Kanaka Maoli - M.S. in Counseling Psychology, Michael Tui | “Remember the aloha that has been passed down from generation to generation”
Michael Tui, born and raised on Oahu, shares his experience navigating undergrad and grad school as a first generation student. Driven by his desire to uplift his community, he’s served in the mental health field by providing trauma-informed care and the law enforcement field as a police officer for the Honolulu Police Department. He now works on an award winning program in North Carolina as a Behavioral Health Specialist helping emergency medical personnel cope with physical and mental health conditions.
Director of financial aid empowering scholars to reach financial freedom, Eli Jennings: “You are in control of your financial destiny”
Eli Jennings shares his path from homelessness to Director of Financial Aid at Pacific Rim University in Hawai’i. He now provides students with the resources they need to find financial freedom.
Native Hawaiian and Tongan Doctor of Behavioral Health, Leolani Ah Quin | “Know where you come from to know where you’re going”
Dr. Leolani Ah Quin encourages Indigenous youth to seek out new worlds and opportunities through higher education. Leolani shares her story of resilience, her untraditional path to a doctoral degree, and her advice to students pursuing higher education. She is currently the Clinical Director for a Tribal Nation in Arizona.
Tahitian Obama Foundation Leader, Vehia Wheeler | Co-Founder of Sustainable OCEANIA Solutions
Vehia Wheeler, co-founder of the 100% women-led Sustainable OCEANIA Solutions consulting firm, shares her/their educational experience in Hawaii and path to joining the first cohort of Asia-Pacific Obama Foundation Leaders.
Native Hawaiian MMA Champion, Ilima-Lei Macfarlane | “I use my platform to highlight Mauna Kea and uplift Indigenous communities”
Ilima-Lei Macfarlane, Native Hawaiian professional MMA fighter shares why it is important to find community away from home, encourage our youth to pursue higher education, and support our larger Indigenous community.
First-Generation Kānaka Maoli Stanford Student, Jaysha Kuuipoaloha Alonzo-Estrada | Using Community Resources as a Tool for Academic Empowerment
First-generation Native Hawaiian Stanford student, Jaysha Kuuipoaloha Alonz-Estrada, talks about changing majors, following her path and utilizing community resources in high school and in college (4-H, College Horizons, Leland Scholars Program, Muwekma Tah-Ruk) to empower her throughout her academic career.
Bay Area educator and Assistant Principal, Cady Kealohi Ching | Working to close the achievement gap through mentorship
Cady's first college guidance counselor dissuaded her from applying to top colleges. With personal determination and support from mentors, she ended up graduating with a BA and MA from Stanford University. Now as a Bay Area Assistant Principal and a Board Member of SPIO, she recognizes the importance of early mentorship and is working with a small volunteer team to build a free e-mentorship program for Pacific Islander students preparing for college and career success.