our mo‘olelo
Mo‘olelo Group was founded on the belief that culture, commerce, and community belong in the same conversation. Led by Native Hawaiian cultural practitioner Kainoa Horcajo, we are a Maui-based firm specializing in Experience design, Strategic communications, Community and government relations, and cultural advisory services.
Born and raised on Maui, Kainoa has spent his career where culture meets public life: as Cultural Director at Grand Wailea and Andaz Maui at Wailea, as co-creator of the Emmy Award-winning series SEARCH Hawai‘i, and as a cultural advisor and trainer for the Film industry, FEMA, State of Hawai‘i department leadership, and private-sector clients in hospitality, construction, transportation, and entertainment.
We stay intentionally small. Every engagement is led directly by Kainoa, supported by a trusted circle of collaborators brought in as each project requires.
Mo‘olelo are the stories and traditions that carry who we are. We help our clients find theirs, and tell them well.
Kainoa Horcajo
Kainoa Horcajo is a Maui-born cultural practitioner, strategist, writer, and speaker whose work bridges Hawaiian knowledge and contemporary challenges.
With a background spanning government, hospitality, media, business, and community leadership, Kainoa brings a multidisciplinary perspective to his work. He specializes in helping organizations understand the people and places they serve, navigate complex relationships, and develop strategies rooted in cultural understanding and shared purpose.
Through Moʻolelo Group and his Think Hawaiian platform, Kainoa works to bring the wisdom and philosophies of Hawaiʻi into modern conversations about leadership, business, community, and the future.
Olena Alec
Olena Alec brings experience in conservation, nonprofit organizations, and project leadership to Moʻolelo Group, combining a passion for environmental stewardship with a practical understanding of the challenges facing mission-driven organizations.
With a background spanning conservation initiatives, nonprofit operations, and project coordination, Olena brings a collaborative, solutions-oriented perspective to her work. She focuses on helping organizations strengthen partnerships, navigate complex initiatives, and translate their missions into meaningful, lasting impact.
Through Moʻolelo Group, Olena supports conservation efforts, nonprofit organizations, and community-based initiatives, helping bridge the relationships, resources, and strategies necessary to care for the places and communities we serve.