Kelea K. Levy, Executive Director

Kelea is a Native Hawaiian small business owner and mother, currently residing in Kaneohe, Oahu.  Her background is in banking operations management.  Kelea holds a BA from UC Berkeley in the field of Development with a focus in Economics and the Pacific Region, a Project Management Certificate from Cornell University, and a Certificate of Professional Development from the University of Hawaii, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources for her completion of the GoFarm Hawaii AgPro program.  Kelea has seven years experience in nonprofit business administration, strategic planning, project management, financial management, and grant writing to fulfill $1M+ per year operating budgets.  Kelea also has over 16 years experience helping for-profit businesses develop, providing strategic planning services, financial consultation, bookkeeping, and tax preparation services.   

Maija Calcagno, Creative and Technical Director

Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area Native Hawaiian diaspora, Kanaka mother Maija Calcagno brings a creative, technical, and analytical background to KEDA.  As a former techie, Maija worked in software and hardware support, network administration, and website development.  With the birth of her son, she became a stay-at-home mom and serious hobbyist photographer. When her son started kindergarten, she went back to school, earning a BA from UC Berkeley in Peace and Conflict Studies with a minor in Middle Eastern Studies, focusing on gender and peacebuilding in areas of conflict.  She would then go on to earn a JD and Honors Certificate in International and Comparative Law from the University of San Francisco School of Law, where she focused on international human rights, public international law, and sovereignty, specifically Hawaii’s status in international law, and an MA in Global Studies from UC Berkeley, where she researched and wrote on economic, political, and legal sovereignty in Scotland and the Pacific.  While in law school, she advocated for the rights of indigenous women at the United Nations.  At KEDA, Maija employs all of her skills to manage the creative and technical process, from concept to completion.

Hoʻokāhi ka ʻilau like ana.
Wield the paddles together.
Work together.