{"id":9621,"date":"2026-04-22T10:11:44","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T20:11:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/invest.hawaii.gov\/hawaii-made\/?page_id=9621"},"modified":"2026-05-04T18:14:53","modified_gmt":"2026-05-05T04:14:53","slug":"speakers","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/invest.hawaii.gov\/hawaii-made\/conferences\/hm2026\/speakers\/","title":{"rendered":"Speakers"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Hawai\u02bbi Made 2026 Presents<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Driving the Future of Food Innovation<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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4th Annual Hawai\u02bbi Made Conference<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRegister Now!<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Event Speakers<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Back to Event Page<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Quick Links:<\/strong> \u02bb\u0100nela Akana<\/a>, Michael Burke<\/a>, Lou Cooperhouse<\/a>, Pat Loui<\/a>, Jared Nakama<\/a>, Amanda Shaw<\/a>, Brian Suzuki<\/a>, Nina Ann Tanabe<\/a>, Jina Wye<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Anela\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\u02bb\u0100nela Akana<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Panelist in Plenary #1<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\u02bb\u0100nela Akana serves as the Manager of the new Food & Product Innovation Network<\/a> (FPIN), supporting Hawai\u02bbi entrepreneurs in developing and scaling innovative locally made products. With over 25 years of experience in sales, marketing, wholesale purchasing, inventory management, E-commerce management, retail and warehouse operations, \u02bb\u0100nela brings a deep understanding of both business strategy, hands-on execution, and product development.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Michael\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Michael Burke<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Panelist in Plenary #3<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Michael Burke serves as the Program Manager for the Department of Health\u2019s Food and Drug Branch. Since the branch was reestablished in 2019, he has led efforts to build the program from the ground up, including developing a food manufacturing oversight system that supports local producers in creating safe food products for export. Michael has spent nearly twenty years with the Department in roles focused on improving watershed health, addressing solid waste challenges, and now ensuring the safety of foods, drugs, and cosmetics. Though he is currently a townie, he grew up in Wai\u02bbanae, O\u02bbahu, and still makes regular trips back to visit family.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Lou\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Lou Cooperhouse<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Panelist in Plenary #4<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Lou Cooperhouse is widely recognized as a global authority in food innovation and technology commercialization. His 40-year career in the food industry includes extensive entrepreneurial expertise leading cross-functional teams at numerous startups, as well as at multinational corporations including Nestl\u00e9, ConAgra, and Campbell\u2019s. He is the Founder & CEO of BlueNalu, which is producing bluefin tuna toro in a brand-new way \u2013 one that is healthy, humane, sustainable, and consistently delicious. He previously founded and led the Rutgers Food Innovation Center, and has spent considerable time in the State of Hawai\u02bbi, where he\u2019s consulted for the University of Hawai\u02bbi on the design and development of industry best practices to support our startup food \u02bbohana.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Pat Loui<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Panelist in Plenary #6<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Honorable Pat Loui is an international business executive. President Obama nominated, and the U.S. Senate confirmed her, for the full-time board of U.S. Export-Import Bank which finances Made in America products. Loui led initiatives to grow American exports to Asia and a U.S. small business delegation to APEC 2015. On APEC 2011 Leaders Week executive committee and a United Nations planner, Loui chairs Omnitrak, a consultancy founded after serving as Bank of Hawai\u02bbi\u2019s Chief Marketing Officer. Besides Hawai\u02bbi, Loui has exported branding services to Asia, serving Disney, General Motors, and luxury brands. A Northwestern and University of Hawai\u02bbi graduate and East West Center grantee, she has served as Treasurer of the 18-country Asia Foundation, PLUS ATM System, EWC\u2019s Alumni Association, UH Foundation, and Chamber of Commerce.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Jared Nakama<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Panelist in Plenary #7<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Jared Nakama is the Director of Logistics at Hawai\u02bbi Foodservice Alliance, where HFA supports ocean, air and truck transportation across California, O\u02bbahu, Maui, Kaua\u02bbi, and Hawai\u02bbi Island. Based in Honolulu, Jared works closely with retailers, carrier partners and 90+ local companies to tackle the realities of island supply chains\u2014balancing cost and reliability across ocean lanes and trucking. On this panel, he brings a hands\u2011on perspective from the day\u2011to\u2011day work of scaling logistics networks, managing disruption, and building practical solutions that keep Hawai\u02bbi moving.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Amanda Shaw<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Panelist in Plenary #5<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Dr. Amanda Shaw serves as Hawai\u02bbi Statewide Food Systems Coordinator through a public private partnership with the State of Hawai\u02bbi and Agriculture Stewardship Hawai\u02bbi. She was raised on the Kanaka Maoli lands of Hun\u0101n\u0101niho, Waim\u0101nalo on the island of O\u02bbahu, Hawai\u02bbi. Amanda\u2019s work over the past 18 years has focused on food, agriculture and economic systems in Hawai\u02bbi and beyond. Amanda still lives in Hun\u0101n\u0101niho and traces her family roots to the UK and Western Europe and to Saponi, Delaware, Shawnee and Caddo lands in West Virginia and Arkansas, respectively.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Brian\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Brian Suzuki<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Panelist in Plenary #7<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Brian Suzuki is the President and CEO of Hawai\u02bbi Air Cargo. After serving in the U.S. Navy, he began his aviation career with Pan American World Airways in both the Passenger and Cargo Departments before joining Hawai\u02bbi Air Cargo in 1982. With 57 years of experience at Honolulu International Airport, Brian has been active in major industry organizations. He is a charter member of the Air Cargo Association of Hawai\u02bbi and the National AirForwarders Association, and a past president of both the Industrial Traffic Association of Hawai\u02bbi and the National Defense Transportation Association\u2019s Aloha Chapter. As a member of the Hawai\u02bbi-Pacific Export Council, Brian lectures on exporting across the islands. He received the Hawai\u02bbi Governor\u2019s Exporter of the Year award in 2000 and the SBA Exporter of the Year award in 2020. A third-generation (sansei) Japanese American, Brian has family roots in Wakayama-ken and Kumamoto-ken. He studied at USC and earned a BA in Asian Studies from the University of Hawai\u02bbi at M\u0101noa.<\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Nina\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Nina Ann Tanabe<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Panelist in Plenary #3<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Nina Ann Tanabe is an experienced Certified Food Scientist. She has worked in industry, academia, and government. As the owner of Pacific Food Technology, LLC, a food consulting company, she works on product development, regulatory compliance (primarily U.S. food labeling), and Nutrition Facts labels. In addition, she also analyzes products for pH, water activity, brix, and more. She serves on the Boards of the Hawai\u02bbi Food Manufacturers Association, and the Maui Food Technology Center, where she serves as the food scientist.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Jina\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Jina Wye<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Panelist in Plenary #2<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Jina Wye is the founder of Okonokai Sea Snacks, an Oahu-based brand on a mission to make seaweed part of our everyday diets. Drawing on more than 15 years of CPG marketing experience launching and scaling national food and beverage brands, Jina channeled her deep love for seaweed and its remarkable health benefits into building Okonokai from the ground up. In less than two years since its founding, Okonokai is carried in over 50 retailers, including Foodland, Down to Earth, Dean & DeLuca, and Farmlink. Jina was named a 2025 Startup to Watch by Pacific Business News and nominated as CPG Entrepreneur of the Year by the HVCA in 2026.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hawai\u02bbi Made 2026 Presents Driving the Future of Food Innovation 4th Annual Hawai\u02bbi Made Conference Register Now! Event Speakers Back to Event Page Quick Links: \u02bb\u0100nela Akana, Michael Burke, Lou Cooperhouse, Pat Loui, Jared Nakama, Amanda Shaw, Brian Suzuki, Nina Ann Tanabe, Jina Wye \u02bb\u0100nela Akana Panelist in Plenary #1 \u02bb\u0100nela Akana serves as the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"parent":9475,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"6496,8975,7700,6728,7057,1165","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-9621","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/invest.hawaii.gov\/hawaii-made\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9621","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/invest.hawaii.gov\/hawaii-made\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/invest.hawaii.gov\/hawaii-made\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/invest.hawaii.gov\/hawaii-made\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/invest.hawaii.gov\/hawaii-made\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9621"}],"version-history":[{"count":49,"href":"https:\/\/invest.hawaii.gov\/hawaii-made\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9621\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9767,"href":"https:\/\/invest.hawaii.gov\/hawaii-made\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9621\/revisions\/9767"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/invest.hawaii.gov\/hawaii-made\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9475"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/invest.hawaii.gov\/hawaii-made\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9621"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}