HIMEME Announces Board of Directors Changes

July 24, 2026 • Addison Ching • News

HIMELE announces the following changes to its Board of Directors.

HIMELE Director Larry Holu has retired from HIMELE after serving on the Board since August, 2017. His retirement became effective on July 13, 2026.

Festival guests may remember Larry administering Guest Surveys at selected festivals and coordinating musicians and stage logistics. He also provided valuable festival transportation support for school visits and airport pickups.

"Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be a part of this great organization to promote and perpetuate the Hawaiian steel guitar," stated Larry. "I'll always have fond memories of the many wonderful steel guitar festivals that we produced and promoted together."

Larry Holu, Dr. Beth Post, Kaipo Lindsey, Dr. David Woodward

In separate Board actions, Dr. Beth Post, Kaipo Lindsey and Dr. David Woodward were elected to the HIMELE Board of Directors. Their election completes the Board complement of seven directors.

As previously annouonced, Dr. Beth Post was elected to HIMELE's Board of Directors in April. She filled one of two vacant positions on the board.

She is a retired lecturer who previously taught Psychology at University of California, Davis. She also has experience working in, and subsequently serving as board member at, Explorit Science Center, a hands-on science museum in Davis.

Other prior board membership includes the Sacramento Ballet, Team Aggie (sports boosters) UCDavis, the Ka‘ōnohi Foundation (Sacramento Aloha Festival), and co-founder of the Hawaiian Music Perpetuation Society. Dr. Post is currently a board member of the Mohala Hou Foundation.

Kaipo Lindsey was elected to HIMELE's board in July. He is from Kane‘ohe, O‘ahu and has been working as a physician assistant providing primary care in Kane'ohe since 2016.

He learned to play the ‘ukulele in his youth from many teachers including Roy Sakuma, Tracey Terada and Eddie Bush. Alan Akaka was also his mentor and teacher at Kamehameha Schools. He regularly volunteers to play in the house band for steel guitar festivals.

"I love hearing stories from performers and audience members at steel guitar festivals. Many people who attend these festivals have been lucky to learn and interact with the original composers and musicians that I am actively trying to study. I would encourage anyone who is also studying Hawaiian music to attend the festivals to hear these stories so they can continue to be shared."

Dr. David Woodward was also elected to HIMELE's board in July, following the retirement of Larry Holu. David was born and raised in Ka‘alaea, Hawai‘i and graduated from Damien Memorial High School in 2001. He attended Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri and majored in Athletic Training, on academic and athletic scholarship. He later transferred to St. Francis University and entered the Physical Therapy program on academic and athletic scholarships, where the accredited program just transitioned to the doctorate program. Here, while balancing academics, participated in NCAA Division I Men's Volleyball, and graduated with a Bachelors in Health Science/Kinesiology in 2007. Two years later, David received his Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2009.

A three-time Nā Hōkū Hanohano award winner with his group Walea, he currently resides in Halawa with his wife Dara S.K. Chun-Woodward, son Isaac and daughter Schuyler.

Festival guests may recognize Kaipo and David as members of the festival House Band that accompanies many festival artists.

About HIMELE

The specific and primary purpose for which HIMELE was formed is to conduct, promote, and enhance music education and enrichment for people of all ages; to educate, promote and perpetuate Hawaiian music, Hawaiian culture and Hawaiian musical instruments by organizing and sponsoring festivals, workshops, exhibitions, and other public events as well as using social media channels and the corporation's website(s) to provide facts, statistics, and publicize the corporation's music and cultural events.

HIMELE produces annual Steel Guitar festivals on O‘ahu, Hawai‘i Island, Maui, and Kaua‘i, featuring popular Hawaiian steel guitarists and NextGEN steel guitar stidents of Ke Kula Mele School of Hawaiian Music. HIMELE also produces periodic symposia for steel guitar education at various locations in Hawai‘i, the mainland, and worldwide.