About Nalukai
Nalukai prepares youth to navigate challenges as stewards of Hawaiʻi through entrepreneurial leadership programs grounded in Native Hawaiian perspectives.
Since 2016, Nalukai has empowered young leaders through an innovative, entrepreneurial, and culturally-grounded approach to problem-solving in and for Hawaiʻi. We believe problem solving in Hawaiʻi must be rooted in the unique landscape of our pae ʻāina and shaped by the lived experiences of our people.
Our business and leadership development equips young entrepreneurs with the tools they need to tackle Hawaiʻiʻs biggest challenges – like housing, energy, food security, and more – while growing as individuals and community contributors.
Hawaiʻi's "wicked" challenges will take generations to solve. We prepare the next generation of changemakers by engaging them in collaborative, real-world projects today, so they build the skills, mindsets, and relationships needed to create lasting solutions for tomorrow.
Nalukai began in 2016 when Waimea-born entrepreneur Darius “Bubs” Monsef recognized that many young people in Hawaiʻi with big ideas lacked access to peers and mentors who could help guide their ambition. What started as a tech-focused “hacker camp” quickly grew into something more: a learning lab where students can tackle Hawaiʻi’s problems with creativity, collaboration, and purpose.
Today, Nalukai empowers high school students through entrepreneurial leadership programs that blend innovation with Native Hawaiian values and ʻāina-based perspectives. By connecting youth with mentors, peers, and hands-on experiences, we nurture the next generation of leaders who will chart a sustainable, culturally-grounded future for Hawaiʻi.
Since 2016, we've served 330+ students from 57 schools across all six major Hawaiian islands. Our programs have earned Congressional recognition from Senators Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz, and we partner with leading Hawaiʻi organizations including Kamehameha Schools, University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, and Liliʻuokalani Trust.
OUR STORY
Nalukai is about trying to support youth specifically in the ways I experienced as the most challenging. A peer group of like minded friends. Expert mentors. Access to professional tools, and a voice constantly and confidently telling me
"I believe in you. You can do big things."
-DARIUS “BUBS” MONSEF, NALUKAI FOUNDER
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
David Clarke
With over 25 years of experience in schools as a teacher, coach, academic dean, assistant head of school, and college counselor, David brings a wealth of knowledge to Nalukai. He currently serves as Head of Upper School at Parker School in Waimea. David is a graduate of Punahou School, the University of Southern California, and Columbia University. Before returning to Hawaiʻi, he worked as director of college counseling at The Winsor School in Boston, Buckingham, Browne & Nichols School in Cambridge, and Menlo School in Northern California. David was part of the admissions process for the first Nalukai Summer Camp in 2016 and has returned every year since as Camp Director.
Board Chair & Program Facilitator
Allen Murabayashi
Allen was born and raised in Honolulu and attended Punahou School. He graduated from Yale University, and was a founding employee of hotjobs.com, which he helped grow from a 4-person startup to a publicly traded company with 675 employees in 4 countries. He subsequently co-founded PhotoShelter, an online visual asset management system. Allen served as Board Co-chair for Save the Music Foundation, a national non-profit that supports music education in the public school system, helping to double its impact in 3 years. He currently splits his time between New York and Honolulu. Allen joined the Nalukai ʻohana in 2018.
Board President & Program Facilitator
Board Secretary & Program FacilitatorAuston Stewart
Auston is a technologist and entrepreneur with a decade of software engineering, project management, and team building experience at Silicon Valley firms including Apple and Twitch Interactive. As Vice President of Engineering at FinTech startup Xpert Financial, he led the effort to deploy the first fully automated, electronic trading system approved by the SEC for the exchange of private company securities. Auston delivered major updates to Twitch's iOS and Android clients, growing mobile viewership and propelling the company toward its $970 million acquisition by Amazon. As a mentor, it is Auston's goal to equip young people with the analytical skills, technical ability, and audacity to meet head-on the unprecedented challenges of the 21st century. Auston has been a part of Nalukai since 2017.
Kirstin Kahaloa
Kirstin Kahaloa serves in the Hawai’i House of Representatives for the 6th district representing Honaunau, Captain Cook, Kealakekua, Keauhou, Holualoa, and Kailua-Kona. First elected in 2022, she is the Majority Caucus Leader and the highest-ranking Native Hawaiian in the House. She serves on the Agriculture and Food Systems, Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, and Energy and Environmental Protection committees, and previously chaired the Agriculture and Food Systems Committee.
Kirstin is a graduate of Kamehameha Schools Kapālama and holds a degree in International Studies and Political Science and a M.S. in Public Service Administration from the University of Evansville, as well as a M.A. in Management and Leadership from Webster University.
Director
Aaron Schorn
Aaron Schorn is a craftsman and a storyteller. He is an educator and entrepreneur who co-designs learning programs centered in youth agency, authenticity, and storytelling. He served as the Capstone Coordinator at Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy before joining Unrulr as the Head of Growth and Community.
Aaron has served as a longtime Nalukai facilitator, and has played a key role in building the team and establishing curriculum that inspires youth to own their education and journey.
Director
DirectorNick Wong (Nalukai ‘16)
Nick was part of Nalukai's inaugural 2016 cohort—back when the program was still dubbed a "hacker camp." Raised in a single-parent household in Nu'uanu, O'ahu and a proud graduate of Kamehameha Schools, Nick's passion for empowering the next generation is rooted in his deep connection to the communities that shaped him. After studying Computer Science and Data Science at UC Berkeley—where he also led entrepreneurship bootcamps—Nick now works at the forefront of Artificial Intelligence as a Product Manager at a startup in San Francisco. A decade after his first Nalukai experience, he returns as a board member, ready to pay it forward and help cultivate the next wave of visionary leaders from Hawai'i.
