Maui resident and Sweet on Maui owner Jessica Kapoor specializes in creating locally-sourced custom cakes and a variety of desserts and chocolates. She brings a diverse background in marketing management and culinary arts to her woman-owned small business, including marketing and brand management work experience in Maui’s hospitality sector. She also sings with Maui Choral Arts, dances hula, and takes pottery lessons, all of which she feels inspires her business.
“My background helped in my transition to the culinary arts,” Kapoor explained. “I was in the UH Maui College Culinary Arts and Baking program and had teachers and mentors who helped, encouraged, and mentored me on my journey to opening a business.” She added, “I am so grateful to the Maui wedding and baking community. Together, they have helped me build a network of clients and carve a place for myself in the business.”
Now, Kapoor works out of her own commercial kitchen in Kahului and has become well-known for her Mother’s Day version of the popular Queen Emma Cake, which she calls The Queen’s Cake. “The Queen’s Cake has seven layers of guava, lilikoʻi, and coconut for all the queens in your life! It’s an all-time local favorite with its Italian meringue buttercream and local edible flowers.”
Kapoor’s team cares deeply about crafting the perfect cake for any occasion. They serve clients looking to add a touch of elegance and sweetness to gatherings and celebrations. “Whether looking for a classic cake or one that reflects the unique nature of the Hawaiian Islands, we provide the perfect recipe,” Kapoor noted. She has also expanded the bakery’s offerings to include vegan and gluten free options. “Our team works to incorporate the colors, style, and taste needed to turn a special day into a masterpiece. We also offer brownies and delicious muffins made fresh using locally sourced ingredients in the Maui Kuʻia Estate Chocolate Factory in Lahaina. Stop by to try some!”
Being in a small community on Maui, I think it’s important that we support each other. People in the industry have been present for me both professionally and personally, and that has meant a lot to me. We are a hui, all trying to help each other, with aloha and cake!
Jessica Kapoor, Owner and Baker, Sweet on Maui
The Chinese New Year, beginning Tuesday, February 17th, marks the Year of the Fire Horse. The beginning of the year on the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar is a time of celebration when you hear the traditional greeting, Kung Hei Fat Choy. This Cantonese salutation brings best wishes for a healthy and prosperous New Year, with an emphasis on wealth and success. On Maui, the day also provides an occasion to honor the island’s vibrant Chinese-American community.
“The fire horse is full of enthusiasm, speed, and a fiery spirit,” said Sarah Shim, president of the Kwock Hing Society in Kula, which was founded in 1900 and today continues its mission to preserve and celebrate Chinese cultural heritage on Maui. “It’s a year to take bold steps and achieve fast progress like the horse, who is energetic, independent, adventurous, intelligent, and strong-willed. The fire element intensifies the horse’s speed.”
Dr. Busaba Yip, docent of the former Wo Hing Museum on Front Street, explained, “The horse will canter its way to center stage with fresh starts, deep personal and collective rebirths, self-awareness, and new beginnings. Continuing to recover after the 2023 Lahaina fires, I have high hopes for 2026. The New Year is one of the most important and culturally meaningful experiences of the year and includes a wonderful sense of energy and customs rich in tradition.”
Festivities include family reunions, fireworks, gifted red envelopes (called lai see) with money in them, and one of the most recognizable celebrations, the lion dance. Yip shared, “Known as the ‘feeding of the lions,’ it’s always a thrill. The custom, by offering the lion a voluntary donation, is believed to bring luck and prosperity. Many of the events [on Maui] offer guests an immersive cultural experience that feels joyful, inclusive, and rooted in community.” Yip added, “The 2026 zodiac cycle of the fire horse can be seen as a year of powerful forward momentum. It brings new leadership and actions that will help build foundations for new projects and chapters in our lives.”
There are numerous Chinese New Year events throughout Maui, including:
Lahaina Comprehensive Health Center, February 16, 1pm-4pm
Queen Ka‘ahumanu Center, February 18, 11am-1pm
The Shops at Wailea, February 18, 11am-1pm
Maui Mall Village, February 21, 9am-3pm
Kwock Hing Society, March 1, email kwockhingsociety@gmail.com to RSVP
The Chinese New Year, celebrated with great enthusiasm, is when families gather to honor traditions steeped in history alongside Maui’s local culture. It’s a very busy time of year!
