Meet the Team
We believe in the unique skills, life experiences, and passions that each of our talented teachers brings versus requiring accredited teaching degrees. All staff members are CPR, Wilderness & Remote First Aid certified, and trained in emergency and extreme weather preparedness.
Ms. Bianca- Heart Behind the Vision
“We are all living for the first time. There is no perfect guidebook for being human — only the opportunity to experience, learn, grow, make mistakes, and find our way back to pono.”- Bianca
I am a mother, a farmer, an educator, and the visionary behind Pono Outdoor Program.
I live 100% off-grid in the remote beauty of East Maui, where my days are deeply connected to the ʻāina. It is here, surrounded by nature and living close to the land, that many of my ideas for teaching are born. I believe the most meaningful lessons are often the ones we can experience with our own hands — lessons that build practical skills, confidence, awareness, and a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
Every day, I travel across the island with excitement in my heart to teach because I believe deeply in the purpose and potential of this work.
When I worked within the public school system, I began to feel that something essential was missing for our children. They were spending so much of their lives indoors, surrounded by electronics, expectations, and the fast pace of a world that rarely gives them permission to simply be.
"I wanted something different for my own children."
I wanted them to be outdoors. To be present. To experience the world beyond a screen. To learn through movement, observation, exploration, responsibility, and real-life experiences.
I came to understand that true connection gives children the space to develop their cognition, trust their instincts, and make self-directed choices. I dreamed of an education that honored children as whole beings — their minds, hearts, bodies, and spirits.
I envisioned learning that flowed from the land: through loʻi and farms, along foraging trails, through muddy hands and bare feet, alongside parents, kūpuna, and community, and immersed in the natural world.
"Pono Outdoor Program Private Educational Association was born from that dream."
Through Pono, we offer an ʻāina-based, holistic approach to education that honors each child’s unique development. We create opportunities for keiki to build confidence, independence, resilience, critical thinking, and aloha ʻāina.
Our students are encouraged to think deeply, move freely, explore courageously, and develop meaningful connections — to themselves, to one another, and to the sacred land that sustains us.
As a mother, it is one of my greatest honors to raise my own children in this way. It is equally meaningful to open the doors of this community to other families who believe there is another way to educate and raise our keiki.
Pono Outdoor Program is more than an outdoor education program.
It is a place where sovereignty meets education.
Where learning is rooted in relationship.
Where children are given the freedom to discover who they are.
And where we come together to raise the next generation with intention, connection, love, and pono.
Mrs. Jess – Nature-Based Educator, farmer
"Aloha, my name is Mrs. Jess,
I’m honored to join the Pono Outdoor Program ʻohana as a teacher and guide on this journey of living, learning, and growing alongside our keiki.
I’m a proud mama of three incredible children, all of whom I’ve homeschooled from the very beginning of their educational paths. With a background in early childhood education, I’ve always found deep joy in watching children explore, discover, and grow — not just in academics, but in confidence, creativity, and connection.
One of my greatest passions is gardening and growing food. I love sharing the magic of planting seeds, tending the soil, and watching life unfold from the ground up. It’s a gentle reminder of patience, nourishment, and how beautiful the process of growth truly is — something I strive to model for the children every day.
When I’m not teaching or in the garden, you’ll find me by the ocean, making seashell jewelry, cooking for my ʻohana, or spending time with our beloved animals. I’ve recently fallen in love with fiber arts, especially working with alpaca fleece, and I’m excited to bring this creative, tactile element into the learning space at Pono.
What inspires me most about Pono Outdoor Program is the way it honors the rhythm of nature and the wisdom of everyday life. Our keiki learn by living — exploring the forest, getting their hands in the soil, playing under the sky, and finding lessons in the world around them. To me, education is not confined to a classroom — it’s happening every moment we are present.
It’s truly a blessing to be part of a program where our children are encouraged to be curious, connected, and confident in their own path. I can’t wait to walk this journey with your keiki."
Ms. Kim – Teacher & Homeschool Mama
"Aloha mai kākou!
My name is Ms. Kim, and I’m a proud homeschool mama to two amazing keiki. I wear many hats — educator, gardener, hiker, cook, yogi, seamstress — but at the heart of it all, I’m someone who finds deep joy and peace in nature.
As both a teacher and a parent, I wholeheartedly believe in the power of experiential learning. When we allow our children to learn through real-life experiences, we give them the space to discover their own passions and pursue knowledge that truly resonates with them. This type of learning doesn’t just “teach” — it awakens. It lights that inner fire, that “‘ike kūhohonu” (deep understanding) — the kind that stays with them for life.
