Piʻikea Kalakau-Baarde is from Waimānalo, Oʻahu, and has been working in the education sector in Hawaiʻi for almost a decade. She started her career in education as an English teacher at Waiʻanae Intermediate, and she believes that her experience as a classroom teacher has been the basis for all her subsequent achievements. Piʻikea holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from Hawaiʻi Pacific University, a Master of Science in Education from Johns Hopkins University, and she will complete her Doctorate in Organizational Leadership from Chaminade University in May 2024. Piʻikea is a Teach for America Hawaiʻi 2015 alumna, and in 2023, she joined the TFA Hawaiʻi staff to continue serving public school students in Hawaiʻi by supporting their future teachers. In her spare time, Piʻikea can be found spending time with her family, going to the beach, and supporting youth sports.