The HSF Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors are volunteers who donate countless hours to planning, organizing, and hosting the conference each year.
Julia Brotman, President of HSF
Julia is an entertainment and intellectual property attorney at Settle Meyer Law in Honolulu. HSF has always been a big part of her life; Charles (her dad) first brought her to HSF on Kaua'i when she was 11 years old. While in college, HSF inspired her to pursue a career on the business side of the music industry so she could help songwriters create and share their music. She went to law school so she could understand the laws that govern the music industry and become an effective advocate for music creators. Licensed to practice law in both Hawai'i and California, she has been an active intellectual property and entertainment lawyer since 2017. Through her work with HSF and the Creative Lab Hawai'i program, she is committed to supporting local artists and bridging the gap between the "mainstream" entertainment industry and our creative community here in the islands.
Julia is an entertainment and intellectual property attorney at Settle Meyer Law in Honolulu. HSF has always been a big part of her life; Charles (her dad) first brought her to HSF on Kaua'i when she was 11 years old. While in college, HSF inspired her to pursue a career on the business side of the music industry so she could help songwriters create and share their music. She went to law school so she could understand the laws that govern the music industry and become an effective advocate for music creators. Licensed to practice law in both Hawai'i and California, she has been an active intellectual property and entertainment lawyer since 2017. Through her work with HSF and the Creative Lab Hawai'i program, she is committed to supporting local artists and bridging the gap between the "mainstream" entertainment industry and our creative community here in the islands.
Charles Michael Brotman, HSF Board Member (former President) and Director of the Creative Lab Hawaii Music Immersive
Charles is a musician/composer/producer with decades of experience in the music industry. He owns the Lava Tracks Recording Studio and is the president and founder of Palm Records, both located in Waimea on the Big Island. He has received several awards and nominations, including multiple Nā Hōkū Hanohano awards and one Grammy win. When he is not busy with the Hawai'i Songwriting Festival or touring Japan with his instrumental guitar trio Kohala, he spends his time in the studio co-writing and producing as much new music as possible.
Charles is a musician/composer/producer with decades of experience in the music industry. He owns the Lava Tracks Recording Studio and is the president and founder of Palm Records, both located in Waimea on the Big Island. He has received several awards and nominations, including multiple Nā Hōkū Hanohano awards and one Grammy win. When he is not busy with the Hawai'i Songwriting Festival or touring Japan with his instrumental guitar trio Kohala, he spends his time in the studio co-writing and producing as much new music as possible.
Maelan Abran
Maelan is a Singer, Songwriter and Recording Artist from the island of Hawaiʻi. She has attended the festival every year since 2007 and is a strong advocate for the Hawaiʻi Songwriting Festival throughout the community and other industry events held on the US Mainland. With multiple song syncs on networks such as FOX, CBS, Starz, MTV and more she has been a great example of the success that can come from attending HSF. As a multifaceted singer, her artistry has led her to write and release music from mixed genres including her latest full length album “Time Is Now” which received two Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards nominations and provided her the opportunity to become an artist signed to Think Music, Inc. Maelan hopes that the Hawai'i Songwriting festival continues to thrive in bringing more opportunities to songwriters from Hawai'i and beyond to have their music heard by those who can make a difference and to aid in building the bridge that connects the music industry of Hawaii to the rest of the world.
Maelan is a Singer, Songwriter and Recording Artist from the island of Hawaiʻi. She has attended the festival every year since 2007 and is a strong advocate for the Hawaiʻi Songwriting Festival throughout the community and other industry events held on the US Mainland. With multiple song syncs on networks such as FOX, CBS, Starz, MTV and more she has been a great example of the success that can come from attending HSF. As a multifaceted singer, her artistry has led her to write and release music from mixed genres including her latest full length album “Time Is Now” which received two Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards nominations and provided her the opportunity to become an artist signed to Think Music, Inc. Maelan hopes that the Hawai'i Songwriting festival continues to thrive in bringing more opportunities to songwriters from Hawai'i and beyond to have their music heard by those who can make a difference and to aid in building the bridge that connects the music industry of Hawaii to the rest of the world.
