Meet Our Team — Kipuka Olowalu

Board of Directors

Kainoa Horcajo - President

Kainoa can usually be found at his family property in Iao, driving around the island, or enjoying time with friends and family. A firm believer that nearly every answer one has can be found in a hard and dirty day's work, Kainoa has been a part of Olowalu Cultural Reserve from the beginning, helping his father Bob Horcajo who was one of the founding members. Decent behind a chainsaw and a microphone, Kainoa would rather be cutting down invasive trees or planting natives in silence but is more often than not talking more than he should.

Edwin “Ekolu” Lindsey - Vice President

Raised on Maui (where he loved visiting his grandparents’ home in Lahaina to surf, swim, and fish in the waters of Polanui), Ekolu graduated from Kamehameha Schools on O’ahu, and earned a B.B.A. at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. Ekolu’s parents -- Ed Lindsey, a Native Hawaiian, and lifelong school teacher, and Puanani Lindsey -- co-founded Maui Cultural Lands in 2002. After his father passed away in 2009, Ekolu carried forward his family’s legacy of service and their vision of protecting and restoring Hawaiian cultural resources and the marine environment. Ekolu is the president of Maui Cultural Lands and in July of 2015, completed a ten-day, 500-mile journey aboard the voyaging canoe Hikianalia to the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands to conduct reef surveys and fish monitoring to help better manage Hawai’i’s marine resources. Ekolu also cofounded Polanui Hiu, the first Community Managed Makai Area (CMMA) on Maui. Ekolu sits on many non-profit boards and donates his time freely to create a better world by serving the present for those not yet born.

When not giving back to the community, Ekolu can be found at his favorite surf break, Uha Ilio aka Shark Pit, or on a canoe.

Makayla Richmond - Secretary

Makayla grew up in Cypress, California. She moved to the islands to be with family and received a B.A.S. in Sustainable Science Management at the University of Hawaii Maui College. As a conservation minded individual, she has focused her efforts on a variety of projects and scientific studies involving protected species in Pu’u Kukui to water quality impacts on nearshore marine life in West Maui. In addition, she has also been involved as a Sustainability Consultant in the development of Hulihia Center for Sustainable Systems in Maui at UHMC.

Makayla joined Kipuka Olowalu in 2020. With her, she brings her belief that conservation and the protection of resources within Maui needs to have ‘ike kupuna, or ancestral knowledge, in order to be successful. Through this work, she strives for Kipuka Olowalu to be a place of continued education for all Hawaiians, residents, and visitors.

When not working towards protecting the earth and its natural resources, Makayla enjoys spending time with family, going to the beach, and traveling when she can!

Beverly Kurokawa - Treasurer

Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, Bev moved to Maui several years after graduating from the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a B.B.A. As can be expected, life on Maui was very different from life in Honolulu and it took a while to adapt. But soon Maui became home and she has immersed herself in the island’s culture, economics and way of life, never looking back.

Most of her professional life on Maui has been in public accounting but after certification as a Certified Financial Planner, she ventured out as an independent contractor.

Along with serving on the Kipuka Olowalu board, she is involved in other boards ~ medical, financial, halau and community oriented. This is Bev’s way of giving back to the people of Maui County.

Zachary LaPrade - Director

Zachary LaPrade is a resident of Lahaina and holds professional licenses as an attorney and real estate broker in Hawaii.

As a Board Member, Mr. LaPrade hopes to contribute his legal and business expertise to help the organization achieve its conservation goals. He has experience working with legal and regulatory frameworks in Hawaii.

In terms of his views on conservation, Mr. LaPrade believes in taking a fair and balanced approach that considers both the economic and environmental impacts of conservation efforts. He holds the belief that free enterprise and environmental conservation can coexist and work together within the same system. In other words, he believes that conservation efforts can benefit both the environment and the local economy, and that finding solutions that support both is important.

During his free time, Mr. LaPrade enjoys sailing with the family on their small family sailboat.

Lawrence Carnicelli - Director

In 1994 Lawrence moved to Maui for “6 months to find myself”. Fortuitously, upon arrival he found himself in love with island and the people and stayed. He is now blessed to call Maui home with his wife Kathleen and Daughter Ava.

He is a willing volunteer and has donated his time and talent in many capacities for the Maui community for nearly 30 years. He is currently the Vice President of Development for Alaula Builders where he uses his passion to help others by building affordable homes for local Maui residents.

Lawrence’s daily aim is to leave the world better than it was gifted to him.

Karin Osuga - Executive Director

Born in Tokyo, Japan, Karin grew up overseas and lived in 4 countries before graduating high school. From a young age she loved the beach, snorkeling, and eventually scuba diving; and the ocean became a life long passion. She has B.S. in Biology - Marine Emphasis from Western Washington University. After graduating in 2014, Karin moved to Hawaii in search of more sun and warmer waters.

