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Noʻeau Peralto, Executive DirectorDr. Leon Noʻeau Peralto was born and raised in Waiākea Uka, Hilo, Hawaiʻi, and is a proud descendant of kūpuna from Koholālele, Hāmākua, Hawaiʻi. He is a community organizer, educator, and a cultivator of seeds and stories, and holds a PhD. in Indigenous Politics from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. His dissertation research explored the continuity of aloha ʻāina praxis in his home community of Hāmākua Hikina through the land- and story-based resurgence work of Hui Mālama i ke Ala ʻŪlili, of which he is a founding member, a former president of the Board of Directors, and has served as the Executive Director since 2017.
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Haley Kailiehu, Director of Creative DevelopmentHaley Kailiehu was born and raised in the ʻili of Kukuipuka, ahupuaʻa of Kahakuloa, on the island of Maui. She is a granddaughter of Mary Keliʻipahulio Travis of Kainehe, Hāmākua, and the daughter of Alfred & Ina Kailiehu. Haley is a professional artist, and is a founding member and the current Director of Creative Development (since 2016) for Hui Mālama i ke Ala ʻŪlili. As an artist and researcher, her work seeks to create community-based and ‘āina-centered experiences that allow current and future generations of Kanaka ʻŌiwi to re-learn and re-establish their kuleana and connections to our moʻolelo, ʻāina, and kūpuna. As the Director of Creative Development for huiMAU, Haley uses her creative gifts to cultivate aloha ʻāina through art, curriculum development, mālama ʻāina, and community organizing.
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Hōʻale a Maninini (HoAMa) Program Staff
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Melissa Frazier, HoAMa After School & Summer Program AssistantMelissa Frazier is the daughter of Rudy & Marlene Palacol, the wife of Genard Frazier, and mother to two beautiful daughters, Azahrae and Ghenae. She loves going to the beach, spending time with God, family, and friends, and enjoys her arts & crafts. Melissa has over 18 years of experience with children and currently resides with her family in ʻOʻokala, Hilo Palikū. Melissa joined huiMAU as the HoAMa Program Assistant in August 2016.
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Hoʻoulu ʻAi Staff
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Kodie Solis-Kalani, Hoʻoulu ʻAi SpecialistKodie Solis-Kalani was born and raised in the Kanilehua rains of Hilo. As a youth, she participated in numerous environmental education programs that led to her passion to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture: Tropical Plant Science and Agroecology. When first introduced to the KaHua HoAMa project, Kodie was just a volunteer that wanted to mālama ʻāina with people that aloha ʻāina. In just a year or so, she has seen KaHua grow and become an ʻāina momona and hopes to continue to restore it to the functionalities that it once had before, while giving back to her ʻohana that were from Hāmākua a few generations ago. Ola! Kodie joined huiMAU's staff in 2019, and took on her role as the Hoʻoulu ʻAi Specialist at KaHua HoAMa in Waipunalau, Paʻauilo in July 2020.
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Hoʻonohopapa Koholālele Program Staff
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Bronson Palupe, ʻĀina Restoration CoordinatorBronson Palupe is from Kahaluʻu, Oʻahu but currently resides in Waimea, Hawaiʻi. He is a graduate of the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo (UHH) with a B.A. degree in Environmental Studies. Since graduation he has work experience as a research assistant for the Liko Nā Pilina Forest Restoration Project in Keaukaha, Hawaiʻi and a field assistant for the Mauna Kea Watershed Alliance (MKWA). He also has work experience as a field technician and field crew supervisor for the Hawaiʻi Island Natural Area Reserves Systems (NARS). He joined Hui Mālama i ke Ala ʻŪlili as the Koholālele ʻĀina Restoration Coordinator in August 2019.
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Uakoko Chong, ʻĀina Education CoordinatorUakoko Chong was born and raised in Puʻukapu, Waimea, Kohala on the island of Hawaiʻi. She is the daughter of Alvin Chong Jr. & Ursula Chong of Waipiʻo and Waimea, Hawaiʻi. Being raised on the ranch and in the ocean with her ʻohana, she always gravitated towards working on ʻāina. Uakoko graduated from University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo with a B.S. in Marine Science and B.A. in Hawaiian Studies. She obtained her teacherʻs license for Hawaiian Language Immersion Schools in Hawaiʻi from the Kahuawaiola Indigenous Teacher Education Graduate Program. In Hāmākua, she hopes to inspire keiki to continue the Hawaiian practices of hoʻoulu ʻai, hoʻoulu iʻa, and hoʻoulu kaiāulu. Uakoko joined huiMAU as the ʻĀina Education Coordinator in June 2021.
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Kamalei Matsumura, Mālama ʻĀina Program AssistantKamalei Matsumura was born and raised in Waimea, Kohala, Hawai‘i. She is the daughter of Neil Matsumura and Lovera Viloria and granddaughter of Jane Reyla and Clifford Matsumura. Her love for mālama ‘āina began at a very young age and was cultivated at her grandparents' home in Hauola, a nearby ahupua‘a in Hāmākua Hikina. Kamalei is a graduate of Chaminade University of Honolulu, where she obtained her B.S. in Environmental Studies with a minor in Criminal Justice. She is currently pursuing an M.S. with Texas Tech University in Natural Resource Management and Environmental Sustainability. Kamalei joined huiMAU as the Mālama ‘Āina Program Assistant in January 2022.
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Kainoa Ah Quin, Mālama ʻĀina Program AssistantKainoawaianuhea Ah Quin was born in Kahuku, Oʻahu and raised in Waimea, Kohala, Hawaiʻi. Mālama ʻāina and mālama kai have always been a part of her life, so it was easy decision to pursue a career in conservation. She graduated from Brigham Young University - Provo, with a B.S. in Wildlife and Wildland Conservation. Much of her work experience to date has been through Kupu and their various internship programs for teams and individuals. After serving a short term as an intern with huiMAU through Kupuʻs Conservation Leadership Development Program, Kainoa began with huiMAU as a Mālama ʻĀina Program Assistant in January 2022.
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