Our heart is to help kānaka maoli thrive.
Ke Kumu ‘Ulu means “The Breadfruit Tree,” which Native Hawaiians regard as a symbol of resilience, perseverance, and security. ‘Ulu trees are revered as kinolau (embodiments) of Kū, the Hawaiian god of war. During a famine, Kū witnessed his mortal family’s suffering. He sacrificed himself to be reborn as an ‘ulu tree that fed his entire village for generations to come.
Meet Our Leadership
Our team has decades of experience creating, executing, and managing a variety of Hawaii based, locally owned companies and non-profit organizations.
Sherry (Hali'a) Hester
Hali’a is the co-founder of two Hawai’i-based IT companies. As the COO of Ulu HI-Tech and board manager of Ulu Malu Systems, Hali’a is particularly focused on investing in local talent and creating high-value job opportunities.
Mahealani Austin
Mahea has a decade of experience serving the Papakolea, Kewalo, and Kalawahine Hawaiian Homesteads through Kula No Na Po‘e Hawai’i, where she is currently a program coordinator for the Kūpuna Community Care Network.
Jonathan Marstaller
Jonathan is the president of Poukihi, a financial services firm, and vice president of finance at Pono Pacific. His oversight of Ke Kumu ‘Ulu helps ensure we remain financially transparent and sound.
Dr. Josiah Hester
Josiah is an Associate Professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology, working in sustainable computing, community driven educational technology, and health technologies. He identifies and executes strategic research projects that advance KKU’s mission.