A recent Maui TechOhana event featured Maui-based Google software architect, Stefan Kuhne, who spoke about “Finding Opportunity for Success” to over 40 attendees. Working in the computer industry since 1986, Kuhne shared his long career in tech, including the last 18 years at Google. He has given keynote presentations at events such as Google I/O with more than 10,000 viewers and has been a tech pioneer, starting his own company for fun and, as a new entrepreneur, selling over 200,000 original computer games.
Kuhne had many tips to share with the audience based on his experiences. He is currently the holder of about 20 patents, many of them worldwide, ranging from his early work in electronics and circuit boards to becoming one of the world’s experts in computer graphics with Google, where he has worked on Google Earth and Chrome OS projects.
“To be successful, you need motivation,” Kuhne noted. “The ability to identify good opportunities and make the best out of them has served me well. First, I realized early on the importance of being good in school…During the 70’s/80’s when I was still in school, computers were new and cool, so I was motivated to get my own computer and create chips.”
Kuhne continued, “The next phase for me was finding opportunities for success and learning to look for disruptions, which are…Back in 2007 when the iPhone, and, shortly after, Android, entered the market, a new opportunity segment opened. Application developers jumping in early cashed out a lot really quickly. Today, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are huge. Big companies are investing heavily, so it’s a perfect time to jump in.”
After the meeting, Maui realtor Steve Bond commented, “Be open for change, learn from failure! Khune’s message was inspiring, encouraging me to focus on my own projects. Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) is doing a fantastic job by bringing the entrepreneur community together.”
Shirley Ramey, LPN, said, “I liked the information Khune shared. Things have changed because of Chat and AI, and his experience is so helpful. I’m looking forward to future TechOhana meetings.”
Organized by MEDB and supported by the County of Maui, TechOhana is free to the public and invites guest speakers to give presentations on topics related to business or technology. For more information, visit online at http://www.mauitechohana/.
Setting ambitious goals is important; however, you also need to realize that mistakes are good if you learn from them.
Stefan Kuhne, Software Architect, Google
In March, Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) honors the contributions of women and acknowledges the challenges they have overcome as part of Women’s History Month. In the recent history of Maui County, the late Councilmember Velma Santos stands out as one such woman to be honored. Born in 1931 in Kula, the Velma McWayne Santos Community Center in Wailuku is named after her.
With a University of Hawaiʻi degree in botany and a teaching certification, Santos began her career as a fifth grade teacher at Wailuku Elementary and received national recognition as an Outstanding Elementary Teacher in America. She went on to become a member of the Hawaiʻi State House of Representatives, a role she held from 1974 to1976 before becoming the Director of the Maui County Department of Human Concerns.
For local residents, she is best remembered for her time as a Maui County Councilmember, serving from 1982 to 1990. She was chair of the Human Services Committee, helping to establish policies that improved public services. She also worked to create responsible parameters for development as chair of the Planning and Land Use Committee. Maui County Councilmember Alice Lee shared, “I served with Velma in my first term on the County Council. She was the Planning chair and very knowledgeable about Maui County on a cultural, political, and economic level. She was a parliamentarian and was very skilled at debating but was also very courteous and gracious.”
Santos was also active in non-profits and community-based organizations. She chaired the Maui Economic Opportunity (MEO) Board, founded the Wai Kahu Business and Professional Women’s (BPW) organization, and served in multiple state level BPW offices, including as President of the Hawaii BPW organization.
MEDB president and CEO, Leslie Wilkins, remembers Santos as a role model and generous mentor. “I met Velma through BPW. I had just entered the workforce and was invited to join the Maui chapter. I was immediately struck by Velma’s stature and dedication to advancing economic opportunities for women. Her teachings helped frame my values and continue to inspire my advocacy.”
We were fortunate to have her as one of our County’s leaders. She was a forward thinker, a pioneer.
Alice Lee, Chair of the Maui County Council
Olena Alec is the Executive Director of the Haleakalā Conservancy, the philanthropic partner to Haleakalā National Park. Alec leads the Conservancy’s efforts to provide funding for projects of critical importance to the park and its unique and endangered resources.
“Started in 2019, our nonprofit raises money for projects the park cannot fund,” Alec explained at a recent Kihei-Wailea Rotary meeting. “Conservation, preservation, and education are our main goals to help support our incredibly unique national park.”
Born and raised on Maui, Alec came to the Conservancy from The Climate Reality Project where she served as Director of Engagement. She also sits on the board of Students for Climate Action. She holds a Master of Public Administration in Environmental Science and Policy from Columbia University with a Bachelor of Environmental Studies from University of Southern California.
