Team
Our dedicated team works tirelessly to create and implement programs that inspire, engage, and educate audiences of all ages.
Kahilu staff is comprised of full- and part-time employees who generously share their passion and expertise in support of our organization’s mission and vision. Mahalo!
Jody Brotman – Interim Executive Director
Jody Brotman is co-founder of the Waimea-based record label, Palm Records. Projects under her management have garnered a GRAMMY® award, and multiple GRAMMY and Nā Hōkū Hanohano award nominations. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from The Evergreen State College and pursued graduate studies at Stanford University in its Master of Liberal Arts Program. Jody served several years as a governor on the Board of the Recording Academy and was a director on the Board of Kahilu before stepping in as Interim Executive Director.
Fun fact: early mornings you can find her in the ocean or chasing tennis balls.
Kala’e Souza – Director of Operations
Kala’e is born and raised in the islands, and is a graduate of Kamehameha Schools Kapālama campus. He lives in Hāwī, and is an avid fisher and diver. Kala’e also had cutting and reigning horses over the years, and enjoys hunting with his German Short Haired Pointers.
Fun fact: You might catch him at the Pine Trees line up.
Patty Bird – Digital Content & Marketing Director
Patty hails from Valparaiso, Indiana, and has spent the majority of her life in the Midwest. She has her B.A. in Acting with a concentration in Education, and has been acting, teaching, directing, and providing marketing/publicity for professional theatres in Chicagoland, for the past 30 years. Patty is excited to bring her talents to Kahilu and looks forward to sharing her theatrical passions with the community.
Fun Fact: One of Pattyʻs life goals is to go in a shark cage and take pictures of a great white shark up close and personal!
Originally from Southwestern Pennsylvania, Adam spent the last 12 years in Los Angeles working in television production. Starting as a production assistant on Hannah Montana and working his way up to Associate Producer on Disney, plus original programming and various projects in between, Adam is excited and grateful to bring his experience and skill set to help expand the reach and content creation of Kahilu Theatre and Kahilu.TV.
Fun Fact: Adamʻs personal record on a pogo stick is 2,222 bounces.
Lehua Kaluna – Box Office Coordinator
With more than ten years’ experience in the hospitality industry, including positions with Waikoloa Beach Marriott and Hilton Grand Vacations, customer service is second nature to Lehua. Originally from Oahu, she moved to Hawai’i Island in 1990 and she and her husband call Waimea home.
Fun Fact: Lehua entered the Ms. Aloha Nui pageant in 2014 and when she was 22, she won first place in a hip hop dance contest.
Andy Behrle – Gallery Director
Andy was born and raised outside of Boston, Massachusetts. He is an accomplished visual artist having exhibited his artwork in galleries, museums, and festivals around the world. Over the past 20 years, Andy has worked designing and installing exhibitions for contemporary masters, historical and cultural exhibitions, and community displays.
Fun Fact: While working for a museum in Arizona, Andy once hand delivered a moonrock to Houston that had been on loan from NASA. He garnered quite a bit of attention from TSA, when the lead box went through the x-ray machine.
