Maki’ilei was born, raised, and currently resides in Kāneʻohe. She holds a B.A. in Theatre from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, works as a company actress at the Honolulu Theatre for Youth and is the Assistant Manager of Palikū Theatre. Some of her recent credits include HTY’s “Shocka: the story of Energy and Hawaiʻi”, “Little Big Eye”, “Extraordinary Stories from an Ordinary ʻOhana”, and “Masters of the Currents”, UHM “Lāʻieikawai”, Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī Coalition “Mai Poina” (IolaniPalace), and PT “Tales of Koʻolau Poko”. In her spare time she can be found singing in the Oʻahu music scene and volunteering with the Kāneʻohe Kiwanis Club. As a kanaka maoli artist she strives to incorporate ʻike Hawaiʻi/ ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi in all aspects of her personal & professional life. E ola mau ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi.