The Hawai'i Songwriting Festival Advisory Council

Our Advisory Council is appointed by the Board of Directors, and each member is selected as the Board's way to say "thank you" and acknowledge them for their commitment and contributions to our organization.
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Kenneth Makuakāne
Kenneth is a Record Producer, TV producer, Concert Promoter, Engineer, Songwriter, Recording Artist, Instrumentalist, Author, Storyteller, Lecturer, and Inspirational Speaker. He has won 17 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards and in 2015 he was recognized with a Nā Hōkū Hanohano Lifetime Achievement Award. Kenneth has been involved with KMF for many years, first serving on the Board of Directors and now sitting on the Advisory Council for the last three years. His ideas and expertise continue to drive the conference forward, making him an integral part of our organization. 
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Adam Zelkind
Adam is an eight-time award winning songwriter, composer, and producer who has created music for over 1,194 hit TV shows and feature films. He attended the Hawai'i Songwriting Festival for the first time in 2012, and immediately became a part of the 'ohana. Adam has helped us reach new attendees and staff members alike, introducing us to many of the top songwriters who we have been lucky to have on our staff in recent years. 
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Nitanee Paris
Nitanee Paris is an award-winning songwriter based in Malibu, California. She founded the Malibu Chapter of the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), and recently joined the staff of the Durango Songwriter's Expo. She has forged partnerships with many artists, composers, and producers and has a growing list of notable collaborators. She hosts music and charity events around the country and mentors young songwriters and artists as they navigate the music business. She has participated in the Hawai'i Songwriting Festival for several years and is thrilled to be on the advisory council.

Chaz Umamoto
Chaz is a multiple Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award winning songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. He grew up on Oahu and recently moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in music with his former band, Streetlight Cadence. He first came to the Hawai'i Songwriting Festival after winning a songwriting contest on Oahu, and since then he has been a strong supporter and ambassador for the conference.
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Frank Palazzolo
Frank is a music supervisor with Mad Doll Music, where he has worked on over 1,000 TV show episodes and 5 films, including The Path (Hulu), The Leftovers (HBO), Hemlock Grove (Netflix), Scorpion (CBS), Graceland (Fox), and Rise (NBC). Frank first joined the Hawai'i Songwriting Festival staff in 2013, and since then he has consistently provided our attendees and organizers with genuine, constructive feedback that is informed by his valuable experiences in the music industry as both a music supervisor and as a songwriter/producer. We appreciate Frank's contributions because he knows the music industry well, he believes in our mission, he shares our enthusiasm, and he understands why we do what we do.