Sarah Shim, President, Kwock Hing Society, Kula
Maui resident and marine biology PhD candidate Jessie Hoffman says she’s “always been a little fish.” Originally from Iowa, she grew up surrounded by corn and soybeans. However, her first time in the ocean, she knew she was home. “When I look out at the ocean, I see a big hug, wrapping us all up in joy and magic,” Hoffman said while explaining her work. “My dissertation title, Quantifying the physiological impacts of negative human interactions on humpback whales in the North Pacific, is based on understanding how much people impact the health of humpback whales when they become entangled in fishing gear or get struck by boats.”
With a Master of Science in marine sciences from Hawaiʻi Pacific University, Hoffman was selected as a Dr. Nancy Foster Scholar in 2023 for her PhD research. The scholarship program is run by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to support the mission of the NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, and it’s how Hoffman ended up collaborating with the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, located in Kihei. In 2024, she did a three-month field study with the whales, research that will someday help complete her dissertation.
“I’m looking at the whale’s stress hormone levels, which come from their blubber and their breath, and I’m looking at how their energy use changes when they are entangled,” Hoffman explained. “Researchers have been able to obtain and share a lot of information about entanglements and vessel strikes, a leading cause of whale injury and death. Actions such as improper disposal of gear or debris can lead to whales becoming entangled in fishing lines and nets, which prevents them from swimming, feeding, and breathing properly.”
Hoffman added, “Interacting with these marine mammals, sharing personal experiences with them, looking into their eyes and them looking back at you—there is nothing like it! Humpbacks also taught Hawaiians how to voyage. They are a direct representation of Kanaloa, a major Hawaiian god of the ocean. They are ʻaumakua [ancestral guardians] to some families. They sing the songs and provide important ‘ike [knowledge]. We need to be aware of them and what our actions are doing to them. Never leave gear or trash behind in the sea, maintain a safe distance, and please be responsible!”
Our actions and choices have an impact on the Earth and everything that lives in it, including us.
Jessie Hoffman, Marine Biology PhD Candidate, Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary
Maui resident Charlotte George Smith is known as a woman who specializes in achieving seemingly impossible dreams. She is a polio survivor, and although she has lived her life in a wheelchair since age 10, she has always been determined to master life regardless of her circumstances. She eventually authored a book, Race the Sun, about her perseverance in overcoming barriers, hoping to inspire others with disabilities to go after their dreams.
“I learned to swim, ride horses, and drive a car,” she shared. “I went to the University of Illinois and earned two degrees in biological sciences. Then I worked for NASA in Houston for 26 years, always pursuing women’s rights and disability rights. I was also the first paraplegic woman in the country ever to earn a pilot’s license.”
How did she do all of this? She attributes her accomplishments to resilience. “I adapted to the situation and used all the resources I could get and even traveled all over the world. However, the first time I visited Maui in 1982, I fell in love with it and was determined to live here. I opened an account at the Bank of Hawaiʻi with $200 and began working with the State Commission on the Handicapped.”
While attending County meetings, Smith worked on making the island more accessible for people with disabilities. She was also asked to serve on the Board of Directors of Maui Economic Opportunity for a five-year term. In 1992, with the assistance of then Mayor Linda Lingle, she founded and was elected chair of a new nine-member Maui County Commission on Persons with Disabilities. At the state and national level, she served a term on the Statewide Independent Living Council of Hawaiʻi and took part in pioneering the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act.
Now retired, Smith continues to remind Maui residents with disabilities to take advantage of the resources and opportunities available to them through her writing and her work as a Rotary Club member. Community members seeking assistance can call Aloha United Way’s 211 helpline to be connected to a wide variety of services.
It takes a long time to change anything. I urge people to keep trying and to promote their causes. Don’t let any disability stop you. Organized, we can build a better world, accessible to everyone.
Charlotte George Smith, Aviator and Author, Race the Sun
When the “I Have a Dream” speech was delivered by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr (MLK) on August 28, 1963, Maui resident Bryant Neal was six years old. He remembers being inspired from the first time he saw footage of Dr. King delivering the speech from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to over 250,000 people at the March on Washington.
