated her career to supporting Hawaiʻi’s natural and cultural resources and agricultural lands from mauka to makai, blending environmental science, cultural knowledge, and local stewardship to uplift Hawaiʻi’s rural communities.

Angel holds a B.A. in Natural Resource Management and a Master of Environmental Management from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Her graduate research at the Heʻeia National Estuarine Research Reserve focused on baseline ecosystem carbon evaluation (soil and vegetation) in a culturally important yet degraded area prior to biocultural agroforestry restoration. Angel later worked for three years as an Archaeological Research Assistant, contributing to cultural impact assessments, archaeological surveys, and land-use studies across Maui and Oʻahu.

Today, Angel serves as Project Coordinator for the Hawaiʻi Rangeland Stewardship Foundation, Hawaiʻi Cattlemen’s Council, and Hawaiʻi Beef Industry Council, where she supports paniolo and the beef industry throughout the state. Outside of work, Angel enjoys diving, fishing, and photographing life in and around the ocean.

2026 Ka Ipu Kukui Fellow

Nahulu Nunokawa

Chris Nāhuluʻalohiokalopi Lemn Nunokawa lived the first 21 years of his life on Maui. He attended Kamehameha Schools, Maui Campus, in Pukalani, from Kindergarten until he graduated High School in 2011. After graduating from Kamehameha Schools, he traveled to East Coast and earned an undergraduate degree from Wesleyan University in Connecticut. After a brief gap Nāhulu earned a Juris Doctorate from William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaii and joined the Hawaii State Bar Association. In between his undergraduate and graduate studies Nāhulu lived on Oahu and gained invaluable life experiences through a number work opportunities including analyzing food services franchises as restaurant systems and their operations, construction management and general development, carpentry and general construction. 

After graduating from law school Nāhulu worked as a Post JD Fellow for Ka Huli Ao Center for Excellence in Native Hawaiian Law focusing on the legal analysis of various water rights, and later as an attorney for the Legal Aid Society on Oahu specializing in Elder law. Nāhulu moved back to Maui in 2023 and is currently an attorney specializing in Land Use. 

In his free time Nāhulu enjoys spending time with parents and siblings, catching up with friends, cooking for others, learning to golf, singing karaoke, traveling, and doing in depth research on a variety of subjects. 

2026 Ka Ipu Kukui Fellow

Yosef Onodera

Yosef was raised on Maui and is a Kihei Charter High School grad. He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and an Executive MBA from UH Mānoa.

In his role as Director of Strategic Growth at the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB), Yosef leads initiatives that drive economic diversification, grow local businesses, and support career pipelines, with a particular focus on the space sector. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Shidler Alumni Association and as an Affiliate Faculty member at the Hawaiʻi Institute of Geophysics and Planetology at UH Mānoa.

Prior to joining MEDB, he served as the Director of Operations for the Hawaiʻi Space Flight Laboratory at UH Mānoa, a multidisciplinary research and education center developing satellites and space missions, helping cultivate the next generation of engineers and scientists.

In his free time, Yosef enjoys traveling across the country and the world, experiencing other cultures and amazing food, and visiting family and friends across the islands. He also enjoys relaxing at home, watching shows and movies, and playing board games.

2026 Ka Ipu Kukui Fellow

Rysan Ouye

My name is Rysan Ouye. I am the branch manager of Kahului Service Rentals and Supplies Inc. I was born and raised on Maui (graduate of Seabury Hall) and graduated from Oregon State University in 2015 with a bachelor’s in economics and a minor in political science. I spent 5 years living on Oahu and Oregon, doing my best to build up my career and find a place to call home, but coming back to Maui is where my heart decided I was meant to be. 

I have been employed at Service Rentals & Supplies Inc. for 6 years and have gone from the yard position to the counter, to operations manager, and currently to branch manager. 

My hobbies include video games, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, Judo, basketball, and collecting Pokémon cards. I also enjoy traveling, cooking new recipes, trying new foods, and exploring new places with my wife. .  

2026 Ka Ipu Kukui Fellow

Maggie Pulver

Maggie is the Maui-based program officer for the Hawai’i Community Foundation. Born and raised on the east coast, she moved to Honolulu in 2005 to pursue a master’s degree after graduating from the University of Vermont. During her time at UH Manoa, Maggie was awestruck by all things Hawaiian and used her free time to take classes outside of required coursework and to volunteer for local organizations dedicated to the revival of Hawaiian culture and the restoration of Hawaii’s native environment. Upon completion of her master’s in 2008, Maggie began teaching at Hoʻāla School and embarked on her own journey of self-discovery and self-awareness, while simultaneously continuing her deep dive into learning all things Hawaiian. She would spend the next decade developing culturally grounded, community engaged and place-based curriculum, programs and learning opportunities for her students and their families, guided and informed by her own personal experiences.

In 2017, Maggie left Ho’āla to pursue a doctorate and work for Education Incubator, where she continued to push the boundaries of meaningful and purposeful education. In 2018, a rare job opportunity opened at the Kaho’olawe Island Reserve Commission and Maggie jumped at the chance to ground her life in all things Kanaloa and move to Maui. In 2023, Maggie felt the call to level up her professional impact in creating a better future for Hawaiʻi and pursued her current position at the Foundation. Today, Maggie lives in Makawao with her husband, 5th generation descendant of Lahaina, and their son.

2026 Ka Ipu Kukui Fellow

Maggie Sutrov

Maggie T Sutrov is a painter, teaching artist, and co-runs Maui Pacific Divers.  She fosters connections to Maui’s places through all her endeavors.

Maggie grew up in Kula, Maui.  She attended the University of Victoria, in BC, Canada, and has lived in Southeast Asia and Eastern Washington.  Each time she moved away, Maui pulled her back.

Maggie leads marketing and customer relations for Maui Pacific Divers. Conservation is key to the small business’s mission as they seek to grow a regenerative tourism model. Maggie manages community partnerships to support marine conservation, including removing over 3,000 pounds of lead, line, and hooks from the Keoneʻōʻio coastline.  

Through Maggie’s art and teaching, she has worked with programs and schools across the island.  She is on the Hawaii State Foundation of Culture and the Arts Teaching Artist Roster, and she is currently a lecturer at UH Maui College.  She leads professional development for Maui teachers, invites students to draw and paint outdoors, and engages science classes with noticing deeply through drawing.  She brings her paints wherever she goes, expressing both community events and Maui’s native habitats.

Maggie is an advocate for the arts because she believes that gaining comfort with the creative process is integral to the development of the solutions and innovations our island needs, and because the arts teach people the courage to share their gifts, value their voice, and to value the perspectives of others as well.

2026 Ka Ipu Kukui Fellow

Sara Tanaka

2026 Ka Ipu Kukui Fellow

Mitchell Wendorff