ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS
2022 – 24 Assistant Professor of Pacific Studies, Brigham Young University–Hawaii Lā‘ie, HI
EDUCATION
2015 – 21 University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA
Ph.D. in Social Science & Comparative Education – Race and Ethnic Studies. Graduate School of Education and Information Studies.
Advisor / Chair: Dr. Robert Teranishi
Committee Members: Dr. Ananda Marin (UCLA), Dr. Daniel Solórzano (UCLA), Dr. Tēvita Ka‘ili (BYUH)
Title of Dissertation: From Navigating the Seas to Navigating the Skies: Unloading Tongan Knowledge through the ‘Undercurrents’ of the Airline in the Ano Māsima.
2012 – 14 The University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT
M.Ed. in Education, Culture & Society.
College of Education.
2007 – 11 Brigham Young University Provo, UT
B.S. in Sociology.
College of Family, Home, and Social Sciences.
PUBLICATIONS
PEER REVIEWED JOURNAL ARTICLES
Kruse, L. & Hafoka, ‘I. (2024). Cultivating Pacific Studies in Ko‘olauloa. Journal Committed to Social Change on Race and Ethnicity, 10(1), 194-205.
https://doi.org/10.15763/issn.2642-2387.2024.10.1.193-205
Hafoka, ‘I., Tecun, A., Ka‘ili, T. O., & Siulua, S. A. (2023). Performing Tongan Identity and Indigeneity in Global Sporting Events. Pacific Studies, 46(2), 160-186. https://www.academia.edu/attachments/113563139/download_file?s=portfolio
Alcantar, C. M., Freeman-Wong, R. E., Kim, V., Hafoka, ‘I., Mazumder, T., & Rongkilyo, S. H. (2023). The role of family in the civic lives of undocumented Asian college students. Journal of College Student Development, 64(3), 309-325.
https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2023.a9001171
Alcantar, C. M., Freeman, R. E., Kim, V., Hafoka, ‘I., & Ortega Mendoza, M. (2022). (Un)Deserving Mexican activists: How online news media during the Trump Era (un)justly represents undocumented students in higher education across differing state contexts. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education. Advanced online publication.
https://doi.org/10.1037/dhe0000450
Alcantar, C. M., Kim, V., Hafoka, ‘I., & Teranishi, R. T. (2022). Space and place at Asian American and Pacific Islander–serving community colleges: The geography of campus student support for Asian American and Pacific Islander students. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 15(2), 178–193. https://doi.org/10.1037/dhe0000281
Fehoko, E., Hafoka, ‘I. & Tecun, A. (2021). Holding tightly onto land and people during a pandemic: Kava pedagogies and tertiary learning relationships in vahaope. Journal of Global Indigeneity, 5(1), 1-15. https://www.journalofglobalindigeneity.com/article/19432-holding-tightly-onto-land-andpeople-during-a-pandemic-kava-pedagogies-and-tertiary-learning-relationships-invahaope
Vaughn, K., Fitisemanu, J., Hafoka, ‘I. & Folau, K. (2020). Unmasking the essential realities of COVID-19 amongst the Pasifika community in the Salt Lake Valley. Oceania, 90(S1), 60-67. https://doi.org/10.1002/ocea.5267
Tecun, A., Hafoka, ‘I., ‘Ulu‘ave, L., & ‘Ulu‘ave-Hafoka, M. (2018). Talanoa: Tongan epistemology and Indigenous research method. AlterNative: An international journal of Indigenous Peoples, 14(2), 156–163. https://doi.org/10.1177/1177180118767436
BOOK CHAPTERS
Alcantar, C. M., Freeman, R. E., Kim, V., Hafoka, ‘I., Mazumder, T., & Hernandez Rongkilyo, S. (In Press). The role of family in the civic lives of undocumented Asian college students. In K. Escudero & R. E. Freeman (Eds.), Liminally legal Asians: Consciousness raising, political activism and (re)articulations of belonging in the United States. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.
Tecun, A., Fehoko, E., & Hafoka, ‘I. (2021). Faikava: A Philosophy of Diasporic Tongan Youth, Hip Hop, and Urban Kava Circles. In K. L. Camacho (Ed.), Reppin’: Pacific Islander Youth and Native Justice (pp. 219-239). Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press.
