Hawaiian cultural practitioner set as keynote speaker for Toastmasters District 49 Annual Conference

Kaina Makua, a cultural practitioner, community leader and educator, from Waimea, Kauaʻi, will serve as the keynote speaker for the Toastmasters District 49 Annual Conference and International Speech Contest. The event is scheduled for 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 2 at the Hilton Hawaiian Village South Pacific Ballroom.

The conference theme is “Cultivating Growth with Aloha.” Makua is the co-founder and executive director of Kumano I Ke Ala, an organization focused on restoring ancestral relationships to the land through education and food systems. A lifelong kalo farmer, Makua also founded the Aloha ʻĀina Poi Co. to expand community access to the native staple.

In the summer of 2025, Makua portrayed Kamehameha I in the Apple TV+ series “Chief of War.” His background includes more than a decade of teaching in Native Hawaiian charter and immersion schools, and he holds a master’s degree in Hawaiian language education.

“Kaina Makua embodies the very essence of leadership rooted in purpose, culture, and service,” Toastmasters District 49 Director Lynn Araki-Regan said.

Program Quality Director Jan Cerizo said Makua’s lived experience will inspire members to lead with authenticity.

The conference, sponsored by MTX and Kevin and Susan Doyle, includes the International Speech Contest, a silent auction and awards. Early bird registration is open through Jan. 6. Information is available at www.district49.org.