Kimokeo Foundation
The vision of Kimokeo Foundation is a lasting legacy of preserving and perpetuating our Native Hawaiian culture, language, people and environment.
Founded in September 2015, Kimokeo Foundation was created by Native Hawaiian, Kimokeo Kapahulehua, as a platform in which he could leave a lasting legacy that would continually emulate his passions to preserve and perpetuate the Hawaiian culture within today’s generation and generations yet to come. The Foundation is centered around Kimokeo’s love for the people and culture of Hawai‘i and the land and sea that surrounds his island home, Maui, Hawai‘i.
Kimokeo Kapahulehua has been well-known throughout Hawai‘i, especially on Maui, for his tireless efforts to preserve and perpetuate his Hawaiian culture and the land and sea. For decades, he has selflessly dedicated his time toward serving Maui’s communities and protecting its land from the mountains to the sea. His accomplishments are vast, spanning from being heavily involved in Hawaiian outrigger canoe paddling and voyaging, to the preservation of Native Hawaiian forests, to the revitalization of an ancient Hawaiian fishpond to educating thousands of youth about the Hawaiian culture and its practices, to raising money for cancer survivors. Kimokeo has touched the lives and hearts of an immeasurable number of people with the expectation that they only take the aloha that they have received from him and share it with others.
After spending decades volunteering for many individual non-profit and community organizations which share the same dreams as his, Kimokeo decided that he would be most effective in serving his community, culture and environment by consolidating his passions into a single foundation with the intent that it become a legacy of giving. Thus, Kimokeo Foundation was founded in September 2015 to encompass all of Kimokeo Kapahulehua’s interests into a single entity in which all of his family, friends and followers can support in perpetuity.
Meet the Board of Directors and Staff
Kimokeo Kapahulehua – President
Leonard Kimokeo Kapahulehua was born in 1947 on Kaua‘i’s west coast where he was an avid surfer, fisherman and outrigger canoe paddler. He was raised in a humble household in Port Allen camp where his family from Ni‘ihau often stayed and they enjoyed many family gatherings together. His parents radiated the aloha spirit to all they met, thus setting an example for Kimokeo. His family considered him “kōlohe” (rascal) during his formative years, hence he was given his nickname “Bully.” Much later in his life, he outgrew that lifestyle and used his middle name, Kimokeo, to reflect the warm, caring person that he has become. Always industrious, he worked during high school for Grayline Kaua‘i and eventually became manager of the company on Maui in 1970 where he raised his family.
While on Maui, he has been a part of various canoes clubs including Nā Kai ‘Ewalu, Mālama Ula (Wailea), and Kīhei Canoe Club. He has also been involved with many community organizations such as ‘Ao‘ao O Nā Loko I‘a O Maui, Hui O Wa‘a Kaulua, Mo‘okiha O Pi‘ilani, Hawaiian Outrigger Canoe Voyaging Society, Pacific Cancer Foundation, Kīhei Youth Center, Hawaiian Islands Land Trust and NOAA’s Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary’s Advisory Council to name a few.
‘Ao‘ao O Nā Loko I‘a O Maui – www.mauifishpond.com
Hui O Wa‘a Kaulua, Mo‘okiha O Pi‘ilani – www.huiowaa.org
Hawaiian Outrigger Canoe Voyaging Society – http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/506727.html
Pacific Cancer Foundation – http://www.pacificcancerfoundation.org/
Kīhei Youth Center – http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/575895/A-place–to-call-their-own-.html?nav=10
Hawaiian Islands Land Trust – www.hilt.org
NOAA’s Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary – http://hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov/
Nāpua Aloy – Vice President
Nāpua Aloy was born and raised on Maui and attended the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Chaminade University and Maui Community College. She is currently a registered nurse at the Maui Memorial Medical Center Obstetrics Department. She is married to a Maui native and a mother of three talented children. Being part Hawaiian, she has been a recipient of many scholarships and opportunities. Mrs. Aloy and her children, have received Kamehameha School scholarships for their education and are blessed to live on leased land provided by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. All of these opportunities allowed her to obtain a higher education as well as afford to live on Maui.