Hafoka, ‘I., Vaughn, K., Aina, I. & Alcantar, C. M. (2020). The ‘invisible’ minority: Finding a sense of belonging after imperialism, colonialism, and (im)migration for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders in the United States. In R. T Teranishi, B. M. D. Nguyen, C. M. Alcantar, & E. R. Curammeng (Eds.), in Measuring race: Why disaggregating data matters for addressing educational inequality (pp.67-83). New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
Hafoka, M., ‘Ulu‘ave, M. & Hafoka, ‘I. (2014). Double bind: The duality of Tongan
American Identity. In H. F. O. Vakalahi & M. Godinet (Eds.). Transnational Pacific Islander Americans and social work: Dancing to the beat of a different drum (pp. 127– 138). Washington, DC: NASW Press.
REPORTS
Teranishi, R., Gutierrez, R. E., Gogue, D. T., Le, A., & Hafoka, ‘I. (2023). Native Hawaiians & Pacific Islanders in higher education: A collection of campus research to inform student success. Washington, DC: Asian Pacific Islander Association Scholars. https://apiascholars.org/wpcontent/uploads/2023/03/NHPI_2023_CampusResearch_FINAL_R2.pdf
Soon-Ludes, J., Ajinkya, J., Teranishi, R., Le, A., Gutierrez, R. E., Hafoka, ‘I. & Gogue,
D. T. (2020). Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in higher education: A rural Pacific learning tour. Washington, DC: Asian Pacific Islander Association Scholars. https://apiascholars.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/APIA-Scholars_Rural-PacificLearningTour_Report_FINAL.pdf
Teranishi, R. T., Le, A., Gutierrez, R. E., Ventura, R., Hafoka, ‘I., Gogue, D. T., & ‘Ulu‘ave, L. (2019). Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in higher education: A call to action. Washington, DC: Asian Pacific Islander Association Scholars.
https://apiascholars.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/NHPI_Report.pdf
EDITORIALS
Hafoka, ‘I. (2024). Editorial for the special issue on (Re)crafting creative criticality: Indigenous Intergenerational rhythms and post-COVID desires [Editorial] [Special issue].
Art/Research International: A Transdisciplinary Journal, 8(2), vi–xii.
https://doi.org/10.18432/ari29796
MANUSCRIPTS IN PREPARATION
Garrett, M. F., Hafoka, ‘I., Scanlan, S. & Reid, A. (In progress). Navigating Educational
Experiences: Understanding and Addressing the Overall Well-Being of Pacific Islander Students. In G. E. K. Allen & L. McCubbin (Eds.). Polynesian/Pasifika Psychology and Psychotherapy. Washington, DC: APA Books.
Funaki, S., Hafoka, ‘I., & Fitisemanu, J. (In progress). Pea ʻOku ʻIkai ha Meʻa Foʻou ʻi he Lalo Laʻā: Revitalizing and Recontextualizing the Tongan Tatau. In preparation for The Contemporary Pacific.
CONFERENCES
2024 Hafoka, ‘I. & Kruse, L. (2024). Cultivating Pacific Studies in Ko‘olauloa. Paper presentation organized at the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education. Honolulu, HI.
2024 Lopesi, L., Hafoka, ‘I., Hernandez, D. & Grewell, S. (2024). Pacific Coalitions in the Undercurrents. Panel organized at the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education. Honolulu, HI.
2024 Diaz, A., Ka‘ili, T. O. & Hafoka, ‘I. (2024). From Moana to Abya Yala, Palestine will be Free. Latine and Pasfikia Diaspora and Student Praxis. Lecture / Presentation organized at the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education. Honolulu, HI.
2024 Kruse, L. & Hafoka, ‘I. (2024). Cultivating Pacific Studies in Ko‘olauloa. Panel organized within E. K. Wright., N. Reyes, N. Saelua, & C. Salinas’ session of “Journal Committed to Social Change on Race and Ethnicity Issue on Hawai‘i” at the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education. Honolulu, HI.
2023 Gutierrez, R. R. E., Gogue, D. T., Hafoka, ‘I. & Le, A. (2023). Centering native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Student Success: Perspectives from an Institutional Capacity Building Initiative. Session organized at the Association for the Study of Higher Education Conference. Minneapolis, MN.
2023 Vakapuna, H. ‘I. M., Fehoko, E., Faleolo, R., Fetokai, C., Fa‘avae, D. T. M., Malungahu, G., Hafoka, E., Hingano, W., Tovo, F. & Hafoka, ‘I. (2023). Ko e tauhi mo pukupuku fonua ma‘a hai? A Global Panel Talatalanoa. Panel organized at the Tongan Research Association Conference. Nuku‘alofa, TO.
