Ana is of Polynesian descent and fairly new to the PNW area, since moving from Waianae, Hawaii 3 years ago. Although she was hesitant to move from her home in the islands, Ana feels like the PNW reminds her of the diverse beauty in Hawai’i. Ana has worked in multiple social service settings through her professional and volunteer work in the last 13 years. Through her personal life experiences, she has learned the value of community and how improving one’s situation can greatly improve quality of life. Ana’s educational background is in Social Services and Indigenous Studies which allows her to connect past and present social issues through political, economic, cultural and ecological lenses, from the various perspectives of Indigenous peoples locally, nationally, and globally.

Ana focuses her time on an increased awareness and sensitivity to the diversity of people’s experiences, contexts, and perspectives concerning social and economic issues. She does this by contributing her time to research, advocacy, and maintaining a connection to the community. Her passion is to see people succeed from all walks of life without being categorized by their past.

In her spare time Ana enjoys hiking, camping, and spending time with her family. She also continues to keep herself grounded by working at the HYPE center in Tacoma and her volunteer work at Catholic Community Services.