Drew Kapp, Co-Chair, Social Science
MA Geography, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa 1998
AAS Hawaiʻi Life Styles, Hawaiʻi Community College 2016
BA Italian/Spanish, University of Connecticut 1986
Aloha mai kākou! My name is Drew Kapp. I grew up in Massachusetts and Connecticut, and am a longtime resident of Puna, a moku for which I have so much aloha. Iʻve been teaching Geography at Hawaiʻi Community College and the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo since 1998. I am drawn to Geography as it is a holistic academic discipline that focuses on connections: those between people and place, culture and environment, and all of the elements of the earth, water, sky and life forms. Iʻve found that Geography and Hawaiian Studies complement each other very well, and both have been part of my experience as a student/learner. As an instructor, I am especially fond of experiential education which allows the student/learner to connect meaningfully and deeply with places on huakaʻi ~ excursions which include mālama ʻāina ~ stewardship activities, and that are respectfully grounded in our place, Hawaiʻi. I have served as co-chair of the Hawaiʻi-CC Academic Sustainability Committee since 2018, and as co-chair of the UH System Sustainability Curriculum Coordination Council, as well as the Lā Honua Earth Day Fair coordinator for Hawaiʻi-CC since 2019. I also serve as site supervisor for our campus Sustainability Initiatives VISTA. I stand with the people of Hawaiʻi and of this Honua ~ Earth who honor indigenous knowledge and cultural practice, and recognize that heightening our consciousness of, promoting and engaging in sustainable practices in our lives are all vital to the health and well-being of our communities. Mahalo.
Debbie Weeks, Ph.D., Co-Chair, Math & Natural Science
I earned a Ph.D. in Chemistry from UC Santa Cruz in 2002. I have held positions in both academia and industry, with much of my work concerning interdisciplinary studies of environmental impacts in Maine, Hawai’i Australia and California. Preparing students for the challenges we have is why I returned to academia at Hawai’i Community College. Including Sustainability in teaching about science is a natural fit – chemistry is the central science and sustainability is across most, if not all, disciplines.
I am committed to reducing plastics and chemicals in my home and enjoy swimming and hiking with friends. I am also an avid sailor, sailing singlehanded from California to Hawai’i (twice!) Now I have 3 cats so tend to stay closer to my home in Hilo, Hawai’i.
Glenn-Dee Kuwaye
BA Psychology, UH-Hilo 2012
MS Human Behavior from Capella University 2016
My name is Glenn-Dee Kuwaye and I’ve been part of Hawaii Community College since 2007. I started my career at Hawaii Community College as an Office Assistant, currently I am the Outreach and Recruitment Coordinator as well as the Running Start Counselor. I have a passion for helping students set goals and high standards for themselves. As a counselor, I have great interest in students’ success and believe that they all can learn and become successful.
Kristine Kotecki, Co-Chair, English
Kristine Kotecki received her PhD from the University of Texas at Austin and her MA from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. She has published peer-reviewed articles in Interventions: Journal of Postcolonial Studies, The Journal of Narrative Theory, New Cinemas, Marvels and Tales, and Research in African Literatures. She has been teaching since 2008 and currently offers Sustainability-Designated College Reading courses (ENG 102) at Hawaiʻi Community College as part of her course load. Take this class to read, analyze, and evaluate texts that address sustainability issues and practices at the local and global levels. Faculty can also contact her to discuss strategies for incorporating sustainability into classes in the humanities.
Kaʻea Lyons, Hawaiʻi Life Styles (Humanities) – Pālamanui
BA Hawaiian Studies, UH-Hilo Ka Haka ʻula o Keʻelikōlani 1998
Kahuawaiola-Indigenous Hawaiian Teacher Education Program, UH-Hilo
Ka Haka ʻula o Keʻelikōlani 2001
M.Ed. Educational Leadership from Concordia University 2015
Ka’ea Lyons – a native of Kalaoa, Kona, I have a passion for education, Hawaiian Language, culture and believe in dedicating my life work to uplifting my community. In my 25+ years of experience in Hawaiian Language Programs including the Pūnana Leo Hwn Language Pre-schools, Kula Kaiapuni- Hawaiian Immersions Schools, I am currently an Instructor with Hawaiʻi Community College-Pālamanui. Outside of school, I along with my sister Lily Alohikea-Smith are the Kumu Hula of Hālau Kaʻeaikahelelani (Ka-ea-i-ka-hele-lani), where we share the Hawaiian Language, culture and the art of Hula. We have been blessed with being able to establish our hula school in Keauhou on ʻāina that provides learning ʻāina based learning opportunities and farming organic fruit and vegetables for our hālau ʻohana. I also have a beautiful blended ʻohana with 4 young adults who are navigating the adventures of life and my 6yr old son who loves to dance and sing and attends blended learning Papa Mālaaʻo (Kindergarten) at Ke Kula ʻo ʻEhunuikaimalino.
Founder of Community Programs such as:
Kākoʻo I Nā Keiki-Support the Keiki – Program. This community initiative supports elementary children with basic necessities – slippers, school supplies and food throughout the year.
Feed Kona Program - Planning, Distribution of meals to those in need.
Halekiʻi Market (Sustainable Community Outreach Market)
Halekiʻi Market Student Entrepreneurship Program
Lindsay Haralu
My name is Lindsay Haralu, and I am currently serving as an AmeriCorps Sustainability VISTA with Hawai’i-CC for 2022-2023. I grew up in Georgia, Minnesota, and Kentucky; and I graduated from the University of Louisville with a Bachelor of Arts in Global Studies. My family is of the Angami tribe in Nagaland, India, and I am especially passionate about the relationship of indigenous peoples to the land and what I believe is a vital interconnection of current sustainability initiatives to ancestral sustainability practices and cultural knowledge. I have recently relocated to Hilo to serve with Hawai’i-CC in their efforts for sustainability and community well-being alongside the UH Office of Sustainability.
Wen Yu (Echo), Sustainability Coordinator VISTA
MS Travel Industry Management, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa 2017
BA Tourism Management, Zhejiang Gongshang University, China 2013
Originally from China, Echo has lived in Hawaii for almost eight years now. Before she came to Hawaii, she worked in Beijing, China, at Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) for two years, facilitating and advocating sustainable tourism development in Asia and Pacific region. She came to Hawaiʻi to further her knowledge and understanding in sustainable tourism. For her Master’s thesis, she did an extensive qualitative research on farm tourism on small farms on Oʻahu. The research work brought her closer to the land and people of Hawaiʻi. From then on, she has her whole heart dedicated to building a self-sufficient local food network, bridging visitors to local communities and immersing herself in the variety of cultures and traditions we have in Hawaiʻi. Echo believes that sustainability is a lifestyle.
In her leisure time, she likes to cook world fusion vegan food using local ingredients, playing in the tide pools with her daughters, reading psychology related books, and discussing philosophical questions with her partner.