2023 Hafoka, ‘I. (2023). Standby: The Undercurrents of Tongan Knowledge Production through the Airlines. Lecture / Presentation organized at the Tongan Research Association Conference. Nuku‘alofa, TO.
2023 Hafoka, ‘I., Funaki, S. & Fitisemanu, J. (2023). Reimagining Tongan Tātatau.
Lecture / Presentation organized at the Tongan Research Association Conference. Nuku‘alofa, TO.
2021 Sailiata, K., Diaz, V., DeLisle, C., Cook, K., Hafoka, ‘I., Vaughn, K. &
Camacho, K. (2021). Virtual Crossings: The Politics of (Re)Collecting Pacific Pasts and Futures. Roundtable organized at Pacific History Association Conference (Virtual). Suva, FJ.
2021 Hafoka, ‘I., Tecun, A., Ka‘ili, T. O. & Siulua, S. A. (2021). Indigenous Performances of Tongan Identity in Global Sporting Events. Paper presentation organized at the Tongan Research Association Conference. Lā‘ie, HI.
2021 Hafoka, ‘I., Fitisemanu, P. J. & Taukei‘aho, T. (2021). Pea ʻOku ʻIkai ha Meʻa Foʻou ʻi he Lalo Laʻā: Revitalizing and Recontextualizing the Tongan Tatau.
Paper presentation organized at the Tongan Research Association Conference. Lā‘ie, HI.
2020 Good, M. & Hafoka, ‘I. (2020). Re-thinking Work and Labor in the Global Pacific. Session organized at the Association for Social Anthropology in Oceania Conference. Hilo, HI.
2020 Hafoka, ‘I. (2020). Learning from the Undercommons to Create the Undercurrents for Pasifika Communities within the Airlines. Presentation organized within D. Hernandez & P. West’s session “We will get over it when it’s over Race and Racism in Oceania” at the Association for Social Anthropology in Oceania Conference. Hilo, HI.
2019 Tecun, A., Fehoko, E., & Hafoka, ‘I. (2019). Urban Tongan Youth Find ‘Spots to Kick it and Belong’ in Diasporic Kava Circles. Paper presentation organized at the Youth Studies in Oceania Symposium. Los Angeles, CA.
2019 Hafoka, ‘I. (2019). Talanoa & Testimonio: Cross-cultural Conversations on the Power of Story. Session organized at the National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies Conference. Albuquerque, NM.
2018 Alcantar, C. M., Freeman, R. E., Kim, V., Hafoka, ‘I., Mazumder, T., &
Hernandez Rongkilyo, S. (2018). The Role of Family in the Civic Lives of Undocumented Asian College Students. Roundtable at the Association for the Study of Higher Education Conference. Tampa, FL.
2018 Alcantar, C. M., Freeman, R. E., Kim, V., Hafoka, ‘I., Mazumder, T., &
Hernandez Rongkilyo, S. (2018). The Role of Family in the Civic Lives of Undocumented Asian College Students. Paper presentation organized at the Liminally Legal Asians Conference. Providence, RI.
2017 Alcantar, C. M., Kim, V., Hafoka, ‘I. & Teranishi, R. T. (2017, November).
Space & Place at Minority Serving Community Colleges: The Geography of Campus Student Support for Asian American and Pacific Islander Students. Paper presentation organized at the Annual Conference for the Association for the Study of Higher Education. Houston, TX.
2017 Alcantar, C. M., Freeman, R., Kim, V. & Hafoka, ‘I. (2017, November). The Role of Sociohistorical and Political Contexts in Shaping Higher Education’s “Dreamer” Discourse. Paper presentation organized at the Association for the Study of Higher Education Conference. Houston, TX.
2017 Hernandez, D., Hafoka, ‘I., ‘Ulu‘ave, L. & Hafoka ‘Ulu‘ave, M. (2017, October). Talanoa: Tongan Epistemology and Indigenous Research Method. Paper presentation organized at the American Indigenous Research Association Conference. Flathead Reservation (Pablo), MT.
2017 Lopez, B., Hafoka, ‘I., ‘Ulu‘ave, L., Kim, V. & Hsieh, Y. (2017, April). The Silence of Our Friends: Recognizing Microaggressions. Roundtable organized at the Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association Conference. San Diego, CA.
2016 Lopez, B., Hafoka, ‘I., ‘Ulu‘ave, L., Kim, V. & Hsieh, Y. (2016, May). The Silence of Our Friends: Recognizing Microaggressions. Roundtable organized at the Graduate School of Education & Information Studies Research & Inquiry Conference. Los Angeles, CA.
