LEO WAIAʻU

KUMU - PAPA MĀLAAʻO

Leo Waiaʻu is a musician and Senior Leader at Ke Aha Vineyard Christian Fellowship from Wailuku, Maui. He has a love for learning and especially enjoys playing music, reading, writing, and a plethora of ocean activities. As a Kumu Kākoʻo he is excited to be able to serve the younger generations in their education and encourage the love of Hawaiian language and culture.

KAHIWA VENDIOLA

KUMU - papa 1

Kahiwa Vendiola is a graduate of Kamehameha Schools Maui and has attained an Associates degree in Liberal Arts and Hawaiian Studies from the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College in the Spring of 2022. His passion is engrained in his cultural identity and Hawaiian heritage and he is determined to help develop culturally rooted keiki here at Ke Kula ʻo Piʻilani.

KALANI LIBRANDO-SOUZA

KUMU - PAPA 2

Kalani Librando-Souza is a Hawaiian musician and a former student of Ke Kula Kaiapuni ʻo Maui. He graduated from King Kekaulike high school. He has been a coach for both basketball and volleyball for grades 5-12 since 2009. Currently coaching volleyball for middle and high school at Haleakala Waldorf in Kula. Kalani has also started a podcast Ke Ola Nei, where he interviews people in the Hawaiian community about how they use and perpetuate the Hawaiian culture and language in the jobs that they do.

LAHELA MATA GOLDMANN

KUMU - papa 3

Lahela Mata-Goldmann was born and raised in Waiehu on Maui. She received her high school diploma from Kamehameha Schools Maui and has an Associate Degree in Hawaiian Studies and Liberal Arts. She is currently a student at UH Maui College pursuing a degree in Elementary Education where she will graduate in Fall 2023. As a kumu this year, she is hoping to inspire the keiki of Ke Kula ʻO Piʻilani to be steadfast in their culture, 'Ōlelo Hawaiʻi, and all that they do.

LEIMANA PUʻU

Poʻo KUMU - Papa 4 & 5

Leimana Puʻu was born and raised on Maui in Waiʻehu. She graduated in Fall 2021 from UH Mānoa with a bachelors degree in Hawaiian Studies with a concentration in Mālama ʻĀina. She is currently working on achieving her masters in Curriculum Development. When working and teaching the keiki of Ke Kula ʻo Piʻilani, she is able to see the love our kūpuna had for our ʻāina, ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, and the Hawaiian community.

NALU ROBINSON

Campus coordinator & intersession program director

Nalu Robinson is a Hawaiian musician and bass player for Trio Kuaola and a new father. He received his High School Diploma from Baldwin High School, Maui. Teaching since 2018 with the Hawaiʻi Nature Center as a program facilitator for school excursion groups and nature camps and with Ke Kula ʻo Piʻilani as a Teacher’s Aide. Bilingual in English and ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, CPR, Basic Lifesaving and AED certification achieved August 2020.

KAʻILILAUOKEKOA PUʻU

KUMU KAKOʻO - PĀʻINA PIʻILANI & KULA KAUWELA

ʻIli was born and raised in Waiehu, Maui. Currently, she is majoring in Hawaiian Studies at the University of Hawaiʻi at Maui with hopes to transfer to University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa to continue her education and graduate. She is passionate about Hawaiian culture, Hawaiian language, and very excited to work with our keiki to perpetuate her passion for mea Hawaiʻi.