A little about me . . .

As a multi-ethnic person with ancestral ties to Hawaiʻi, I feel a deep kuleana (privilege/responsibility) to the local community. I spent the first ten years of my life in Germany, where my parents taught high school on an American military base. Growing up in Europe was deeply influential on me as many of the assumptions I had, especially around government services, were challenged when we moved back to the U.S. Nonetheless, some of my earliest and fondest memories are as a toddler on my  grandparents’ farm in Kahaluʻu on the island of Oʻahu. My grandparents on my mother’s side were largely Ryukyuan and they always instilled in me the values of ancestral, familial, and community ties. 

When I met my husband (who is also from Hawaiʻi) in Washington, DC, we were pleased to discover that we shared a common goal of returning home and giving back to the community by creating positive change through policy. My husband and I worked hard to find our way back home to Hawaiʻi where we strive to raise our keiki (kids) with a deeper understanding of Hawaiian language and culture than either of us had. One of the greatest privileges of my life is to see my keiki grow into proud Hawaiians. It is my role as a mother, wife, and daughter that influences my positionality, which must be grounded in the ʻāina (land) that our ʻohana (family) has chosen to call home: Hawaiʻi.  In my role as an educator, mentor, and supervisor I continue will continue to support efforts to uplift Indigenous voices, especially those across the Pacific. To learn more about my research agenda click here.

Interests and Hobbies

Whenever we have free time, our ʻohana loves to go to the beach. The healing qualities of the ocean along with sitting in the natural beauty of the ʻāina serve to re-ground us and allow us to experience the world with aloha.

As a good local person, I love food. I enjoy cooking, especially trying new recipes that let me stretch my knowledge and skill. Some of my favorite cuisines are Moroccan, Japanese, Hawaiian, and Ethiopian. Many of these cuisines were discovered through friends, family, and travels. Exploring new places and learning about the people who live is of interest to my curious nature.

My love of history lead me to enjoy period piece movies. Some of my favorite movies (and books!) are Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Outlander, and Witcher. The blending of storytelling, social structure, and culture that many of these books and movies embody is both fascinating and thought-provoking. This same blend can be found in many traditional tattoos, which is another interest of mine. One of my passion projects is to explore traditional hajichi (female Ryukuan hand tattoos),