Meilan Akaka Manfre (Executive Director), is from Honolulu, Oʻahu, and has recently return to TFA Hawaiʻi as it’s new Executive Director.  She began her education journey with TFA as a 2008 Hawaiʻi corps member serving as a special education teacher and department head at James Campbell High School before going on to co-found DreamHouse ʻEwa Beach public charter school and chair its nonprofit board. From 2013 to 2023, she held multiple staff leadership roles at Teach For America. Most recently, she served as a growth coach at her alma mater, Punahou School.

Meilan holds a B.A. in Music from Wellesley College and an M.Ed. in Special Education from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. She is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC), an International Coaching Federation (ICF) Professional Certified Coach (PCC), and holds an active Hawaiʻi Teacher Standards Board license. She also serves on the board of the Rev. Abraham Kahu Akaka Ministries Foundation.

Piʻikea Kalakau-Baarde, EdD (Director, Regional Initiatives) from Waimānalo, Oʻahu, and has been working in the education sector in Hawaiʻi for 10 years. She started her career in education as an English teacher at Waiʻanae Intermediate (TFA Hawaiʻi ʻ15). Piʻikea holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from Hawaiʻi Pacific University, a Master of Science in Education from Johns Hopkins University, and a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership from Chaminade University. Piʻikea joined TFA Hawaiʻi staff to continue serving public school students in Hawaiʻi by supporting their future teachers.

Erin Pauahi Auerbach (Managing Director, Development and Regional Initiatives), is from Honolulu, Oʻahu, and is the Head of Development for Teach For America Hawaiʻi. Her career spans extended tours in Boston and New York City working in Advertising and Marketing, and leading grassroots efforts for Broadway and Off-Broadway shows. Erin holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Voice Performance from Boston University’s School of Fine Arts, and an MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business.  Erin moved home to Hawaiʻi in 2016 and immediately joined the TFA Hawaiʻi team. She is honored to live into the kuleana of her name, Pauahi, in all that she does.