2014 Hernandez, D., Bell, A., Hafoka, ‘I., ‘Ulu‘ave, M., Tongaonevai, U. & Betham, S. (2014, October). Kava and Urban Indigenous Epistemology. Poster presentation organized at the American Indigenous Research Association Conference. Flathead Reservation (Pablo), MT.
2014 Hafoka, ‘I. (2014, April). Talk Story: Using Testimonio to Bridge the Identity Gap. Session organized at the National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies Conference. Salt Lake City, UT.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2022 – 24 Brigham Young University–Hawaii, Lā‘ie, HI
Assistant Professor
PAIS 105 Introduction to Pacific Studies
PAIS 340 Anti-Racism & Belonging: Pacific Dialogue
HIST 250 History of Eastern Oceania
HIST 362 History of the Pacific
SOCW 370 Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
2015 – 18; 2021 The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
Associate Instructor
HIST 3650 Histories of the Pacific
ETHNC 3651 Pacific Histories
ETHNC 2590 Pacific Islander American Experience
ETHNC 3990 Tongan American & Tongan Diaspora
2014 Utah Valley University, Orem, UT
Adjunct Instructor
BESC 107G Multicultural Societies
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
2015 – 22 Research Associate
Institute for Immigration, Globalization, and Education.
University of California, Los Angeles – Los Angeles, CA
2021 – 22 Visiting Scholar
Center for Critical Race Studies in Education.
University of California, Los Angeles – Los Angeles, CA.
2017 – 21 Assistant Media Coordinator / Research Associate / Editor Center for Critical Race Studies in Education.
University of California, Los Angeles – Los Angeles, CA.
GRANTS, SCHOLARSHIPS & FELLOWSHIPS
2019 – 20 $6,600.00
University Fellowship
Office of Graduate Division Support – The University of California, Los Angeles
2007 – 19 ~$210,000.00
Gates Millennium Scholarship
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
2018 $500.00
University Fellowship
Office of Graduate Division Support – The University of California, Los Angeles
2014 $500.00
Learning Abroad Travel Grant Recipient to Costa Rica
Office for Global Engagement – The University of Utah
2013 – 14 $1,000.00
Community Alumni Internship Award
University Neighborhood Partners – The University of Utah
2010 $1,500.00
Field Study Travel Grant Recipient to Tonga & New Zealand
Kennedy Center – Brigham Young University
HONORS & AWARDS
2020 Pacific Island Scholar Award. Association for Social Anthropology in Oceania (ASAO) – Hilo, HI.
2019 Graduate Fellow. Summer Institute of Global Indigeneities (SIGI) – Seattle, WA.
2017 Leadership Fellow. National Pacific American Leadership Institute (NAPALI) – Honolulu, HI.
2016 Leadership Fellow. Pacific Islander Leaders of Tomorrow (PILOT) of Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC) – Los Angeles, CA.
2014 Leadership Fellow. Community Leadership Institute hosted by NeighborWorks America – Cincinnati, OH.
2007 – 19 Gates Millennium Scholar. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
CITIZENSHIP & COMMUNITY SERVICE
UNIVERSITY
BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY–HAWAII
2024 May – Present: Committee Member, Church History in the Pacific & Asia Conference
2024 May – 2024 June: Club Advisor, Australia Student Club
2023 December: Peer Reviewer, Intersections: Journal of Asia and Pacific Undergraduate Research
2023 November: Guest Judge & Closing Speaker, Pacific Studies Academic Club
2023 October – 2024 April: Committee Member, [Culture, Language & Performing Arts (CLAPA) Representative]; 2024 Undergraduate Research Conference (URC)
2023 October: Distinguished Guest, Pacific Islands Forum Simulation [Political Science]
2023 September: Guest Lecturer, Hospitality & Tourism 133 (Section 1): Introduction to Hospitality & Tourism; Hospitality & Tourism 133 (Section 2): Introduction to Hospitality & Tourism
2023 September: Guest Speaker,Tonga Club
2023 May: Guest Lecturer, Student Development 390R (Section 1): Critical Thinking
2023 January – 2023 June: Club Advisor, Beauty & Fitness Student Club
2022 December: Peer Reviewer, Intersections: Journal of Asia and Pacific Undergraduate Research
2022 October – 2023 February: Curriculum Support, Social Work Program
2022 October – 2023 January: Curriculum Support, Student Development Course
