Additional Ways to Support the Mission

After twenty years of planning major events and productions around the world, I reached a moment that shifted everything. Becoming a mother changed not only how I saw my life, but what I wanted my work to stand for. I found myself wanting to pour my time, energy, and talents into something that felt deeply meaningful—something that created real impact for children and the communities surrounding them.

When my son started school at just two years old, I became that parent who signed up for everything—room mom, field trips, scholastic fairs, school events, you name it. I loved every moment. And in the middle of volunteering, helping, and showing up, I began to see something bigger take shape. There were opportunities to support our schools in ways that extended far beyond my individual volunteer efforts.

At his school and others across the island, families wanted to show up. Local businesses wanted to give back. Schools were hosting wonderful fundraisers filled with purpose and heart—yet the connection felt just out of reach. I imagined one home where these moments could be seen, shared, and experienced with purpose. A place that connected parents to events, volunteers to meaningful roles, and businesses to the schools their families are a part of. And most importantly, a place where the deeper stories behind each effort could be celebrated.

That vision grew into Kōkua Collective.

At first, it began with something simple: an event calendar. I wanted families to have one place where they could find school fundraisers happening across the island and choose events with intention—knowing that every ticket purchased or meal enjoyed directly supported a child’s education. But as I became more involved, I realized the calendar was just the beginning.

Parents were eager to volunteer but often missed the communications. Businesses connected to school families wanted to support but didn’t always know how. And behind each fundraiser was a meaningful story—a need, a purpose, a dream for our keiki’s future—that wasn’t always being shared.

Kōkua Collective became the bridge that brought all of this together.

This nonprofit brings together everything I’ve spent my career building: event strategy, marketing, storytelling, community engagement, nonprofit planning, communication—and a deep desire to create purposeful experiences. But more than that, it brings together my heart as a parent who believes every child deserves the opportunities, resources, and visibility to thrive.

Kōkua Collective exists to amplify awareness, strengthen connections, and celebrate the impact of every effort that supports our keiki. It connects families to schools, schools to communities, and local businesses to the educational needs shaping Hawaiʻi’s future. It shines a light on the stories behind every fundraiser so people understand not just the “what,” but the “why.” And it uplifts every act of support—big or small—as part of a larger movement that helps our children flourish.

I have never felt more aligned, more driven, or more passionate about a mission.

This work is more than a nonprofit—It is the purpose that found me at exactly the right time.

Through Kōkua Collective, I’m honored to stand alongside families, educators, supporters, and communities across our islands—bringing visibility, connection, and impact to the schools that shape our keiki’s future.