Meet the PONO Legal Team

BOARD MEMBER

Aunty Dani was born and raised in Paia, Maui. She attended Kaunoa School and then Kamehameha Schools Kapālama as a boarder. Diane is the founder of Hui Malama Learning Center, the head coach of Hawaiian Canoe Club, and has been practicing law on Maui since 1979. PONO Legal is housed in her law office in Wailuku.

BOARD MEMBER

Aunty Bina has an extensive background in education and political science. From 1988 to 2011, Aunty Bina raised numerous haumāna at Kamehameha Schools Kapālama. Bina brings a strong educational perspective to PONO Legal, as well as a deep understanding of the complex and nuanced politics in Hawaiʻi.

BOARD MEMBER

Tanya was born and raised in Hawaiʻi. She is a 1985 Lahainaluna High School graduate and currently lives in Wailuku with her husband who is a Lahaina firefighter. Tanya is committed to helping Maui rebuild with the community’s voices and interests leading the effort.

BOARD MEMBER

Lani Ma`a Lapilio is a Native Hawaiian attorney and cultural practitioner with more than 30 years of experience in historic preservation law, cultural consultation, and community engagement. Grounded in Hawaiian values and strengthened by decades of trusted relationships, Lani has successfully led community-centered planning and engagement efforts across Hawaiʻi, building meaningful partnerships among government agencies, Native Hawaiian organizations, cultural practitioners, and local communities.

BOARD MEMBER

A Native Hawaiian Peacemaker, Haku Ho’oponopono, formerly a District/Family Court Judge on Maui. Currently, living in Alaska with roots deeply seated in the magnificence of ‘Ihikapalaumāewa, the place of the birth of my ‘ohana —Maui

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Heidi was born and raised in Makawao. She is a 1988 graduate of Kamehameha Schools and currently a law professor at the University of San Francisco School of Law. She maintains a law license in Hawaiʻi, California, and Massachusetts. In response to the Maui fires, Heidi and her friend Susan started PONO Legal to support her community.

STAFF ATTORNEY

Hiʻilei is a kupa of Waiʻehu, Lahaina, and Kaupō, Maui. She received a B.S. in Environmental Science and Sustainability from Cornell University, a Master's in Environmental Management from the Univeristy of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, and recently graduated with certificates in Native Hawaiian Law and Environmental Law from the William S. Richardson School of Law. As a legal advocate, Hiʻilei looks forward to contributing her skills in community engagement, education, and natural resource stewardship to support PONO Legal’s mission.

ACCOUNTING & OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR

Crystal has been a memberof the PONO Legal team since it’s inceptionin August 2023. She is the Accounting and Office Administrator with three decades of experience in financial management. Crystal was born and raised on Oʻahu, but Maui has been her home for over twenty-five years.

DESIGNER

Chris brings her love of design and branding to PONO Legal. Raised in the Bay Area by parents from Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi has always been a big part of Chris’ life, and she feels fortunate to be able to support the efforts of PONO Legal.

2026 SUMMER INTERN

Jacob Ha’aheo Ricalde Garcia was born and raised in Kahului, Maui. He graduated from Kamehameha Schools Maui in 2023 and is currently a rising senior at Brown University concentrating in Environmental Science, Justice and Health. He’s been passionate about the environment and the role that policy can play in protecting it. He did a summer internship for Representative Jill Tokuda and studied abroad in Denmark  where he gained valuable insight into how the law, public policies, and environmental issues intersect. His experience strengthened his resolve to be an advocate for environmental stewardship.