2022 October – 2023 April: Committee Member, [Culture, Language & Performing Arts (CLAPA) Representative]; 2023 Undergraduate Research Conference (URC)
FACULTY UNIT & PROGRAM
CULTURE, LANGUAGE & PERFORMING ARTS | PACIFIC STUDIES
2024 March – May: Chair, Pacific Studies Faculty Search Committee
2024 March: Co-Host, Pacific Studies 105 Combined Event: Introduction to Pacific Studies
2023 November: Guest Lecturer, Pacific Studies 105 (Section 3): Introduction to Pacific Studies
2023 September: Guest Presenter, Pacific Studies Academic Club
2023 March: Guest Lecturer, Pacific Island Studies 105 (Section 3): Introduction to Pacific Island Studies
2023 March: Guest Lecturer, Pacific Island Studies 105 (Section 3): Introduction to Pacific Island Studies
2023 March: Guest Lecturer, Pacific Island Studies 300 (Section 1): Framing Oceania; Pacific Island Studies 300 (Section 1): Framing Oceania
2022 August – December: PAIS Review Committee Member, Pacific Island Studies Program
2022 August – 2023 February: PAIS Curriculum Committee Member, Pacific Island Studies Program
COMMUNITY
ACADEMIC
2024 February – March: Reader (Academic), 40th Annual Hawai‘i Regional Meeting of Phi Alpha Theta
2024 January: Guest Co-Lecturer (Academic), University of Utah
2023 December – 2024 February: Examiner - Doctorate (Academic), Victoria University of Wellington - Pacific Studies
2023 May – 2024 January: Special Issue Co-Editor (Academic), Arts/Research International: A Transdisciplinary Journal
2022 December – 2023 February: Examiner - Master (Academic), University of Auckland, Pacific Studies
2022 November: Invited Co-Lecturer (Academic), University of Utah
2022 November: Guest Lecturer (Academic), University of California, Los Angeles
2022 September: Guest Presenter (Academic), Tongan Global Scholars
2022 August: Keynote Speaker (Academic), UCLA American Indian and Pacific Islander Webinar
2021 November: Invited Guest Lecturer (Academic), Macalester College
2021 November: Invited Guest Lecturer (Academic), MiraCosta College
2019 October: Invited Guest Lecturer (Academic), Macalester College
RELIGIOUS
2024 January – Present: Primary Activities Leader, Boys (Religious), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Laie 5th Ward
2023 April – December: Second Counselor of Elders Quorum (Religious), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Laie 5th Ward
2022 November – 2023 April: Primary Activities Leader, Boys (Religious), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Laie 5th Ward
2019 September – 2022 July: Ward Clerk (Religious), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Cannon 2nd Ward
PERSONAL
2024 January – March: U12 Rugby Coach (Personal), Lā‘ie Rugby Club
2023 July: Guest Speaker (Personal), Ikuna Education
2023 May – December: Equity Advisory Board (EAB) Member (Personal), NewSchools Venture Fund
2022 October – Present: Board Member | Secretary (Personal), Mana Academy Charter School
2021 November – 2022 October: Board Member (Personal), Mana Academy Charter School
2021 November: Invited Guest Lecturer (Personal), Utah Valley University & Orem Junior High School
2021 May – Present: Board Member (Personal), Empowering Pacific Islander Communities
2021 May: Invited Guest Presenter (Personal), 1-800-Contacts
2021 March: Invited Guest Presenter (Personal), Utah Valley University
2019 April: Invited Guest Panelist (Personal), The University of Utah Pacific Islander Imitative
2018 May: Invited Education Guest Panelist (Personal), California Asian Pacific Islander Policy Summit
2016 August: Invited Guest Speaker (Personal), Pomona College Asian American Resource Center
WORK EXPERIENCE
DELTA AIRLINES
2024 – Present: Ramp Agent (Honolulu, HI)
2017 – 24: Ramp Agent (Salt Lake City, UT)
2011 – 17: Customer Service Agent (Salt Lake City, UT)
UNIVERSITY APARTMENTS SOUTH – UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES
2018 – 19: Assistant Supervisor Apartment Coordinator (Los Angeles, CA)
2016 – 18: Apartment Coordinator (Los Angeles, CA)
UTAH WORKFORCE SERVICES: LIFTING YOUTH TO FUTURE EMPLOYMENT (LYFE)
2014 – 15: Tutor [Community College / GED / High School students] (Salt Lake City, UT)
LANGUAGES
Intermediate in Lea FakaTonga (Tongan), and Português (Portuguese)
CV Last Revised June 7, 2024