Hawaiʻi County councilmember Kierkiewicz named president and CEO of Nā Leo ʻO Hawaiʻi

The Board of Directors of Nā Leo ‘O Hawai‘i, a public TV station, has named Ashley Kierkiewicz as its new president and Chief Executive Officer.

She begins June 19 and succeeds Paul Horner, who resigned last year.

Kierkiewicz will continue to serve as a Hawai‘i County councilmember.

“I am honored and humbled to be selected to lead Nā Leo, an important community resource,” Kierkiewicz said. “I look forward to working in partnership with the board, staff and community to position the organization to be the island’s premier storytelling agency, advancing a creative economy, and building a cadre of content creators that showcase our island’s stories, people, culture and potential.” 

Kierkiewicz will oversee all aspects of  Nā Leo ‘O Hawai‘i’s operations, including facilities, programming, grants, marketing and community engagement. 

“After an extensive search, we are excited to welcome Ashley as our next leader and believe she will take Nā Leo to new heights,” said Mel Ventura, chair of the nonprofit’s board of directors. “Ashley’s vision, energy and commitment to our community is infectious. She is a demonstrated leader, with the capacity and skills to convene partners, leverage resources and bring ideas to bear.”

Kierkiewicz is a Hawai‘i Island native. She has more than a decade of experience in communication, public relations, strategic planning, community outreach, project management, creative development, fundraising and events coordination.

She led activation of the Vibrant Hawai‘i Resilience Hubs network and co-led creation of its Economic Development Strategy and micro-investment program during the pandemic.

Kierkiewicz has organized campaigns and initiatives from the ground up, including Revitalize Puna, Activate Puna and Activate Hawai‘i Aid. 

Kierkiewicz is a graduate of St. Joseph High School, and earned her BS in Political Science from the University of Hawai‘i-Hilo.

She enjoys running, exploring the outdoors and cooking. She and her partner, Kaui Nakanelua, a County fire fighter, are raising their two children, Arya and Toby, in Puna.