Venus Kauʻiokawēkiu Rosete-Medeiros

Venus Kauʻiokawēkiu Rosete-Medeiros is a transformative leader, cultural practitioner, and fierce advocate for Hawaiʻi’s most vulnerable youth. As the first female President and CEO of Hale Kipa since its founding in 1970, she brings heart-centered leadership and systems-level vision to an organization deeply rooted in healing and hope. Her work spans the intersection of juvenile justice reform, child welfare transformation, and community-based mental health, always anchored in Hawaiian values and trauma-informed care.

Born and raised in Hawaiʻi, Venus carries forward the legacy of her kūpuna by embedding ʻŌlelo Noʻeau, moʻolelo, and pilina into her advocacy and organizational strategy. She co-chaired the Mālama ʻOhana Working Group, a legislative initiative to reimagine foster care through a Native Hawaiian lens, and has advanced initiatives that center cultural identity, equity, and preventative care for keiki and ʻohana impacted by systems of harm.

Known to many as the “Passion Sherpa,” Venus inspires others to walk boldly in their purpose. Whether she’s crafting policy, speaking at conferences, or mobilizing community response to youth in crisis, she leads with unwavering compassion, fierce determination, and the belief that Hawaiʻi’s future is worth fighting for.

Her vision is clear: to uplift every child with the dignity, opportunity, and belonging they deserve and to ensure no one is left behind in the pursuit of justice and aloha.