About NIGL

At The Napua Initiative for Global Learning (NGL), we create transformative, culturally immersive study abroad experiences rooted in Hawaiian values and global citizenship. Our team designs and coordinates short-term academic programs—like our flagship winter immersion in Thailand—providing students with hands-on learning, cross-cultural engagement, and meaningful connections. From curriculum development to on-the-ground support, NGL ensures every journey is intentional, educational, and deeply enriching.

The Mission of NIGL

The Napua Initiative for Global Learning (NIGL) empowers underrepresented and local communities of Hawai‘i through transformative global experiences. By fostering educational, cultural, and professional exchange, we inspire individuals to broaden their worldview, deepen their self-awareness, and bring meaningful change back to their families, communities, and islands.

The Vision of NIGL

Our vision is to cultivate a globally connected Hawai‘i—one where cultural exchange, mutual understanding, and education ignite personal growth and community impact. Rooted in the legacy of Donalyn Napua-Kalei, we strive to bridge local and international communities, honoring Hawai‘i’s heritage while building a more compassionate and interconnected world.

The Legacy of Donnalyn Napua Kalei

The Napua Initiative for Global Learning (NIGL) was born from the spirit, resilience, and aloha of a woman who embodied what it means to live with purpose—Donnalyn Napua Kalei. A daughter of Hawai‘i, a lifelong advocate, and a bridge between cultures, Napua’s life serves as both the foundation and inspiration of our organization.

Raised in Kāne‘ohe, O‘ahu, Napua was deeply rooted in her Hawaiian identity, yet always open to the world beyond the islands. At a young age, her journey took a bold and unexpected turn—she was discovered by a Japanese modeling scout and invited to live and work in Japan. There, she didn’t just model; she learned the language, built a life abroad, and formed bonds that crossed cultures and borders. Her time in Japan ignited a lifelong passion for global connection, but even then, her heart remained with the people of Hawai‘i.

Upon returning home, Napua turned her global perspective inward—toward healing, justice, and empowerment. She worked tirelessly for Hawai‘i’s most vulnerable communities, serving at the Big Island Substance Abuse Council, the Domestic Abuse Shelter, and Hawai‘i Community College’s Administration of Justice program. She became an outspoken advocate for Native Hawaiian rights, participating in the sovereignty movement and mentoring students who, like her, came from underserved and underrepresented backgrounds.

She believed that the world had something to teach us—but also that we had something important to offer in return. Her life was a testament to this exchange: learning from the world and giving back to her people.

It is this legacy that inspired the creation of the Napua Initiative for Global Learning.

At NIGL, we believe in the power of exposure—to new cultures, new ideas, and new ways of being. We believe that when local and underrepresented students from Hawai‘i travel beyond their shores, they not only learn about the world, they return home changed: empowered, expanded, and ready to serve their communities in deeper and more meaningful ways.

We carry Napua’s name and spirit in all that we do. Her life reminds us that cultural exchange is not a luxury—it is a form of leadership. That travel is not an escape—it is a return, a re-grounding in what matters most. And that when we invest in our youth, we are building a future where Hawai‘i’s values of aloha, kuleana, and ‘ohana shape the global conversation.

Through NIGL, Napua’s legacy lives on in every student who dares to dream beyond the horizon and bring those dreams back to uplift their people.

Our People

Edward Makoto Johns, Ed.D. (Eddie)

Founder & Executive Director

Dr. Edward “Eddie” Johns is an educator, global learning advocate, and cross-cultural program designer from Hilo, Hawaiʻi, who divides his time between Hawaiʻi and Bangkok, Thailand. He is the founder of The Napua Initiative for Global Learning (NIGL)—named in honor of his mother, Donnalyn Kalei—with the vision of building transformative, place-based educational programs that connect communities through sustainability, cultural exchange, and global citizenship.

Rooted in his identity as a Native Hawaiian and Japanese American, Dr. Johns brings a culturally responsive lens to his work, blending Indigenous values with international experience. His career spans over 15 years of leadership in teacher education, curriculum innovation, and immersive learning programs across Hawaiʻi, Thailand, China, and beyond.

Dr. Johns holds an Ed.D. in Organizational Change and Leadership from the University of Southern California and earned both his M.A. in Counseling Psychology and B.A. in Psychology and Sociology from the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. He also holds teacher licensure in Hawaiʻi with endorsements in Psychology and TESOL.

His roles have included:

Director of Student Services at Mahidol University International Demonstration School (MUIDS) in Thailand
Lecturer at Chulalongkorn University
Foreign expert and curriculum developer at Hailiang Foreign Language School in China
Clinical Instructor and faculty mentor at Moreland University, where he’s guided over 100 graduate-level teacher candidates

Through NIGL, Dr. Johns now leads programs like the Thailand Winter Immersion Program (BE Global Camp), which bridges academic study and cultural immersion. His leadership reflects a commitment to uplifting students through experiential learning grounded in cultural humility, ecological awareness, and social equity.