Edith ContrerasKaMele Kopplin

Manager of Institutional Giving & Development Operations

KaMele@VOCEL.org

KaMele joined the VOCEL team in November 2025 and is a welcome addition to the growing Development Team as the first person to step into this newly created role. Though her formal training is in restoration and ecosystem science, she has always been drawn to education. As the eldest of four sisters and someone passionate about helping future generations foster an early love for nature, KaMele has long been connected to the education world. She is thrilled to now fully immerse herself in this mission-driven work and to use her experience in process and database management to support VOCEL’s early education impact.

KaMele holds a Bachelor of Science from Colorado State University (CSU) in Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, with a minor in Plant Health. While at CSU, she began her fund development journey working in the Bioagricultural Pest Management Department and serving as captain of the CSU Wrestling Team. Most recently, KaMele worked with a conservation nonprofit in Hawaiʻi that focuses on reconnecting people to ʻāina (the land) through Native Hawaiian practices and protocols. She also continues to support her hometown’s Honokaʻa Heritage Center, coordinating community events and cultural programming. KaMele is excited to bring her varied experiences to VOCEL’s diverse work and community.

Deeply rooted in her Hawaiian and Filipino heritage, KaMele is passionate about food, ʻāina, and community. She loves Hawaiʻi culinary staples such as spam musubi, lumpia, kalua pork, ube, kalo, and ʻawa, and enjoys spending time outdoors camping, playing games, and appreciating the natural world. She is also an avid crafter and lifelong wrestler.