Meet the Ke Kalahea Team

Keali’i Rapozo (he/him) is currently in his last year at UH Hilo and is majoring in Communication. He is the Editor-in-Chief for Ke Kalahea. He is originally from the island of Kauaʻi and is looking forward to returning home and exploring future opportunities post graduation. In his downtime, he enjoys traveling, hanging out with friends, and going on drives as if he has gas money.

Teiya Myers (she/her) is a Communication major and it is her last semester at UH Hilo.
Once she graduates, she plans on going to return back to the beautiful town of Kaneohe on Oahu.

Jordon Schaden (she/her) is a senior majoring in Environmental Science and Geography and a student athlete.

Zach Walters (he/him) majors in Philosophy, minor in Psychology, and Professional writing. Enjoys writing about mysterious things that evoke wonder and awe. He is a husband and father of three kids and owns a farm, finding deep connection with the land in Hawaiʻi.

Léo Skelton (they/them) is a Philosophy major in their junior year. Aside from writing, they enjoy performing musical theatre—you may have seen them in the ensemble of The Rocky Horror Show in October 2025.

Max Dudoit-Mendoza (they/them) is a sophomore Psychology major and Agriculture minor, and second year working with Ke Kalahea. Amongst photography, some of their other hobbies include: baking, jewelry making, playing instruments, playing video games, and critically analyzing media. Make sure to look out for their articles if you want to keep up with events happening around campus and other parts of the island!

Caleilah-Estelle Ahyee (she/they) is a graphic designer at Ke Kalahea. Graduating from Kamehameha Schools Hawai’i in 2024, she is current sophomore Psychology major, hoping that this major will take them far, with a goal of moving to Utah to get their PhD post-graduation. Having a creative hand with arts and crafts, as well as a nerd on a range of topics.

Kaʻulawena Pila (she/it) is an Environmental Studies major and sophomore at UH Hilo.

Rianne Empaynado (she/her/they) is a freshman at UH Hilo and is majoring in Communications. With an interest and appreciation for graphic design and tech, Rianne has a colorful background, combining technical skills with an artistic eye. As Webmaster, she hopes to bring a new look to Ke Kalahea. Rianne enjoys hanging out with friends, gaming, and animating.

Nancy Cook Lauer (she/her) is the Ke Kalahea editorial adviser. A retired award-winning newspaper journalist with more than 30 years experience, she's a blogger and an avid reader who's working on her first novel. She has a B.S. in Psychology, summa cum laude, from Old Dominion University and a Master of Library and Information Science from Florida State University. She enjoys snorkeling and photographing nature, including the fascinating creatures in the ocean. She's lived in Hawaii; first in Waikiki, later in Hilo, since 2005.