Lai-Lani Ovalles

Born and raised in Ka pae ‘aina o Hawai’I (Hawaiian archipelago) on the islands of Kaua’i and O’ahu, Lai-Lani Ovalles’ grew up with a deep connection to land, culture and identity. As the hiapo (first born) of her family, Lai-Lani, was raised by her maternal grandparents and paternal grandmother for the first 5 years of her life in the North shore of Kaua’i, surrounded and immersed in cultural traditions of her Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) and Filipino elders and ancestors. These early years rooted her in the values of aloha, reciprocity and Indigenous knowledge that she would carry with her throughout her life.

Lai-Lani Ovalles has many years of experience engaging and empowering diverse communities for social change through cross-cultural collective action. She has extensive nonprofit and philanthropic experience, managing programs and staff, and fostering collaboration among agencies. She has addressed racial equity and achievement gaps regionally at Mt. Hood Community College and at the state level at the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction in Washington State. She has increased the visibility of and empowered voices from communities all across the Portland Metro Area in her roles with United Way Columbia-Willamette and with Portland’s Native community through her role NAYA Family Center from 2008-13. As Early Learning Multnomah Senior Manager, she helped to center parent voice and leadership in community participatory policy making and in the successful passage of the ballot measure to establish tuition free preschool program in Multnomah County. Lai-Lani has served on the Portland Planning Commission, and on the boards of Oregon Native American Chamber and the Community Foundation of SW WA. She believes in the empowering individuals and groups to use their collective power to transform policies, exercise political power and improve systems for all.

Lai-Lani and her wife Sita moved to Portland metro region 20 years ago and is grateful for NAYA Family Center in helping to embrace them into community. They co-founded Black Pearl Wellness, an acupuncture and holistic healing clinic in Portland and live and play in Vancouver, WA with their daughter, Leihoku and energetic puppy.