Paula Akana is the President & CEO of The Friends of ʻIolani Palace. Prior to joining “The Friends,” she spent 30-plus years as a broadcast journalist for KITV Island News, where she covered not only breaking news, but cultural stories and events, including the Merrie Monarch Hula Festival and Hokule’a. Paula is a graduate of the Kamehameha Schools and the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism. Paula has served with a number of local nonprofit organizations over the years, including the Board of Directors for YMCA Metro Honolulu and Ma‘o Farms, and is a member of the Hawaiian Civic Club of Honolulu. She made the journey from journalist to The Friends of ʻIolani Palace in July 2019. Since then, she has guided the organization through the pandemic and has helped it to emerge fiscally and culturally stronger, with much closer relationships with the community.