Our Team

Auston Stewart

Board President | Nalukai Academy Facilitator

Auston is a technologist and entrepreneur with a decade of software engineering, project management and team building experience at Silicon Valley firms such as 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

Executive Director

Kirstin is an experienced leader in higher education and nonprofit management. Throughout her career she has exemplified skills in building and executing collaborative community engagement and advocacy. Kirstin serves as State House Representative in Kona’s new District 6, representing parts of Kailua to Hōnaunau at the Hawaiʻi State Capitol. She also serves as the Vice Chair of the Committee on Agriculture and Food Systems and is a member of the Finance and Energy & Environmental Protection committees. Kirstin is a passionate community leader dedicated to finding meaningful ways to strengthen community resilience in professional and community work while uplifting Native Hawaiian leaders and entrepreneurs.

Kari Clark

Chief Financial Officer

Kari, a proud fourth-generation native of Hawai’i, was raised on Hawai’i Island and graduated from Hilo High School. She pursued higher education at both the University of Hawai’i at Hilo and Manoa, nurturing her deep connection to the islands. A passionate ocean lover and avid scuba diver, Kari’s love for her home runs deep. With a career spanning decades in finance, she has held key roles at Bank of Hawaii and First Hawaiian Bank in Honolulu, specializing in the Trust Division. She also served as a Financial Advisor at AIG. Currently, Kari is a Financial Advisor and Director of Operations at Stadia Financial in Kamuela. In addition to her financial career, Kari is an accomplished entrepreneur, having owned and sold several successful businesses, continuing her family’s rich legacy of entrepreneurship. A proud mother and grandmother, Kari joined Nalukai in early 2023, further expanding her commitment to serving her community and the next generation of change-makers.

Aaron Schorn

Alumni and Community Director

At Nalukai, Aaron has been creating and implementing curriculum, hustling to find mentors, and teaching digital storytelling since the first Nalukai Summer Startup Camp in 2016. Outside of Nalukai he is focused on creating student-centered systems to authentically tell the story of learning communities. At Hawai'i Preparatory Academy (HPA) he teaches Digital Journalism and Social Entrepreneurship courses that are centered around Product-Based Learning, the Lean Startup methodology, project management, and building digital brands. The class is supported by mentors across industries working directly with students on their products. Aaron's professional background is in international business, digital storytelling, operations/management, UX/UI, and content creation.

Miranda Canniff (Nalukai ‘16)

Director of Communications

Shyla Orquia (Nalukai ‘21)

Videographer

Shyla was born and raised on the island of Maui, Hawaiʻi. She attended Maui High School and is currently a student at the University of Oregon, double majoring in advertising, public policy & management, and minoring in multimedia & science communication. Shyla was a founder of the 2021 virtual Nalukai Summer Camp and has been producing stories for Nalukai's social media ever since. She has produced news and feature stories since middle school for local PBS stations like HIKI NŌ and PBS Student Reporting Labs. At the University of Oregon, Shyla also works with her school's athletics department, where she applies her storytelling skills to live sports coverage. She is passionate about building stories that connect her background in film and design to the people of her community.

Amia Voluntad (Nalukai ‘23)

Videographer

Amia Voluntad is a filmmaker, photographer, and storyteller, and the founder of Written Truth Productions, based in Maui, Hawai’i. Amia's work is deeply inspired by her passion for showcasing the true character of God through storytelling that celebrates His creation. She specializes in narrative and documentary filmmaking, with nature playing a large role in her work. Amia’s work has been showcased at prestigious festivals such as the Hawai’i International Film Festival, the World Whale Film Festival, and the Christian Youth Film Festival, where Silence and The Reconnection won multiple awards, including Best Actress, Best Sound and Best Editing.In addition to her filmmaking endeavors, Amia is a member of the Hawaii International Film Festival Student Committee, where she contributes to fostering young filmmakers. Amia's storytelling is a unique blend of technical expertise, creativity, and a profound purpose, as she continues to produce thought-provoking films that inspire and captivate audiences. Amia is an alumni of the 2023 Nalukai Summer Startup Camp.