“The iconic speech is considered one of the most powerful and influential in American history and is widely credited with helping to secure the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964,” said Neal. His portrayal of Dr. King in a 2002 stage production led to his annual delivery of the speech as part of the MLK holiday. Commonly known as MLK Day, the federal holiday was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1983 and is observed on the third Monday of January.
These yearly performances have become an opportunity for him to share Dr. King’s words, which are so powerful when spoken live, with a new generation. As a minister, Dr. King was an accomplished communicator and used his oratorical skills to share his ideas with all who would listen.
“My motivation when performing the speech is to channel Dr. King’s words with similar energy and spirit in which they were delivered by him,” Neal noted. “Dr. King’s influence was far reaching and included Hawaiʻi. He visited Hawaiʻi in 1959 when he addressed the legislature at Iolani Palace, calling Hawaiʻi a noble example of racial harmony. In 1964 he gave a major speech, Progress Toward Desegregation, to an audience of 10,000 people at the University of Hawaiʻi Mānoa campus during Civil Rights Week.”
Dr. King became close with the late Reverend Abraham Kahikina Akaka from Kawaiahaʻo Church in Honolulu, who sent lei made by kupuna in his congregation to the continent in support of the civil rights movement. Dr. King and other leaders wore the Hawaiian lei during the historic 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery, which were a powerful symbol of aloha and support from the islands.
Dr. King continues to be honored in Hawaiʻi, with Maui’s 2026 MLK Day celebration taking place at the County of Maui offices in Wailuku on January 19. Neal added, “a line-up of talented speakers, musicians, and community leaders came together to pay homage to Dr. King.”
Dr. King’s message was meaningful, the delivery impactful, and the experience had a life-changing effect on the world. It continues to influence hearts and minds around the globe today.
Bryant Neal, Performer and Founder, Jazz Maui
Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) recent quarterly Maui TechOhana presentation featured Mary Anderson, president and owner of Lāhainā Brewing Company. TechOhana meetings provide opportunities for Maui County entrepreneurs and small business owners to network and learn tips and strategies that can be applied to their own business endeavors.
Until recently, Anderson’s company was doing business as Koholā Brewing, but she has changed strategy. She explained, “To honor sense of place, we will now be doing all business under Lāhainā Brewing Company.” Before Koholā, Anderson had over 20 years of experience in the technology sector, working in product strategy and marketing. She sits on the board of directors of private tech companies, including Soundskrit and Ora Graphene, and is also a board member for Maui United Way.
Anderson shared her story of growth and rebuilding since the Lahaina wildfires destroyed the brewery in 2023. “We were a small craft brewery, with award-winning local craft beer, situated in the heart of Lahaina,” she reminisced. “Losing our brewery meant we lost both our production facility and taproom. We then reached out to Kona Brewing on the Big Island, and with their amazing partnership, all the pieces fell into place.” Anderson continued, “We reopened a new taproom and restaurant in Wailea and a taproom located in Kulamalu Town Center in Pukalani. We also continue to seek out new partnerships, including with Merriman’s restaurants, to expand our reach and product offerings.”
Anderson’s advice for entrepreneurs is, “Define yourself, what success means to you, and have a great team to work with.” She spoke not only about grit, resilience, and her business strategy, but also about the importance of community. “Be a leader with aloha,” she added. “Find a nonprofit to contribute to, form connections and partnerships, and work together for betterment. Commitment to the community is a huge part of what has made Lāhainā Brewing successful.”
Attendee Mel Lozano with Ahimsa Sanctuary Farm said, “Anderson gave valuable insights about collaboration. I appreciate TechOhana meetings and how community-focused and educational they are.” Data analyst Matthew Rosenbalm agreed, saying, “As a young entrepreneur, I also appreciated Anderson’s business strategies. She encouraged me to always keep trying. TechOhana meetings are great for marketing advice and networking. Thanks, MEDB, for events that help us succeed.” For more information about past and upcoming Maui TechOhana events, visit https://www.medb.org/techohana/.
We will support anything as long as we are solving local problems. Together, we can actually make a difference in our communities.