Chaz Umamoto
Çhaz Umamoto, Hawai’i’s A&R, is a multiple Nā Hōkū Hanohano award-winning songwriter, and music producer. Chaz is the CEO, & co-founder of the local music agency, Craft Brewz Music, and the songwriting-production team, TheBrewz. Since 2017 Craft Brewz Music have hosted 20+ private writing camps; worked on over 500+ songs, including high-profile collaborations with Grammy-nominated artist Kimié Miner, 2x Nā Hōkū Hanohano award-winning rapper Thomas Iannucci, PARTYFOUL ex-CROSSING RAIN, Ragamuffs, Sonny Sandoval, lead singer of multi-platinum band P.O.D., former After School K-pop Idol Bekah Kim and many more; landed 300 license placements. In addition to their creative services Craft Brewz Music also serves as the catalog managers of
Pat Boone’s Gold Label, 4x Grammy Award Winning artist Kalani Pe’a, Imua Garza’s Zeo Music, Kimié Miner.
Chaz also serves as a board member, and music programmer for Spectra Foundation, a local creative arts organization committed to raising the value of modern art funding in the islands. Spectra Foundation is also the facilitator of our local chapter of Creative Mornings.
Prior to joining the HSF board, Chaz first attended the conference after winning a scholarship for a songwriting contest in his college creative writing class at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa in 2011. He often credits his attendance as the primary accelerator in his 20+ years in the music industry.
Çhaz Umamoto, Hawai’i’s A&R, is a multiple Nā Hōkū Hanohano award-winning songwriter, and music producer. Chaz is the CEO, & co-founder of the local music agency, Craft Brewz Music, and the songwriting-production team, TheBrewz. Since 2017 Craft Brewz Music have hosted 20+ private writing camps; worked on over 500+ songs, including high-profile collaborations with Grammy-nominated artist Kimié Miner, 2x Nā Hōkū Hanohano award-winning rapper Thomas Iannucci, PARTYFOUL ex-CROSSING RAIN, Ragamuffs, Sonny Sandoval, lead singer of multi-platinum band P.O.D., former After School K-pop Idol Bekah Kim and many more; landed 300 license placements. In addition to their creative services Craft Brewz Music also serves as the catalog managers of
Pat Boone’s Gold Label, 4x Grammy Award Winning artist Kalani Pe’a, Imua Garza’s Zeo Music, Kimié Miner.
Chaz also serves as a board member, and music programmer for Spectra Foundation, a local creative arts organization committed to raising the value of modern art funding in the islands. Spectra Foundation is also the facilitator of our local chapter of Creative Mornings.
Prior to joining the HSF board, Chaz first attended the conference after winning a scholarship for a songwriting contest in his college creative writing class at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa in 2011. He often credits his attendance as the primary accelerator in his 20+ years in the music industry.
Nitanee Paris
Nitanee Paris is the Director of A&R at ArtistMax, founded by legendary producer Ken Caillat (Fleetwood Mac, Colbie Caillat). She is also the Managing Partner at Marshmellow Skies Immersive Audio Studio, where her team won the 2024 Grammy for their work on Joni Mitchell''s at Newport live album. Paris is the Founder and Creative Director of the micro-sync label, Great Minds Sync Alike, with music credits including PARAMOUNT, CBS Sports, CMT, NETFLIX, MTV, NICKLEODEON, VH1, BET, BRAVO, The CW, HULU, VIACOM/CBS, Comedy Central, the HALLMARK CHANNEL, Apple Fitness, Peloton, NFL Football, and Dignity Health. She is a voting member of the Recording Academy, and she is on the Board of Directors of the Hawaii Songwriting Festival, the judging panel of the Intercontinental Music Awards, the SongArts Committee for the Society of Composers and Lyricists, and she is a professor of Songwriting at Cal Lutheran University.