“It has been my lifelong goal to be back on Maui contributing to the community and landscape that is home,” Alec said. “The Conservancy, dedicated to raising funds specifically for the park’s initiatives, goes beyond what government funding and entrance fees can provide. Haleakalā National Park faces perennial challenges: invasive species, climate change, and a lack of sufficient government funding.”
Saving Haleakalā’s forest birds such as the kiwikiu, which is on the brink of extinction, is a current concern of the park. Extra funding supports programs that buy tools for forest biologists protecting the birds. The Conservancy also works to preserve trail space to keep people safe and on the correct paths. Alec added, “The need to provide school buses, especially for the Hawaiian immersion schools, is very important. We want the students to know that this is their park, in their backyard. We hope to continue having all Maui students visit and learn from our programs. With community support, the Conservancy’s efforts will ensure Haleakalā National Park thrives.”
For members of the public looking to support the Park, there are several options, including monetary donations and purchasing a Haleakalā specialty license plate. More info can be found online at https://www.haleakalaconservancy.org/support.
As the park’s philanthropic partner, we support programs that preserve wildlife, ecosystems, history, and culture, and we appreciate the community’s support to ensure the continued success of our conservation efforts.
Olena Alec, Executive Director, Haleakalā Conservancy
As a local non-profit organization, Ka Hale A Ke Ola (KHAKO), “The House of Life,” has been breaking the cycle of homelessness on the island of Maui for over 30 years. KHAKO, dedicated to serving the needs of the homeless and disadvantaged on Maui, is a housing-focused, comprehensive resource center that provides emergency shelter, life skills training, case management, a primary-care medical clinic, and affordable housing facilities for families with children.
KHAKO’s Executive Director Sue R. Sadecki said, “In light of losing one of our two shelters in the August 8, 2023, Lahaina fire, we remain committed to working tirelessly to expand our programs and services as we continue to advocate for policies that address the root causes of homelessness in our community. Our properties consist of a homeless shelter on one side and affordable housing units on the other side. As the wildfire engulfed Lahaina town and destroyed our 78-unit shelter complex, our agency employees displayed acts of heroism by helping approximately 220 Lahaina shelter residents evacuate and move into our Wailuku site.”
As KHAKO continues to rebuild in Lahaina, they are grateful for the help offered by FEMA, the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, numerous community organizations, and individuals. “Many people are not aware of the amazing services we provide,” Sadecki noted. “For example, the KHAKO case management team assists guests in finding immediate and permanent affordable housing. Childcare is provided for the benefit of the parent to seek employment and go to work. The Children’s Services Coordinator assists families with resources they may need in the community, offers events and programs that delight the keiki who live on-site, and high school volunteers visit to provide tutoring to all the school age children.”
County, state, and federal grants are helping KHAKO move forward to rebuild; however, there is still a long road ahead. Now that the debris removal is finished, they need additional funds to complete the rebuilding. “We provide essential services that need to happen in Lahaina as soon as possible,” Sadecki added. “One of my favorite quotes is by Coretta Scott King, ‘The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.’”
KHAKO makes a difference in the community. We give people support and stability when they most need it to rebuild their lives and get back on the path to success.
Sue R. Sadecki, Executive Director, Ka Hale A Ke Ola
The World ʻUkulele Program will be holding a fundraising event at the ProArts Playhouse in Kihei on Sunday, March 9th at 2pm, including the premiere of Jeff Peterson’s new film, Concerto for Slack Key Guitar and Orchestra – Malama ‘Āina. The film features the first concerto ever written for slack-key guitar, and the screening will be followed by a live concert by Peterson and Maui’s famous luthier (a builder of stringed instruments), Steve Grimes.
Recognized as one of Hawaiʻi’s most versatile musicians, Peterson is at the heart of the Hawaiian music scene. Born on Maui, he grew up on the slopes of Haleakalā where he was introduced to the rich heritage of Hawaiian music by his father, a paniolo on the Haleakalā Ranch.
“My dad worked for many years as the manager at Haleakalā Ranch,” Peterson said. “I feel fortunate having grown up in such an amazing place and lifestyle…My background, including the many group jam (kanikapila) evenings, inspired me to play music,” he shared. “I got my first ʻukulele in fifth grade along with a more formal music education. Currently, I have an online instruction program, ‘Ukulele Corner, where I share my knowledge and offer free lessons.”
Peterson’s passion for the guitar has allowed him to shine as a solo artist and has given him the opportunity to collaborate with a wide variety of musicians. His focus on slack-key guitar, classical, and jazz music has allowed him to develop a unique style on the guitar while being deeply rooted in the traditions of his Hawaiian heritage. He has been honored with 14 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards in Hawaiʻi and with Grammy Awards in 2005 and 2010.
