Kaui Cassandra Nichols

About Kaui Cassandra Nichols

I build strategic systems and culturally grounded evaluation frameworks that help community-rooted organizations measure impact, tell their stories, and advance equity on their own terms.My path has been creative and nonlinear. I began in photography, branding, and entrepreneurship, learning how to communicate clearly, think visually, and design tools that scale. Over the past 10 years, I’ve brought those skills into the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors, focusing on evaluation, strategy, and systems change grounded in Indigenous values.What I bring:• A multidisciplinary background spanning design, youth development, operations, and philanthropy• Deep experience in building evaluation systems that are culturally relevant, equity-driven, and actionable• A talent for translating complex data into visual, compelling, and community-accessible insights• A track record of improving systems, supporting organizational growth, and fostering cross-sector collaborationWhere I lead and make impact:• At Consuelo Foundation, I support ʻāina-based nonprofits through evaluation strategy, systems design, and strategic capacity building focused on Native Hawaiian well-being• At NRDS, I led onboarding and data system design for over 30 organizations, contributed to a major funder partnership, and co-developed tools that enhanced impact storytelling and cross-organizational reporting• At Ho‘okua‘āina, I co-led organizational growth by building mentorship pipelines, integrating evaluation tools, and tripling program capacity through operations rooted in cultural values• Through Change with Data, my consultancy, I support nonprofits with culturally responsive evaluation, digital strategy, and design. I produce impact reports, websites, and storytelling tools that align with community voice and purposeGrounded in mentorship from Indigenous leaders, I’m committed to systems that reflect reciprocity, accountability, and long-term impact. I believe in work that is relational, strategic, and rooted in place.He Aliʻi Ka ʻĀina; He Kauwā ke KanakaIf you’re working at the intersection of community, data, and systems or simply exploring it, I’d love to connect, learn together, and exchange ideas.You can grab time with me here: https://tidycal.com/kaui/coffee-and-vibes

Experience

1. Data and Evaluation Manager

   Honnold Foundation

   Jun 2025 — Present

   Building data and evaluation systems rooted in equity, clarity, and community impact.

Education

• Loyola Marymount University

  Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia