Pualani Kanaka‘ole Kanahele has been an assistant professor in Hawaiian Studies at Hawai‘i Community College since 1990. She also taught at UH Hilo and Maui Community College. She inspires students and colleagues alike, using Hawaiian-rooted educational philosophy and experiential methodology to motivate students to become life-long learners and give back to the community and environment. Her teaching style is described as inclusive and supportive of each student while maintaining high expectations for all and cultivating students’ potential to challenge themselves.

Besides helping students develop a sense of cultural and social awareness, Kanahele is an internationally renowned scholar, community leader and artist. She is involved in community and international cultural events that benefit students and the community. She was a primary organizer of the 1999 World Indigenous People’s Conference in Hilo. She is the president of the Edith Kanaka`ole Foundation and the founder of numerous organizations dedicated to native Hawaiian issues. She is involved in community projects, such as Pahana Ho‘olupalupa, that encourages concern for the environment and an understanding of traditional culture among young people. Humble and gentle, she has received numerous honors, including the National Governors Association Award for Distinguished Service, the Governor’s Award for Distinguished Achievement in the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts’ National Heritage Fellowship Award.