PROGRAM STAFF & FACILITATORS
Miranda Canniff (Nalukai ‘16)
Miranda Canniff is a marketing strategist and digital storyteller specializing in multi-channel brand engagement. At Nalukai, she oversees digital initiatives and multimedia production. She also creates programming for Nalukai’s growing alumni network. A Menlo College alumna with a background in UX design and email marketing, Miranda focuses on using creative content to build community and amplify organizational impact. Miranda was a part of Nalukai’s inaugural cohort in 2016.
Communications & Community Relations Director
Kari Clark
Kari Clark is a seasoned financial expert dedicated to empowering individuals to take control of their financial futures. As an Investment Advisor Representative at Stadia Financial LLC and Chief Operating Officer of Stadia Capital Group, she provides clear, practical knowledge to help clients build fulfilling lives. Deeply committed to community growth, she serves as the Chief Financial Officer for Nalukai Foundation.
Chief Financial Officer
Programs DirectorSara La Torre
Sara La Torre is a high-impact Go-To-Market leader and systems engineer dedicated to scaling startups and empowering founders. As the owner of La Torre Consulting, she leverages over a decade of experience—including roles at Cisco and Humu—to help early-stage ventures turn complex problems into sustainable revenue.
A native of Honolulu and a Santa Clara University alumna, Sara is deeply committed to Hawaiʻi’s innovation ecosystem. At Nalukai, Sara crafts curriculum and guides young entrepreneurs.
Trinity Asing (Nalukai ‘19)
Trinity Asing is a strategic storyteller and entrepreneur dedicated to sustainability and community empowerment in Hawaiʻi. Currently a Strategic Communications Consultant at Paʻakai Communications, she leverages her expertise in digital marketing and event planning to amplify local voices.
A Kamehameha Schools graduate and University of Hawaii at Manoa alumna, Trinity’s leadership journey began as the founder of Hui Mana Ai and Director of Mauka Market. Since she was a Nalukai Founder in 2019, Trinity has been an active member of the Nalukai Foundation ʻohana, transitioning from a standout student entrepreneur to a community leader driving meaningful impact in education and environmental stewardship.
Program Operations Lead
Carlo Liquido
Carlo Liquido is a product designer and social entrepreneur dedicated to building Hawaiʻi’s tech pipeline. As the founder of Lady Bandit Studios, he leads a product studio focused on crafting impactful, human-centered solutions for global and local organizations. He also serves as the Executive Director of Piʻikū Co., a non-profit that trains and deploys local tech talent to support value-aligned organizations.
With a Master’s in HCI and Analytics from UC Berkeley and an Economics degree from Brown University, Carlo has led design efforts at major companies like Shopify and Zenysis Technologies. Since 2023, Carlo has been an integral part of shaping Nalukai’s programming, where he creates curriculum and facilitates participatory design methods to empower the next generation of innovators.
Program Facilitator
Program FacilitatorKawika Shook
Kawika Shook is a seasoned consultant and grant writer dedicated to driving transformative change for ʻŌiwi communities. As the Principal Writer at ʻŌlaʻa Consulting, he specializes in non-profit development, securing millions in funding for food security, reforestation, and educational equity across Hawaiʻi.
With a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Kawika blends professional expertise with a deep commitment to cultural stewardship. Since 2018, he has been an integral part of the Nalukai Foundation, supporting the next generation of local leaders and innovators.
Pomai Bertelmann
Pomai Bertelmann is a dedicated voyager and educator from the island of Hawaiʻi, deeply rooted in the legacy of the Polynesian Voyaging Society. Since 2000, she has served as a ritualistic member, participating in deep-sea voyages across the Pacific on the Hōkūleʻa, Makaliʻi, and Alingano Maisu. A founding member of ʻOhana Waʻa, Pomai integrates traditional voyaging knowledge into modern education as an instructor at Kanu o Ka ʻĀina Charter School. Since 2018, she has been a vital contributor to the Nalukai program, fostering the next generation of cultural stewards and innovators.
Program Facilitator
May Samali
May Samali is a professionally certified leadership coach, facilitator, venture partner and founder. She is passionate about investing in people and ideas that can transform the world. Drawing on more than a decade of international experience as a corporate lawyer, venture capital investor, technology entrepreneur, and CEO, May helps individuals and teams identify their purpose and unleash their power and potential. May was formerly a founding investor at the Urban Innovation Fund, a venture capital firm investing in entrepreneurs shaping the future of cities. She holds a Master in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government as well as Law and Economics degrees from Sydney University. She is also an Australian John Monash Scholar and a Gleitsman Leadership Fellow at Harvard's Center for Public Leadership.
Program Facilitator
Paoakalani Shook is a dedicated educator and advocate committed to fostering equitable opportunities and regional growth across the Hawaiian Islands. As the Director of Development & Regional Team Initiatives at Teach For America Hawaiʻi, she leads strategic efforts to support educational leadership and community-driven impact. Paoakalani’s career is rooted in service to her community, having served as a Nā Hopena Aʻo State Resource Teacher for the Office of Hawaiian Education and an Elementary Special Education Teacher on Oʻahu. Her leadership experience also includes co-founding ʻŌlaʻa Consulting and serving as Operations Manager for Camp Pālehua, focusing on environmental stewardship and cultural connection. A proud graduate of Kamehameha Schools, Paoakalani earned her Bachelor’s in Government from Harvard University and a Master’s in Education from Johns Hopkins University.
Program FacilitatorPaoakalani Shook
Jazzmin Cabanilla
Jazzmin Cabanilla is a Native Hawaiian activist and educator based in Hilo. Prior to facilitating Nalukai programs, Jazzmin operated training programs for Teach For America Hawai'i.
Program Facilitator