Karin believes that place-based conservation that honors traditional knowledge is a key component in building towards a sustainable future. Conservation is not just about resources, but about people. Karin hopes for Kipuka Olowalu to be a place where people can restore their connection to the environment, and are inspired to carry that connectivity into other areas of their lives. She loves spending time underwater, hula, hiking, and paddling. When not working or in the ocean she can be found spending time with her husband, tending to the garden and chickens, or snuggling with their cat, Kevin.

Duane Sparkman - Project Manager

At the age of 19, Duane moved from Texas to Maui. After coming to the island, he never looked back and worked his way up to becoming part owner of a large landscape company that maintained 65 acres of resorts along the beautiful coastlines of Maui. In addition to his work in landscaping, Duane spent his time working for multiple organizations including volunteer work with Leeward Haleakala Watershed Restoration Partnership, East Maui Watershed Partnership, Coral Reef Alliance, West Maui Watershed Partnership, Hawai’i Island Land Trust, Pu’u Kukui Watershed Preserve, and Sierra Club Maui Chapter.

While working for Haleakala National Park as a Scientific Biological Technician, Duane’s perspective on landscape management changed and he proceeded to change an entire 12 acre oceanfront resort to organic landscape practices. Currently, Duane is facilitating the production of a reef-safe organic fertilizer specifically designed for Hawaii soils. In addition, Duane sits on the Board of Directors of the Maui Cultural Lands where he is helping to teach about native Hawaiian plants along with sustainable organic landscaping and organic farming practices.

When not working, Duane can be found spending time with his wife, a Maui native, and his two children.

Staff

Teje Roy - Coordinator

Growing up on a farm surrounded by 38 acres of woods, in the small country side township of Hollywood, Pennsylvania, Téjè learned the importance of nature and the cycle of life. At 19 she moved to Oregon and was always out in nature either hiking, camping or enjoying the river. Being a cook/chef she realized how important food resources are for the future, and how wasteful many companies and people are.

Leaving everything behind she traveled and lived in various places including Australia, Southeast Asia, and Europe. Living and working in different island communities and Europe really opened her eyes to universal connection everyone and everyplace has.

In 2020 she obtained a B.A.S. in Sustainable Science Management through the University of Hawaii Maui College. Teje has always looking for ways to protect island resources and she even played a role in the implementation of eliminating single use plastic bottles on campus. With a reverence towards this amazing island and all it has to offer, she has volunteered with many local organizations including Coral Reef Alliance, NOAA, MOCMI, Ridge to Reef, Maui Nui Seabird Recovery Project and more.

Téjè is currently working with worms to help compost green waste on UHMC campus to help build topsoil for barren land. She has worked at the aquaponics lab Waipono at the College, has created a worm bin for Kipuka Olowalu and now working on becoming a Bee keeper!

Ua Aloha Maji - Cultural Practitioner, Supervisor

Raised living along the shores of both O’ahu and Maui, Ua spent most of his childhood outside. Surfing, skimming, diving, hiking, biking, motorbiking, skating, and camping with friends and family were daily activities. The world of hula was opened to Ua when he joined a Halau and began dancing, drumming, chanting, and learning about kanaka culture. Ua was raised in a few different households including one in the Olowalu village with the Ka’ahui ohana. They undertook a restoration project in Ukumehame that was ambitious in scope and brought Kalo growing back to the area with only family strength and no outside funding. Ua graduated from Lahainaluna High School and joined the army. Upon returning home, Ua began a career in the luau industry.

Over the years, Ua has taken part in lo’i restoration projects in Honokohau, Waiehu, and Kahakuloa under the guidance of many different elders. Ua joined Kipuka in 2020 and hopes to continue to build this unique resource where generations will be able to come feel the connectivity to the ancestral ‘āina through culturally educational engagement, physical and spiritual.

Several years ago, Ua went through the traditional Hawaiian uniki process which is graduation from olapa (dancer) to Ho’opa’a (chanter) under kumu Kapono Kamaunu and our Kumu Loea Keli'i Tau'a thus becoming a titled cultural practitioner.

Lizzy Gibson - Field Technician

Growing up on a farm in Vermont, Lizzy developed a strong connection with the natural world. As a child, Lizzy spent her free time adventuring outdoors or engaged in artistic pursuits. After graduating from Johnson State College with a B.A. in Art and a minor in Adventure Education, Lizzy moved to Maui to pursue her passions for art and the environment.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Lizzy worked in the tourism industry. However, with concerns about crowds and confined spaces, she decided to redirect her efforts towards a pursuit more meaningful to her. In 2020, Lizzy discovered the Land Restoration Project at Kipuka Olowalu and found a place for her to express her passions and reconnect with nature on a daily basis.

As an artist on the Kipuka Olowalu team, one of her goals is to develop a series of workshops that effectively integrate art and nature in ways that emulate traditional cultural crafts. She is currently refining her knowledge on the vast array of practical and creative uses for our many Hawaiian endemics in hopes to be able to share her knowledge and passion with those who visit the reserve.