Cherie Kauahi, of Hawaiian descent, serves as Hawaiʻi Sea Grant’s Aquaculture Extension Specialist, where she works with people across Hawaiʻi and the U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands to further aquaculture and food security. Her graduate research focused on the hydrology and water quality of loko iʻa (Hawaiian fishponds), and today she leads statewide efforts that integrate Indigenous knowledge and modern science to assist loko iʻa restoration, hatchery innovation, and applied aquaculture research.

Grounded in her passion for the ocean and practice as a canoe paddler, Cherie’s work is rooted in trust-based relationships—many built through her upbringing in Hawaiʻi—which both ease and challenge her efforts. This balance keeps her humble and accountable to the people she serves. She teaches an integrated data science course at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo and collaborates with Hui Hoʻoleimaluo to run Holo Kai, a youth program within the Papahana Puakahīnano Intercession Series. She remains dedicated to ensuring that the knowledge, practices, and assets of Hawaiʻi endure for generations to come.