Dr. Keao Nesmith is a Linguist with a PhD in Applied Linguistics from the University of Waikato in Hamilton, New Zealand, with a focus on language teaching theory and practice and has presented papers at several academic conferences and universities around the world. He is a native of Kekaha, Kaua‘i, Hawaiian Islands, and a Hawaiian and English speaker. His interests are vast, spanning from language acquisition, archaeology, participation with Kaua‘i locals in the maintenance of and research on centuries-old cultural sites on Kaua‘i, Hawaiian material and performance culture, and Polynesian language and culture studies.