Ileana’s roots are from the Waianae coast on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. She joined Passages Northwest in 2007 and is currently an aspiring breakdancer. In her spare time she loves to spend time with elders and children, use weed whackers, and dance (of course).

Ileana has enjoyed her experiences as a community developer in SeaTac, a grant writer, a Hawaiian Language teacher, and a program coordinator in Lynnwood. She has traveled throughout the Hawaiian Islands, New Zealand, Fiji, local Senior Centers, and federal prisons to work for economic and social justice.

Ileana holds a B.A. from the University of Hawaii, and is currently completing her M.A. thesis. In her lifetime she would like to continue to work for positive and system-wide social change, reduce oppression in little and big ways, and never stop dancing.