Planting Opportunities for Kauaʻi’s Farmers

When I saw first saw Niki Kunioka-Volz’s name, I knew there was a story there. Her maternal great-great-grandparents came to Kauaʻi from Japan in 1890. They lived and worked out of Mana Camp, then later generations moved to Kukuiʻula fishing village and Kōloa. Her grandfather was a Lt. Colonel in the Army Reserves and a microbiologist for the Department of Health, and her grandmother worked within the County’s Agency on Elderly Affairs.

The Japanese lineage looms large in Niki’s story. Before I knew about any of her family history, I asked Niki about her hyphenated last name. Through her family’s stories, I sensed a strong spirit of independence. Her mother did not want to lose her name and its history to a system rigidly based on the husband’s last name.

My first question is usually, “Where were you born?” Well, Niki was born in Austin, Texas. Her mom, Sheri Kunioka, met her dad, Ed Volz, at a bar in Portland during a road trip from California to Canada. A few nights after meeting, Sheri totaled her car and the only phone number she had was Ed’s. Their relationship took hold while she stayed in Oregon to take care of the vehicular debacle, but the distance became a challenge after Sheri returned home to Kauaʻi.

The two eventually moved to San Francisco then to Austin with some encouragement from a friend. Niki was born in 1987, spending the first years of her life in an airstream in Texas while their house was being built. In 1989, after Niki’s sister, Lani, was born, the family moved back to Kapaʻa.

Niki attended Kapaʻa Missionary Preschool, then Kapaʻa Elementary, Middle and High School. In 2004, she left the island to go to the University of San Francisco. Niki is queer, and San Francisco has a long history of both tolerance and acceptance. Beyond that, she confessed to knowing virtually nothing about the city. Call it coincidence if you like, but remember, her parents spent two years there before she was born.

With a real affinity for the sciences, Niki’s original college plan was to explore Aeronautical Engineering. This took a turn during her senior year of high school, when her dad was diagnosed with stage four cancer and given six months to live without treatment.

Following his diagnosis, she decided to pursue medicine and a career as a research physician. She enrolled as an Exercise and Sports Science major, taking extra courses to keep her on the pre-med track.

In her senior year of college, Ed’s conditioned worsened. His cancer required experimental treatments that weren’t covered by insurance. As a result, his treatments were stalled because they were all trial therapies. The cost of these totally depleted the family’s funds, while the delays further compromised his health. He passed away shortly after Niki’s college graduation. Beyond the loss of money for medical school, her father’s mistreatment by the system made her rethink a future in the healthcare profession.

A childhood love of drafting and design, linked with a degree in human health and a reverence for nature, turned the page to her next chapter. She enrolled at Merritt College to study Landscape Architecture. During this time, she also worked in the food service industry, at the San Francisco Botanical Garden, then started doing landscape design.

The blood of Kauaʻi is in her veins and the island’s call is what brought her back. She wanted to serve the community, and luckily, she had always kept up with what was happening here.

She came back in 2018, with the thought of enrolling at UH Mānoa to get a master’s degree in Landscape Architecture. Instead, she was presented with an opportunity to work with Rep. Nadine Nakamura.

After a year at the legislature, a position opened at OED. It was part of the Climate Action Initiative supported by AmeriCorps VISTA. With an interest in nature-based climate solution and sustainable agriculture, she was eventually hired full time then switched roles to become the office’s Ag Specialist.

Like every other specialist at OED, her job incorporates a variety of responsibilities. She deals with invasive species management—from those green parakeets to the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle—and also serves as a conduit, connecting ag people with the right resources.

She oversees two types of agricultural-related grants. One is the Agriculture Farm Expansion Grant Program, which goes to small farmers to assist them in expanding their business. The program has helped many farmers, including Jerry Ornellas, the owner of Jerry’s Farm in Kapaʻa. We visited his farm and he showed us the completed septic system for a small rice milling operation, which was funded by the Agricultural Farm Expansion Grant. Long term, Jerry envisions a visitor’s center for ag tourism and possible working housing.

It was a joy seeing Niki’s passion for local agriculture through her and Jerry’s interaction. Her work in managing grants and ongoing efforts to champion the local farmer whenever she can make her one of the busiest people on the OED staff. Her work combines her enthusiasm and skills, bringing incredible value to her team and community as a whole. She is truly one of those individuals who are both from Kauaʻi and for Kauaʻi. I am so happy I got a chance to meet Niki and learn all about her life on this magnificent island.