WHO WE ARE

 Meet our Miss Kona Coffee Team!

Ally Brown was born and raised on a coffee & macadamia nut farm in Captain Cook. A numbers girl with a creative soul, Ally is passionate about serving her Big Island community and inspiring women to chase down their dreams. An entrepreneur, wife, mom, and community organizer, Ally is adept at wearing ‘many hats’ with grace. She is the founder of Revitalized Life with Ally B, an accounting consulting agency & Ally B Inspired which provides wedding & event planning services.  Ally also is the Managing Director & CFO of the Ladies Artisan Market. 

T. Ilihia Gionson  Ilihia has over a decade of experience bringing people together through the power of the stories we all share. He has worked as a writer and producer in print and television journalism in both English and ’Ōlelo Hawai’i. He has done private sector and government public relations on the federal, state, and county levels, and his creative writing has been recognized with a Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award and selection as a show writer and lyricist for Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa. He served private clients for over a decade through his firm, Hiehie Communications, and worked alongside the late Mayor Billy Kenoi and U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard. Today, he serves the community as Public Affairs Officer at the Hawai’i Tourism Authority in an effort to Mālama Ku’u Home – care for our beloved home. 

Samantha Collins joined the Miss Kona Coffee organization in 2019 as our Awards Chair. She is a mom of two beautiful daughters who enjoys spending time with her family, dancing hula and traveling. She is a graduate of Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Politics and Government and has spent her career in hospitality sales. Her reason for supporting the Miss Kona Coffee competition is due to the empowerment and educational opportunities the organization provides to women of Hawaii Island.

Kaili Yuen  Kaili is an undergraduate student at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa pursuing her BA Degree in Communications with a Geography Minor. She is currently the cheerleading coach for Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy’s Village Campus After School Cheer Program. Born and raised in Kona, she grew up participating in gymnastics, springboard diving, dance, and cheerleading. While earning her AA Degree in Liberal Arts from Hawaiʻi Community College at Pālamanui, Kaili participated in the Miss Kona Coffee Scholarship Competition in 2019 and won the 1st Runner Up Award and Miss Congeniality.

Palekakahiki Kaaua - For the sake of simplicity, my call name is Pakela.  I've had the amazing opportunity of grouping up in both Waimea and Hilo on the Big Island of Hawai'i.  At the moment, I am a marketing major at the University of Hilo.  I got my first camera in the 7th grade sparking my interest in photography early on.  My long-term goal is to break into the fashion industry in more ways than one.  Therefore, my favorite types of shoots are portraits.  I'm looking forward to meeting as many people as I can on this journey!