In her career and as Kumu Hula, Ulalia Woodside Lee is dedicated to thriving lands, seas, people and culture in Hawaiʻi.  Ulalia is the Executive Director of The Nature Conservancy’s Hawaiʻi and Palmyra program where across the Hawaiian archipelago and to Palmyra Atoll, TNC protects and restores native forests, collaborates with communities for healthy coral reefs and fisheries, and develops cutting-edge research and interventions.

Prior to joining the Conservancy, Ulalia oversaw Kamehameha Schools’ portfolio of agricultural and conservation lands, place-based education, and natural and cultural resources management programs. She is also an author and invited speaker on ecosystem services and indigenous peoples’ approaches and relationship with nature.

Volunteer leadership is an important part of her community service, and Ulalia serves in leadership and advisory positions for Hawai‘i Green Growth, Mālama Honua Public Charter School, Kauahea Inc., Lālākea Foundation, Daughters of Hawaiʻi and Hawaiʻi Investment Ready ʻĀina Aloha Economy Fund. These organizations contribute locally and globally to sustainability, the advancement of traditional cultural practices, and the preservation of the Hawaiian relationship to nature.