-Mary Anderson, President and Owner, Lāhainā Brewing Company
Maui Economic Development Board wishes you and your ʻohana a healthy and peaceful 2026! Mahalo for supporting our mission to lead and inspire innovation in business, education, and our community. Here’s to a year filled with learning, collaboration, and shared prosperity.
Maui’s own Santa and Mrs. Claus are a common sight throughout the holiday season despite the islands being over 4,700 miles away from the North Pole. “As we get older,” Santa said, “the warmer tropical weather during the blustery cold North Pole winters is much better for our health.” The festive couple explained that although their work continues all through the year on Maui, December is of course their busiest month.
Since moving to Hawaiʻi in the late 1990s, Maui’s Santa and Mrs. Claus have found the right opportunities to continue volunteering all year round. Mrs. Claus always brings Christmas cheer by cookie baking, holiday decorating, and even volunteering as a reindeer or elf for children’s events. She has contributed to the Maui community for decades, volunteering her time through activities like assisting the Maui Food Bank with distribution drives at Maria Lanakila Church, organizing food drives, and reading to children in the Read Aloud America school programs.
Santa explained, “In collaboration with the Hansen family’s Annual Toy Drive, we made our first appearance together benefitting the Friends of Children’s Justice Center. Additionally, we make appearances in the Kahului Library, the Kihei Library, the Maui Police Department’s Annual Children’s Holiday party, Hale Makua, and other places in the community.”
Always appearing in authentic vintage Christmas outfits, the couple shared, “we donate to the Maui Food Bank, have lunch at Zippy’s, fill gas at Costco, pick up Christmas cards at Target, shop for candy canes at Walmart, and visit local coffee shops. It takes people by surprise to see us out in the general public, not hired by the store, and not asking for money. We are simply humbled to have a moment with community members.”
They concluded, “The magic we bring during Christmas ignites the spark in imagination long after the holiday is over. It’s these moments of family and togetherness, smiles and laughter, that always live deep in our hearts.”
It’s a great honor to serve the Maui community at Christmas as a symbol of love and joy throughout the holiday season.
– Santa and Mrs. Claus
Over 50 students from across Maui County, including 3 from Molokai, joined healthcare professionals at Kaiser Permanente’s Maui Lani clinic in November for a Saturday filled with career exploration and hands-on learning. The event, organized by Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) STEMworks™ program and Kaiser Permanente staff, was designed to introduce students to a variety of healthcare specialties through activities run by medical providers themselves.
“With healthcare comprising over 10% of Maui County’s employment, MEDB is committed to supporting the growth of our local healthcare workforce, identified as a top priority by the Maui County Healthcare Partnership,” said Ila Ferris, MEDB’s Healthcare Program Manager. “We’re so grateful for our continuing collaboration with Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi to introduce students to the many career pathways available so they can thrive locally and contribute to the wellbeing of their community.”
The five specialties featured during the event were primary care, physical therapy, pharmacy, wound care, and phlebotomy. Students practiced skills like taking vital signs using a stethoscope and blood pressure cuff and drawing blood from a realistic silicone arm. At the physical and occupational therapy station, participants learned about human anatomy and exercises for recovering from sports injuries in Kaiser Permanente’s on-site gym. Students enjoyed a Jeopardy-style game to test their pharmacy knowledge, and the wound care station emphasized the importance of proper wound treatment using fruits to illustrate what wounds look and feel like during the healing process.
Students reflected on their own interests and possible career pathways after hearing about the experiences of the healthcare professionals involved in running the event. “I learned about being an internal medicine doctor and how there are many specialties you can branch off into,” noted Maui High School senior Jasmyn Yun.
“I really loved being able to get hands on and being able to talk with professionals in the medical field…for the short amount of time we had, I think it was really good,” commented Kody Manegdeg, a senior at King Kekaulike High School. “There’s way more to the medical field than just nurses and doctors,” he added.
Building a strong physician and clinician pipeline for Maui starts long before college or medical school; it starts with exposure, encouragement, and opportunity. These career exploration days are another step toward ensuring our Valley Isle students see a place for themselves in the healthcare workforce.
– Dr. Chris Martin, Associate Area Medical Director, Maui, Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi
