Mrs. Donna Mahuna

Aloha mai kākou,

 My name is Donna Mahuna and I am one of the High School Counselors at Kamehameha Schools Hawai`i. Born and raised in Hawai`i Kai, O`ahu, I relocated to Hilo in 1999. It is an honor and a privilege for me to return to Kamehameha as a faculty member and share the mana`o that I learned from my Kumu with the future generations of Hawaiians. It is a blessing to be a part of an `ohana that strives to perpetuate the hawaiian culture and the legacy of Ke Ali`i Pauahi.

 My belief in education and life is that we are the creators of our past, present and future. The choices we make throughout our lifetime will impact not only ourselves but everyone who is connected to us. My believe is that life is a blessing. Everything that exists around us in our lives is a blessing. My blessings are my `ohana who teach and encourage me to do the best I can. Working at Kamehameha Schools Hawai`i with dedicated and passionate individuals is a blessing. It is with Ke Akua that we receive and enjoy these blessings. It is with faith that we can continue to persevere as hawaiians and enrich the lives of our haumana, who will in return continue the legacy that has been set before them.

 Kamehameha has been and continues to be a big part of my life. I attended Kamehameha Schools Kapälama since the first grade and graduated in 1990. After high school, my education continued at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon where I received my Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Communications in 1994. I returned home after graduating from college and obtained my Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Hawai`i at Mänoa in 1997 and became a Licensed Social Worker (LSW) in the state of Hawai`i. 2 years later I obtained national certification as a Qualified Clinical Social Worker (QCSW). I have been in the Social Work and Counseling field for 30 years at various private, non-profit and state agencies in Oregon, O`ahu and the Big Island.

I have 2 keiki who were also blessed to attend Kamehameha Schools Hawai`i. My daughter graduated in 2018 and went on to receive her B.A. in Special Education and her Masterʻs of Ed in Instructional Education. She currently works at the Kamehameha Pre-School. My son graduated in 2023 and is 1 semester away from completing his A.S. degree in Fire & Environmental Protection at Honolulu Community College. 

 Please feel free to contact me at the high school so we can work together to provide the best support for your child.

In closing, I’d like to share one of my favorite `ōlelo no`eau:

O ka pono ke hana `ia a iho mai na lani.

“Continue to do good until the heavens come down to you.”

Blessings come to those who persist in doing good.

 Mahalo Ke Ali`i Pauahi.

 Donna Mahuna

domahuna@ksbe.edu

808-982-0615