Nitanee Paris is the Director of A&R at ArtistMax, founded by legendary producer Ken Caillat (Fleetwood Mac, Colbie Caillat). She is also the Managing Partner at Marshmellow Skies Immersive Audio Studio, where her team won the 2024 Grammy for their work on Joni Mitchell''s at Newport live album. Paris is the Founder and Creative Director of the micro-sync label, Great Minds Sync Alike, with music credits including PARAMOUNT, CBS Sports, CMT, NETFLIX, MTV, NICKLEODEON, VH1, BET, BRAVO, The CW, HULU, VIACOM/CBS, Comedy Central, the HALLMARK CHANNEL, Apple Fitness, Peloton, NFL Football, and Dignity Health. She is a voting member of the Recording Academy, and she is on the Board of Directors of the Hawaii Songwriting Festival, the judging panel of the Intercontinental Music Awards, the SongArts Committee for the Society of Composers and Lyricists, and she is a professor of Songwriting at Cal Lutheran University.
Kalenaku Parish
A multi-talented musician and leader in the Hawai’i music community, Kalenaku recently joined the board and has already made a huge difference, volunteering countless hours helping with our social media, communication, marketing, fundraising and graphic design. She and her husband, Kala‘e Parish also participated in the Creative Lab Immersive program in 2023. They live on the Big Island and are busy traveling and performing in addition to songwriting and collaborating with musicians all over the continent and in Hawai‘i. Kalenaku is the vice-president of the Hawai‘i Association of Recording Artists (HARA).
Kalenaku is the former keyboardist and vocalist for the group Kapena from 2006-2021. She was classically trained in piano and voice for over 10 years. Kalenaku grew up singing Hawaiian music and playing the ukulele with her father in Waikiki. She released her first Island Reggae single entitled, “Hideaway” in 2010 and with that release she earned her first Na Hoku Hanohano Award nomination. In 2017, Kalenaku along with the group Kapena released their first full length album together titled “Palena ‘Ole”. That release earned her four Na Hoku Hanohano Awards including Album Of The Year and Group Of The Year. In 2021, Kalenaku received her 5th Na Hoku Hanohano Award for Christmas Album Of The Year. She opened her non-profit 501(c)3 Music School called the Kapena School Of Music with classes running 6 days a week and over 300 active students. She continues performing while running the Kapena School Of Music as the school’s Executive Director.
A multi-talented musician and leader in the Hawai’i music community, Kalenaku recently joined the board and has already made a huge difference, volunteering countless hours helping with our social media, communication, marketing, fundraising and graphic design. She and her husband, Kala‘e Parish also participated in the Creative Lab Immersive program in 2023. They live on the Big Island and are busy traveling and performing in addition to songwriting and collaborating with musicians all over the continent and in Hawai‘i. Kalenaku is the vice-president of the Hawai‘i Association of Recording Artists (HARA).
Kalenaku is the former keyboardist and vocalist for the group Kapena from 2006-2021. She was classically trained in piano and voice for over 10 years. Kalenaku grew up singing Hawaiian music and playing the ukulele with her father in Waikiki. She released her first Island Reggae single entitled, “Hideaway” in 2010 and with that release she earned her first Na Hoku Hanohano Award nomination. In 2017, Kalenaku along with the group Kapena released their first full length album together titled “Palena ‘Ole”. That release earned her four Na Hoku Hanohano Awards including Album Of The Year and Group Of The Year. In 2021, Kalenaku received her 5th Na Hoku Hanohano Award for Christmas Album Of The Year. She opened her non-profit 501(c)3 Music School called the Kapena School Of Music with classes running 6 days a week and over 300 active students. She continues performing while running the Kapena School Of Music as the school’s Executive Director.