Team
L.P. “Neenz” Faleafine, Founder
Bred, born, and raised in Hawaii; L.P. “Neenz” Faleafine is the Chief Evangelist for leading news aggregation site, Alltop and the Founder of media marketing company, Pono Media.
For nearly a decade Neenz cultivated her career in Property Management, building communities in multi-family neighborhoods on Oahu, Maui, the island of Hawaii; and in Houston, Texas. Her curiosity in social networking and new media; led to a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn about marketing, business, and life from founding partner of Garage Technology Ventures, co-founder of Alltop, author, speaker, and Hawaiian hockey player — Guy Kawasaki.
Founding a media marketing company was the next logical career step for Neenz. Developing strategies that build communities and form partnerships is Neenz’s vision for Pono Media.
Noe Mendiola, Chief Evangelist
If you’re planning on changing the world it will take an entire team, so your company should be able to recognize and foster evangelists. The most famous evangelist in the business world, Guy Kawasaki laid out a foundation of the fundamental principles of evangelism. Noe embodies this and more as the Chief Evangelist of Pono Media. Having spent most of her professional career in the hospitality and restaurant industry, nearly five years ago she took on the responsibility of the hardest job in the world — full-time parent.
Noe is also a Founding Partner of interactive media publishing company, Grilled Cornbread, LLP and a blogger for the Honolulu Advertiser’s Metromix blog, Fresh from the grill.
Follow @Noe808 on Twitter and take a look at a glimpse of what Noe reads via MyAlltop.
Guy Kawasaki, Business Adviser
A casual conversation on Twitter led to Pono Media Founder, L.P. “Neenz” Faleafine sitting in the audience of a local S.T.E.M. leadership conference listening to a speech by Guy Kawasaki. The rest of story is an entrepreneurs dream as Neenz went on to first become a Truemorist for Truemors and today Chief Evangelist of Alltop working directly with Guy.
Guy Kawasaki is the founding partner at Garage Technology Ventures and co-founder of Alltop and the author of nine books, his latest is Reality Check.
Follow @GuyKawasaki on Twitter, become a fan of Alltop on Facebook, and create your own MyAlltop page.
Ed Morita, Head Photographer
Ed Morita is an artist with a variety of canvases and tools. A former Executive Pastry Chef, today he uses the internet as his canvas as a food photographer for the Honolulu Advertiser Metromix and blogger on Fresh from the grill. Most recently, Ed is a Captain on the Abercrombie for Governor social media team.
Ed is also a Founding Partner of interactive media publishing company, Grilled Cornbread, LLP.
Follow @nctrnlbst on Twitter, subscribe to Baker’s Hours, friend Edward T. Morita on Facebook, and become a contact of EdMorita on Flickr.
Hawaii Traditions
Jan Avellana, Chief Indie Artist and Writer — Hawaii Traditions
With a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Graphic Design and a Master’s in Education Teaching from the University of Hawaii Jan Avellana has found her calling as an independent artist. She is the Principle Designer and Owner of Hazelnut Cottage whose work is led by faith and a reflection of her spirit. Jan writes and designs with the same faith and spirit for Hawaii Traditions.
Follow @hazelnutcottage on Twitter, friend Jan Avellana on Facebook, subscribe to the Hazelnut Cottage blog, and become a customer of Hazelnut Cottage.
Heather Vincent, Writer
From surfing and camping to snowboarding the slopes of Utah — Heather Vincent is a true local girl. Raised on the southwest side of Oahu, she married her high school sweetheart Bishop and together they raise, Xander and Xoe.
Having spent her career in the service industry, Heather recently joined the banking industry with a local credit union.
Friend Heather Vincent on Facebook.
Melissa Kim, Writer
Born and raised in Waimanalo on the island of Oahu, Melissa Kim is a 2009 graduate of La Pietra – Hawaii School for Girls. A columnist for the inaugural online newspaper La Pietra News, she gave advice to her peers on A Slice of Melon. Wanting to stay connected with the aloha spirit, Melissa begins her Freshman year at the University of Hawaii at Manoa in the Fall 2009.
Read about Melissa’s thoughts and experiences in the Peer Leadership Program.
Sandy Xu, Writer
After growing up on Oahu and taking paradise for granted, Sandy Xu, now living in Cambridge, MA, misses dearly the sunshine and beaches of her home. She has no idea what she wants to study at Harvard University but is sure that one of her goals is to one day become as cool as M.K
Entrepreneurs-Wanted.org
Ed Young
In life; preparation, positioning, and availability — a long with a lot of luck, are key elements to success. At a local conference where I arrived not knowing anyone, I happened to sit on a table with two gentlemen for lunch. We had pleasant, generic conversations and continued on with our lives. I met up again with the same two gentlemen at a leadership workshop the following month, and once again continued on with our lives. Several months later, one of the gentlemen needed help and the other recommended he contact me. And so what began as a cordial conversation at a conference, developed into a trusting relationship.
Ed and Neenz are Founding Partners of Entrepreneurs-Wanted.org.
Founder of TEYC Hawaii, a business and strategic development firm helping entrepreneurs in startup and growth companies; also known as Chief Navigator, Ed has been involved with the following organizations:
- Hawaii Technology Development Venture, Hawaii Renewable Energy Development Venture
- Hawaii Strategic Development Corporation
- Hawaii Procurement Institute
- Hawaii Technology and Entrepreneurial Network
- Hawaii Technology Showcase
- Hawaii Venture Capital Association
- Hawaii Technology Trade Association
- Entrepreneurs Foundation of Hawaii
- Dual Use Hawaii
- HiBEAM
- CityVentures SBIC
- TIGRNet
Friend Ed Young on Facebook.
