UNIONDALE, NY / ACCESS Newswire / April 13, 2026 / Marquis Who's Who honors Kekuhi Kealiikanakaoleohaililani for her leadership in Hawai'i cultural education and environmental stewardship. Ms. Kealiikanakaoleohaililani shares Indigenous knowledge through community programs, conservation efforts and professional development. She was selected as a Top Professional for her long-term commitment to cultural influence and community connection.

About Kekuhi Kealiikanakaole

Ms. Kealiikanakaoleohaililani is the chief executive officer of Lonoa Honua LLC in Hilo, Hawaii, and the executive director of the non-profit Kā Mauli Hou, also in Hilo. She works with conservation, health, education and business professionals, leading intensive professional development training grounded in aloha, or "caring for the land," and practicing traditional Hawaiʻi values. For more than 30 years, she has taught through ritual, chant and storytelling, helping people better understand their relationship with nature and community.

Hālau ‘Ōhi'a is the flagship program and is the first of its kind to offer Hawaiʻi leadership and ritual training to professional communities. The program brings together people from fields such as medicine, mental health, business and agriculture. Participants study how their work connects to the health of both the land and the community.

In addition to leading her company, Ms. Kealiikanakaoleohaililani has served as an assistant professor and program coordinator in Hawaiian studies, where she was responsible for 25 years of grant administration and the creation of I Ola Hāloa, Hawaiʻi Lifestyles Program. In every role, her focus has been on education and creating welcoming spaces where people from many backgrounds can learn about responsibility, balance and respect for the environment.

Ms. Kealiikanakaoleohaililani earned the title of Kumu Hula after 40+ years in Hālau O Kekuhi, a traditional Hawaiʻi dance school, and a Bachelor of Arts in Hawaiian studies from the University of Hawaii at Hilo. She later received a Master of Education from Heritage University and is now pursuing a PhD in natural medicine at Quantum University. Her educational background helps her connect and intersect Hawaiʻi life ways, current health and wellness technologies with traditions, ecology and human behavior.

A Commitment to Community

Outside of her professional work, Ms. Kealiikanakaoleohaililani stays active in community service. She has been a senior scholar at The Kohala Center for 20 years and volunteers with local nonprofit groups, including the Friends of Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge, the Hawaii Island Festival of Birds, and the Pūʻā Foundation for justice-involved females, women and girls-especially native Hawaiians. Through these efforts, she supports environmental restoration and cultural education and health across Hawaiʻi, the U.S. and beyond.

Ms. Kealiikanakaoleohaililani's work has earned several honors, including Innovator of the Year from the Hawaii Conservation Alliance and the Chant Award. She has also given keynote talks, such as at the Hawaii Conservation Alliance Conference, where she spoke about conservation and cultural continuity. She credits her success to her persistence and a deep sense of curiosity and wonder about the world and others' perspectives. She believes that strong relationships and community support make meaningful work possible, and she encourages others to accept guidance and help when it is offered.

Looking ahead, Ms. Kealiikanakaoleohaililani plans to continue land rematriation, restoring native forests and protecting native bird and insect populations. A major focus of her work is saving the endangered ‘ōhi‘a lehua tree, which is vital to Hawaiʻi ecosystems and water cycles but has been damaged by fungal disease. Through this work, she hopes to rebuild forest landscapes and strengthen the bond between culture, community and nature for future generations.

About Marquis Who's Who^®:

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SOURCE: Marquis Who's Who