Our Team

We come from many paths and perspectives, yet we are united by Aloha, a commitment to purposeful work, and a deep respect for meaningful connection.

Kumu Kuʻualohanui Kauliʻa

Born in ʻEwa, raised on Hawaiian Homestead lands in Nānākuli, and shaped by generations of ʻike Hawaiʻi, Kuʻualohanui Kauliʻa’s life has been guided by language, hula, and kuleana. Fluent in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi from childhood and deeply rooted in the traditions of hula, oli, and hoʻoponopono, Kuʻu carries the wisdom of kūpuna, the discipline of revered kumu, and a lifelong commitment to teaching, healing, and cultural continuity, ensuring the legacy of his lineage lives on through the next generation.

Founder, ORGANIZATION PRESIDENT and chairman of the board

Kumu Kalani Kaawa Flores-Hatt

A proud kupa of Nānākuli in Waiʻanae, Paul Kalani “Boboy” Kaawa Flores-Hatt, Jr., stands at the intersection of ʻike Hawaiʻi, education, and community leadership. A respected kumu hula, professor, and cultural practitioner, his life’s work centers on place-based learning, ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, and the cultivation of ʻike grounded in aloha ʻāina, guiding present and future generations through culturally rooted education, leadership, and service to the lāhui.

vice president and board member

Keahi Kim serves Ka ʻAha Hoʻolauna Aloha as Treasurer and Board Member, offering steady stewardship rooted in integrity, transparency, and kuleana. Grounded in a professional background in accounting and corporate financial leadership, Keahi strengthens the organization through thoughtful strategy, fiscal responsibility, and clear governance, ensuring that resources are managed with care to sustain cultural practice, community trust, and future generations.

Treasurer, CHIEF FINANCE OFFICER, and board member

Kumu Keahi Kim

Kumu Makana Garma

Makana Garma serves on the Board of Directors of Ka ʻAha Hoʻolauna Aloha, grounding their leadership in aloha, kuleana, and a shared commitment to strengthening identity and uplifting the lāhui. With decades of experience in education, facilitation, and project leadership, and as a senior project leader supporting Kanaeokana and Kamehameha Schools, Makana brings ʻike, relational leadership, and cultural integrity to KAHA’s work, guided by the values of akahai, lōkahi, ʻoluʻolu, haʻahaʻa, and ahonui in service to future generations.

secretary, PROGRAMS and board member

Kumu Kanani Cadaoas

2026 CONFERENCE PRESIDENT and board member

Kumu Kanani Cadaoas of Ka Pa Hula O Ke Ola Nani serves as Luna Hoʻokele of KAHĀ 2026, bringing a lifetime of hula practice, leadership, and cultural stewardship to the gathering. Trained by esteemed kumu and shaped by decades of teaching and performance, her work is rooted in lineage, discipline, and aloha, guiding her haumāna to embody Hawaiian values and carry forward a living legacy of ʻike for future generations.

Kumu Kokoleka Burdett

sergeant-at-arms

Kokoleka Burdett serves as Kiaʻi ʻĪpuka and Board Member of Ka ʻAha Hoʻolauna Aloha, bringing decades of leadership, discipline, and service to the organization. With more than 35 years of experience across military, education, and civilian sectors, his commitment to operational excellence, cultural preservation, and community responsibility helps safeguard the integrity of KAHĀ’s gatherings and mission in service to the lāhui..

Fox Pōmaika’i Garcia-Deatry

Fox Pōmaika’i Garcia-Deatry is the Chief of Mission Officer at Miracle Flights, leading marketing and communications, outreach, events, and media. A global communications executive, Fox has held senior leadership roles with Al Jazeera Media Network, the Movember Foundation, Outright International, and the National Institutes of Health. He serves as an advisor to the Society of LGBT Entertainment Critics and holds a graduate degree from The George Washington University. 

CHIEF marketing and PR OFFICER, AND board member

Carole Puanani Ching

Carole Puanani Ching, is the Ho‘okō Palapala and Board Member of Ka ʻAha Hoʻolauna Aloha. Carole is a third-generation Chinese immigrant whose family roots are in Hawai‘i (O’ahu) and northern California. In 1988, she settled in Sacramento, where she became deeply involved with nonprofit organizations serving immigrant and refugee communities. In 2001, she became the founding Director of My Sister’s House, a domestic violence service provider for battered Asian and Pacific Islander women and children. Her training in hula, which began when she was a child growing up in Honolulu, brought her to KAHĀ. She brings her knowledge of nonprofit policies, procedures, program development, grant writing, and understanding of systems to KAHĀ. She considers it a great honor to stand with her fellow Board members in support of KAHĀ’s mission and vision.

policies and procedures, GRANTS and board membeR

Our Mission

Ka ʻAha Hoʻolauna Aloha (KAHĀ) brings practitioners of ʻike Hawaiʻi together to perpetuate, preserve, and share cultural knowledge. Rooted in aloha and reverence for kūpuna, KAHĀ strengthens pilina, uplifts the lāhui, and fosters learning, mentorship, and cultural connection.