"Community work has been a life long avocation for me. My memories are filled with the faces and names of countless people who have also shared a passion for bringing to fruit the visions we all have for a better life. No matter how diverse we are, no matter how geographically apart we live, these visions are more common than we think. Working towards these collective goals isn’t always easy. The difference has always been in the level of commitment and courage people are willing to invest to make their dreams real."

With more than 25 years of experience in community development in Hawaii, Joe Lapilio is a unique resource, a civic leader, organizer, and scholar with deep roots in the islands. He specializes in community assessment, coalition building, strategic planning and benchmarking, and leadership coaching and facilitation.

As president of his own consulting company, Naki‘i Ku, former head of the Hawaii Community Services Council and Management by Islanders, and his work with agencies such as the Queen Lili`uokalani Children’s Center and the Wai‘anae Coast Coalition for Human Services, he has provided consultation and technical assistance to State agencies and nonprofits, the National Council for Urban Indian Health, and a variety of Native Hawaiian groups in the Leeward Coast, Lana‘I, and Maui.

Mr. Lapilio began his career as an intermediate school teacher and in the restaurant business. Later, he worked with social service and State agencies, including the Governor’s office, the Hawai‘i Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, and the Honolulu Community Action Program (HCAP). He is the author of a variety of reports ranging from resource directories to community-based tourism.

He was a Community Scholar in Residence at the University of Hawai‘i, and received a UH School of Public Health Education award for promoting healthy communities. He was selected by the PEW Charitable Trust as a “Civic Entrepreneur” in a national civic renewal and citizen leadership program.

Current and Past Community Service

Current

• Vice President of the Board, Wai`anae Coast Comprehensive Health Center
• Board member, Alternative Structures International
• Member, National Association of Planning Councils

Past

• Chair, `Ohana Lualualei Ahupua`a Council
• Board member, Hawai`i Outcomes Institute
• Board member, National Association of Planning Councils
• Member, Friends of Iolani Palace
• Board member, OLELO
• Board member, Wai‘anae Coast Coalition
• Board member, Hawai`i Community Services Council
• State Commissioner, Education Commission of the States
• Member, National Congress of Community Economic Development
• Member, Association for Enterprise Opportunity
• Member and former chair, Wai`anae Coast Neighborhood Board
• Member and former chair, Hawai‘i Education Council
• Chairperson, Ma‘ili Elementary SCBM Council
• American Red Cross Volunteer

Education

Masters in Public Administration, University of Hawai‘i
Bachelor of Arts in Community Planning and Development, Antioch University West
Graduate, Kamehameha School