 Mele Andrade, she/her
Mele is a mom of 4, grandmother of 1, from Wailuku, Maui. She is so thankful to be able to raise her keiki in this special place we call home. Mele has been working with children and families for over 20 years, doing home visiting and family engagement. Mele's passion is making sure that all children are able to live and thrive here, learning & living the value of aloha. Mele has a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and a Master's degree in Counseling Psychology. Mele is also trained as a PLTI Site Coordinator and COFI Phase 1 & 2 Facilitator. In her free time, Mele enjoys spending time with her family, going to the beach and hiking.
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 Krystal Baba, she/her
Where sushi meets adobo, Legos scatter across the floor, taking the dog out counts as cardio, driving manual is still cool, and there’s no such thing as too many shoes—there, you’ll find Krystal. She embraces narrative healing as both a practice and purpose. With a Master of Public Administration, a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Administration with a concentration in Management, and an Associate of Applied Science in Administration of Justice, Krystal brings a unique blend of academic knowledge and lived experience. Her work is grounded in public policy, trauma awareness, domestic violence, prevention, and anti-human trafficking efforts. Krystal remains committed to uplifting others through service, storytelling, and liberating change.
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 Courtney Velazquez, she/her
Courtney grew up in the red dirt of Central Oʻahu.She has 20+ years of experience working in government and nonprofit organizations in Honolulu and Seattle. Her philosophy is to get resources to change makers and get out of the way. Most recently, she worked alongside community partners to address homelessness, gender-based violence, and labor protections.Before that, she advocated with youth to access post-secondary and taught adult education. Courtney is grateful to reconnect with people and places in Hawaiʻi. She received her master's degree in public administration from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and she speaks Spanish. She loves to travel, surf, fish, read, and hang out with family.
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 Philamer Felicitas, she/they
Although Philamer was born in Hilo and raised on the Leeward side of Oʻahu, she spent several years in Arizona using her creative talents to uplift communities and tell powerful stories before bringing her passion for storytelling home to Hawaiʻi. With a background in design, marketing, communications, and photography, she has worked across higher education, nonprofit organizations, and grassroots movements.
She believes stories are the vessels through which we preserve culture, share memories, and strengthen relationships. When she’s not behind a camera or creating strategic campaigns, you’ll find her chasing her kiddo at the beach, practicing her uwehe, ʻami, and slide, or sailing the vast ocean.
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