Kelley Lehuakeaopuna Uyeoka was born and raised in Kailua, Oʻahu and traces her ‘ohana lineage to the ‘āina of Puna and Kohala, Hawai‘i Island and Kīpahulu and Haneo‘o, Maui. She graduated from Kamehameha Schools, Kapālama, then received her B.A. in Cultural Anthropology and Pacific Island Studies from UH Hilo. In 2009 she received her Masters in Applied Archaeology and a Graduate Certificate in Historic Preservation from UH Mānoa. Kelley has worked for a number of cultural resource management companies on a variety of projects. She developed the Wahi Kūpuna Internship Program in 2010 and continues to serve as Program Director. In 2012 she helped to create Huliauapaʻa and serves as the Executive Director. Kelley is a founding member of the Kaliʻuokapaʻakai Collective and serves on its ʻAha Kuapapa (steering committee).