Intern Program

Like intern? Learn more about our Intern Program, and meet a few of our recent KAHEA interns.

KAHEA's internship program is currently closed to new applicants. We will make an announcement during our next open round of recruitment. Mahalo!

"Interning at KAHEA has been one of the most fulfilling experiences I have ever had. Working on crucial cultural and natural resource issues is exciting and rewarding. From the outside in, KAHEA is an inspiring organization. The work, the people, the atmosphere, and the mission all make an internship at KAHEA an invaluable experience and an honor."
- Andrea Aseff, 2009 Hawai`i Bar Association Diversity Fellow, University of Colorado School of Law

KAHEA Interns

Mahalo to all of our past and present interns! You guys rock!

Bianca Isaki, UH Richardson School of Law, Summer 2011
I received my doctorate in Political Science (University of Hawai'i at Mānoa (UHM), 2008) after which I completed a postdoctoral fellowship with the Asian American Studies Program at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (2008-2009). I have taught in the UHM Women’s Studies Program since 2009, when I returned to rejoin my family, communities, and the ocean in Hawai'i. The work KAHEA engages forwards my interest in becoming an lawyer that specializes in land uses that are consonant with Hawai’i’s historical and ongoing struggles to cohere a community over and against Hawaii’s fractured legal landscape.

Erika Chairez, Texas A&M University, Summer 2011
I was born and raised in Dallas, Texas by a loving and supportive family. I knew all my life I wanted to work with animals and their environment. I will graduate Texas A&M University with a bachelors in Wildlife & Fisheries Conservation and a bachelors in Anthropology on December of 2011. On a study abroad trip I ventured out to the beautiful country of Costa Rica. It was there where I felt great passion to work in the tropics where the biodiversity is immense. My goals include working on conservation efforts of tropical ecosystems, the animals that inhabit them, and the cultures that depend on their resources.

Amanda Ray, University of Hawaii, Spring 2011

Sean Harris, Hawaii Pacific University, Fall 2010

Tyler Gomes, UH Richardson School of Law, Summer 2010

Mark Jensen, UH Richardson School of Law, Summer 2010

Kanoe Vierra, Summer 2010

Alan Clarke, Harvard University Law School, Winter 2010

Shannan Smith, The New School in New York, Winter 2010
Shannan is a student, performer, teacher, and choreographer from Miami, FL. A 2006 Magna cum Laude graduate of Spelman College, she earned her B.A. in theater with a concentration in dance. She also received instruction from the Ailey School as a fellowship recipient, and most recently, Steps on Broadway in New York.

Currently, Shannan is a graduate student at The New School in New York, studying International Affairs with a concentration in Media and Culture. She is interested in understanding if and how art and culture lead to economic development, and hopes to work for or create an organization that uses the arts as a tool for expression and community development in 'underdeveloped' countries. She recently worked on the choreography for a musical, "Witness Uganda" that tells the story of the founder and the students of Be.The.Change.Uganda., a non-profit that supports orphaned students as they matriculate through elementary to college. She is also currently the Director of Operations of Be.The.Change.Uganda. Shannan speaks Spanish, wants to learn Portuguese and French and hopes to travel the world!

Mari Feteira, University of Hawaii, Fall 2009
mari Born and raised in Windward O'ahu, Mari never imagined she would graduate from the University of Hawai'i at Manoa with a BA in Political Science. She was originally a declared Journalism major resisting her interest in politics, but thanks to a couple of inspirational professors -- Noenoe Silva and Samson Opondo -- she decided to be a part of the change and fight for justice rather than merely write about it. Interning at KAHEA was one of the best decisions Mari ever made. She had participated in numerous rallies for Native Hawaiian rights including those against the Kahana Valley evictions and the selling of ceded lands, but through her internship, Mari's eyes were opened to the world behind-the-scenes. One thing that really frustrates Mari is ignorance, so helping to make a difference in public outreach education through projects such as revamping the Mauna Kea portion of the website, and volunteering at outreach events was certainly a rewarding experience. Growing up on an island, Mari naturally spent much of her childhood and teenage years figure skating at Ice Palace, and she is looking forward to the 4 AM training sessions, back pains, and bruises that will come with competing again someday soon. She also loves horseback riding, penguins, and rocking out to music while getting through traffic.