Maui musician and songwriter, Steve Grimes, a world-renowned luthier, has been building guitars and ʻukulele since the mid-1970s. He is known as a master of transforming wood into extraordinary guitars, ʻukulele, acoustic basses, flat top guitars, electric guitars, and mandolins. “It’s an honor to be playing with Jeff in the upcoming concert,” Grimes said. “It’s going to be a great evening!”
Tickets are on sale online at https://proartsmaui.org/event/slack-key-guitar-and-orchestra-malama-aina-film-and-concert/.
The island’s culture and beauty helped me to understand early on the importance of respecting and maintaining our ‘āina, and it still inspires my compositions.
Jeff Peterson, Guitarist and Composer
National Black History Month serves as both a celebration and a powerful reminder that Black history is American history. It is about acknowledging and commemorating the contributions African-Americans have made to our freedoms, our culture, and our society.
To honor the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and begin Black History Month, the Interfaith Alliance of Maui recently presented the award-winning film, Green Book, directed by Peter Farrelly. The film is named after The Green Book, published by African American postal worker Victor Green from 1936-1966 during the segregation era in the United States. It was an indispensable travel and safety guide that helped African-American and other non-white travelers find welcoming lodgings, businesses, and gas stations and avoid dangerous and discriminatory establishments. The film is based on the true story of a working-class Italian-American bouncer who becomes the driver for an African-American classical pianist on a tour of venues in the American South during the 1960s.
During the Interfaith Alliance of Maui’s Black History Month meeting, the screening was complemented by an interfaith sharing of reflections on the film’s themes and on what the Maui community can learn from Dr. King. Over 50 people came together for the discussion.
“The two men couldn’t be more different, both in their ethnic makeup and in their beliefs,” said Reverend Kerry Kiyohara, resident minister of the Makawao Hongwanji Mission. “Yet, through the redemptive power of music, food, and continuing conversation, they form an unexpected friendship in the midst of racism and segregation. This tour of the 1960s South is all at once entertaining, uncomfortable, and, most importantly, necessary.” All those who viewed the film agreed, “We must never forget that everyone is equal. One of Dr. King’s main messages is that we are all accountable to our founding principles of freedom, justice, and equality.”
Rev. Kiyohara added, “The Interfaith Alliance of Maui plays a positive and healing role in Hawai‘i among people of faith, good will, and aloha. As an interfaith organization, we believe that by incorporating people of diverse backgrounds, cultures, and beliefs, we can advance an inspiring vision for our future. We hope that all our communities can continue to organize effective responses to hate-based violence and to work across our differences.”
As we celebrate this month, we know it is a 365-day commitment. It takes great courage, as Dr. King had, to stand up to end injustice for all people.
Reverend Kerry Kiyohara, Resident Minister, Makawao Buddhist Temple, Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaiʻi
There wasn’t a dry eye at a recent fundraiser for the new nonprofit, Keiki Kupuna (KK), as the group’s children’s choir performed for their supporters. The nonprofit, which organizes live musical performances for kupuna on Maui and offers free musical education to the children in its choir, was founded by sisters Bobby Goldyn, 17, and Cassie Goldyn, 15. The idea of sharing music with kupuna arose for the sisters many years ago when they were still in elementary school.
“Our grandma Chris was in a hospice center, and she had severe dementia,” Bobby explained. “However, she always loved music. There was a piano in the hospice center and I decided to play it. Grandma’s face lit up, she started clapping, and we made an instant connection.” Cassie added, “Some of the only memories I have of grandma are playing music for her. Before long, our mini performances attracted other kupuna living in the home, and we started visiting more senior living facilities, singing songs from their generation. That’s when KK was born.”
Through their nonprofit, the Goldyn sisters are striving to cement this experience as a permanent fixture on Maui. Since launching in 2023, and with a lot of fundraising, they were able to hire a musical director and have expanded their organization. After holding auditions, the group now includes approximately 20 talented keiki between 4 and 17 years old, creating Maui’s first and only free children’s choir from schools island-wide. An activities organizer at Maui Adult Daycare shared, “When the children of KK visit, our kupuna light up and sing along joyfully with every song.” KK typically specializes in pre-1970s music to better connect with older audiences.
Julia Golding, KK Musical Director, said, “I’m so thankful that I was approached by the Goldyn ‘ohana to be a part of something so special…I am continually inspired by the incredible dedication and passion of the student musicians involved in this ensemble. They possess a deep sense of purpose, understanding the profound impact that music can have in bringing communities together. The students pour their hearts into every rehearsal and performance, not just for personal growth, but with the shared goal of spreading joy and connection. It is a privilege to witness their growth as both musicians and compassionate individuals, eager to use their talents to uplift and enrich the lives of others.”