Through the Kimokeo Foundation, she looks forward to giving back to her community. As Vice President, she will strive to carry out the Foundation’s vision which is to create a lasting legacy of preserving and perpetuating our Native Hawaiian culture, language, people and environment and she wants to provide this foundation for future generations. It is Mrs. Aloy’s hope that future generations will remember and cherish the place they call home and they will follow her example of giving back to Hawai‘i and her people.
Michael Phillips – Treasurer
Michael Phillips is originally from California and moved to Maui in 1996 where he later retired in 2002. He has a daughter and a beautiful granddaughter. Mr. Phillips is a retired policeman and owner and operator of many companies including restaurant chains and a cellular phone chain in California. He is the founder and chief executive officer of Coconut’s Fish Café, a restaurant franchise found here on Maui and throughout the United States which began in 2009. Mr. Phillips and Kimokeo began a professional relationship as Kimokeo helped bless Coconut’s Fish Café in Maui. It didn’t take long before they created a tight bond and became good friends. Mr. Phillips listened to Kimokeo’s ideas of forming a foundation and he eventually became instrumental in getting the Foundation underway. As an owner of many successful businesses, Mr. Phillips has demonstrated his ability to manage large finances and he will do the same as Treasurer of the Kimokeo Foundation.
Nancy La Joy – Board Member
Nancy La Joy is the Executive Director of the Pacific Cancer Foundation. She has worked with Kimokeo on many different health projects including the annual Paddle for Life event which honors cancer survivors. Nancy has an extensive background in non-profit management and also led a Montessori school project in the mainland in which they built a new school. She is currently a board member and offers her non-profit expertise and guidance to our team.
Lyons Naone – Board Member
Born and raised in Kīpahulu, Maui, Kahu Kapi‘ioho‘okalani Lyons Naone is a native speaker of the Hawaiian language, a kahuna lā‘au lapa‘au (master of plant healing), revered teacher in Hawaiian spirituality, physical and energy healing, conflict resolution, ancient warrior arts, rituals, and protocol. A highly respected teacher and lecturer on Hawaiian culture and traditions, Kahu Naone teaches at the University of Hawai‘i – Maui College. He was the first president and founding member of Papa Lā‘au Lapa‘au in 1987 which is the first statewide organization of traditional Hawaiian healers. In the Hawaiian community, Kahu holds a rank as a lifetime high chief in the Royal Order of Kamehameha and is a teacher of ancient warrior arts and weapons. As a Director, Kahu Naone brings an extensive knowledge and expertise in the Hawaiian culture to the Kimokeo Foundation.
Frances Oney – Board Member
Frances Oney is a graduate of Boston College and was a political consultant for candidates, initiatives, and campaigns early in her career. She has served in many capacities at Coconut’s Fish Café in Maui including as General Manager and Front House Manager. She is currently the Vice President of Franchise Operations for the award winning restaurant nationwide. Mrs. Oney is a Director and brings her managing expertise and her love for Maui and the Hawaiian culture to the Kimokeo Foundation.
Joylynn Paman – Executive Director
Joylynn Paman offers a well-rounded cultural perspective to the Kimokeo Foundation and has a Hawaiian family history on Maui that lasts for generations. In 1994, she graduated from Kamehameha and continued her education at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo where she received her Bachelors in Marine Science with an emphasis in Hawaiian Language and Hawaiian Studies in 1998. For over 25 years, she has been fluent in the Hawaiian language and she and her husband are currently raising their three children in Hawaiian immersion schools. Mrs. Paman spends a majority of her time caring for her family and volunteering for Maui’s Hawaiian immersion programs.
She has been Executive Director of ‘Ao‘ao O Nā Loko I‘a O Maui, a non-profit organization that is revitalizing a Native Hawaiian fishpond in South Maui, for 11 years and has been associated with this organization since 1997. She has also served environmental education leadership roles at Maui Nui Botanical Gardens, Maui Invasive Species Committee and NOAA’s Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Throughout her work and volunteerism, Mrs. Paman enjoys combining her love for the Hawaiian culture and language with the environment. She brings many non-profit leadership skills to the Kimokeo Foundation and became Executive Director of the Kimokeo Foundation in September 2019.