Jo 'Okika Shigeko Qina'au (she/they) was born and raised in ‘Ewa Beach on O‘ahu, with ancestral roots in Kohala on Hawai'i island; Fukushima, Japan; Indigenous Ainu Moshiri; the Azores, Portugal; Clare, Ireland; and Jewish Bavaria, Germany.

Honoring universalities and uniqueness, Jo connects with the naʻauao (wisdom) of their spiritual and academic roots to fulfill kuleana (responsibility) with and in community. They’re currently focused on transformative trauma-informed projects exploring Kanaka ʻŌiwi wellbeing (decolonial approaches, Indigenous frameworks and interventions), intervention design and implementation (contemplative and mind-body-spirit practices such as Yoga, mindfulness), stress and trauma (intergenerational, complex, transdiagnostic), and equity and culture. Open to collaborative innovations in teaching, scholarship, program design, and community advocacy, Jo draws from multiple disciplines to bring pono (balance) and pilina (connection) to each project.

Jo envisions a puʻuhonua where ecological healing bring to full circle the naʻauao of ancestors for a present-future shining in mauli ola. Though work can be a form of play, when the days are open, they love the recalibration of contemplative practice, the joy of pilina with loved ones, and a wild hike in the momona of home.

Click here for the long-form bio and current list of projects and publications.