More information about Keiki Kupuna, including how to request a performance, can be found on their website, https://www.keikikupuna.org/.
What moves me is their genuine commitment to giving back through their craft, as they recognize the transformative power of music to bridge generational gaps and inspire others.
Julia Golding, Musical Director, Keiki Kupuna
Many refer to Maui resident Sue Ann Loudon as magical. In her 40 years of teaching at Baldwin High School, she inspired and changed lives when she founded the drama club, later renamed the Baldwin Theatre Guild (BTG). During a recent Yakamashii Talk Story event at Nisei Veterans Center, host Kathy Collins and Loudon shared stories about those early years, the performances, and the students whose lives were changed. Loudon has mentored hundreds of Maui students, including Wayne Moniz, Lee Cataluna, Eric Gilliom, Amy Hānaiali‘i, Judge Joseph Cardoza, Chris Kepler, and Kathy Collins. Retired in 2005, Loudon was delighted when her former student Linda Carnevale became her successor as BTG director.
“Carnevale is doing an outstanding job, and I always look forward to BTGs performances,” Loudon said. “She is committed to pushing the boundaries of artistic excellence and nurturing the next generation of Maui’s talent. The most important thing for everyone to remember is that every child has the opportunity to experience theater and the arts to enrich their creative expression.”
Collins shared, “I was very active in speech and drama activities while attending Baldwin High School. Miss Loudon taught drama and built a remarkable program which spawned professional entertainers like Amy and Eric, as well as many of Maui’s community theatre performers. She put greasepaint in my blood, and I owe my career to her guidance and encouragement. The first time I stepped on stage before an audience, playing a munchkin in the Wizard of Oz, I was hooked! I knew then that theatre would be a lifelong passion.”
Paul Janes-Brown, host of Curtain Call and the Mana‘o Radio Alpha and Omega Show, said, “Sue Ann Loudon created one of the most remarkable high school theater programs that I have ever seen in my life. She made young people stars. You actually thought you were watching a Broadway performance. She provided enchantment. So many of the youth she mentored are in performing arts on Maui and all over the world. She just has an inspirational impact on the people she comes in contact with. She has real magic!”
Loudon’s legacy of excellence in the performing arts continues into 2025. For their spring musical this year, the Baldwin Theatre Guild will present Mary Poppins on February 28 and March 1, 7, 8, and 9. The full cast list can be found at Instagram.com/btgmaui/. Community members are encouraged to attend and support the continuation of performing arts education on Maui.
I wholeheartedly believe in the power of theatre to enrich lives and foster community.
Sue Ann Loudon, Founder and Teacher, Baldwin Theatre Guild
Maui resident Christine Sabado’s new book, The Essence of Time: Pule Oʻo, is a journey to Molokai as it was some 55 years ago. The book, published in the fall of 2024 and the first in a trilogy, is an intimate memoir featuring all things Molokai, with a special focus on her relationship with her husband, Molokai-born artist Philip Sabado, and his Filipino family. The themes of the book will be familiar to all Hawaiʻi residents: the importance of family, cultural belonging, and aloha.
Sabado shares her highly personal voyage as she falls in love with the ways of her adopted Molokai life. “As a Southern California transplant, I learned and embraced the fused cultural norms of East and West, and the ‘das how’ to live one’s life. I learned to appreciate the respectful approach to oneness and pono (harmony) with the island, and the warmth of the people with whom I share the aloha spirit.”
Speaking on what she would like the community to take away from her books, Sabado said, “After 75 years on this planet, and 55 years married to Philip, this incredible Molokai man, as well as 35 years in Hawaiʻi Nei, my dialect has changed. I have infused ‘Ōlelo Hawaiʻi…into my thoughts and actions. In this writing, through my pule, I have wrapped and bound every word.”
Readers follow along as Sabado chronicles her introduction to Molokai as it was decades ago – its language, people, myths, and land – a personal history that details adversity, tragedy, and hope. In addition, she describes the artistic work of her husband and, most notably, how he came to paint a now famous portrait of St. Damien de Veuster of Kalaupapa.
Sabado concluded, “This is a story I love telling! My hope is to share my journey through our island paradise. The book is available on Amazon and at the new Sabado Museum and Gallery in Wailuku.”
Throughout my years in Hawaiʻi, I have been brought to understand my humble place in these islands. I am writing for those who want to broaden their understanding and deepen their appreciation for diverse cultures and for those who understand the wonders of being wildly, passionately in love.
Christine Sabado, Author, The Essence of Time: Pule Oʻo