Nature-based education, to me, is not just an approach — it’s a lifestyle. It teaches our keiki to be mākaukau (resourceful), mālama (caring), and kuleana (responsible) — not only for themselves, but for each other and for our Earth. They learn to observe, to respect, to listen — to the ʻāina, to the elements, and to the voices within them. That’s where true self-confidence and awareness are born.
Over the past year, being part of the Pono Outdoor Program — both as a teacher and a parent — has truly uplifted my spirit. This community is ʻohana. We are planting seeds not only in the soil, but in the hearts of these future leaders. E ulu ke ea i ka ʻāina. (May the life thrive in the land.) We are nurturing a brighter, stronger, more pono generation — one keiki, one day, one muddy footstep at a time.
Mahalo nui loa for allowing me to walk alongside your keiki on this journey."
Ms. Hanna – Teacher & Creative Enrichment Guide
My purpose with Pono is to witness, guide, and celebrate these keiki as they discover the world around them. I want to help them see the beauty in learning, in our ʻāina, and in the journey of life itself.
My hope is that the joy and wonder they experience here becomes something they carry with them throughout their lives—something that naturally shines through their essence and spreads to the people around them.
I also believe teaching is a two-way journey. I am here to learn from these keiki just as much as I hope to guide and learn alongside them. Their curiosity, perspectives, and unique ways of experiencing the world continually remind me to stay present, open, and full of wonder.
I have always wanted to teach. After witnessing my son’s experience with Pono and seeing his light of pure joy and childlike wonder continue to shine, I immediately knew I wanted to be part of this community.
Pono has created a space where keiki are truly celebrated for who they are. They have the opportunity to learn from one another, from our beautiful ʻāina, and from the world around them. It is a place where learning feels alive, meaningful, and connected to real life.
Being part of Pono allows me to contribute to that growth while continuing to grow myself. I feel incredibly grateful to be surrounded by keiki who are encouraged to explore, question, create, connect, and simply be themselves.
What a gift it is to learn alongside them.
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Ms. Naya Rice L.Ac; Holistic Life- Skills Educator- Chinese Medicine Doctor, Acupuncturist, Herbalist, Earth Builder, Designer, Artist
I was born and raised in Vancouver, Canada, and my journey has taken me from art and design to Chinese medicine, acupuncture, herbalism, and hands-on learning in nature. I hold a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Mixed Media Sculpture and a Master of Science in Oriental Medicine from Hawaiʻi.
I’m passionate about natural medicine, outdoor education, creativity, natural building, cooking, hiking, and learning from the natural world. I believe some of the most meaningful learning happens through curiosity, hands-on experiences, and asking questions.
Through Pono, I’m excited to share my knowledge and create opportunities for young people to develop practical life skills, critical thinking, creativity, confidence, and a deeper connection to their own wellbeing and the world around them.
I encourage my students to stay curious, explore different perspectives, and discover the unique gifts they carry. My favorite question to ask—and one I hope they keep asking—is simply:
“Why?”
Ms. Paula- Outdoor Educator, Social Media Specialist
I’m a mother of two, an educator, and a lifelong lover of nature. Originally from Germany, I’ve called Maui home for the past ten years. I hold a Master’s degree in Outdoor Education, and experiential learning has shaped the way I understand education and child development.
My connection to Pono began as a parent, with my son attending the program for more than three years. Now, as both an educator and an unschooling mom, I’m grateful to be part of a community that values curiosity, independence, hands-on learning, and connection to nature.
At Pono, I love creating opportunities for our keiki to explore, solve real-world problems, take meaningful risks, and discover what they’re capable of. My hope is that they leave with not only practical skills and a deeper connection to nature, but also the confidence to think independently, trust themselves, and recognize that there is always more than one way to approach a challenge.
Outside of Pono, you’ll usually find me exploring Maui with my family, hiking, traveling, and spending as much time outdoors as possible.
Nāpua Hūʻeu, Hawaiian customs advisor
"I am a graduate of the Punana Leo and Kula Kaiapuni o Maui, Hawaiian language immersion programs. My family is rooted to East Maui and I currently live in Haiku where I homeschool my 8yo son. I am committed to addressing a spectrum of issues plaguing Hawai‘i and its people. In 2016, myself and a group of concerned citizens formed the Hana Highway Regulation which is a civil volunteer initiative that rallies for responsible tourism management and visitor impact mitigation. My passion project is the restoration of Honomanu ahupua‘a which falls under the East Maui Farm, a conglomerate of farms and farmers dedicated to reestablishing East Maui's ability to feed Hawai‘i again, to the extent as it did in the past. I am notably vocal about local issues including homelessness, wild food resource eradication and stream water restoration. I am adamant about teaching the next generation the importance of Hawaiian customs and cultural principles which is why I was pleased to accept the request to serve as a customs and cultural advisor for the Pono Outdoor Program."
