Chef Charles was born and raised in Lihue, Kauai. He has over a decade of experience in the culinary field, working at world-renowned restaurants and resorts such as Four Seasons Hualalai, Sam Choy’s, Roy’s, Four Seasons Beverly Hills at Wolfgang Puck’s Michelin-starred restaurant CUT, and the Michelin-starred French restaurant Knife Pleat at South Coast Plaza.

As one of the few Native Hawaiian chefs in the greater Los Angeles area, he provides an elevated experience of Hawaiian cuisine to some of Hollywood's biggest names. The values he learned from his humble beginnings, growing up in a malasada stand on Kauai with his mother, who was affectionately known as "the malasada lady," have stayed with him throughout his career. Inspired by these values, he founded Mālama Kōkua and invited leaders to help champion his vision.

Chef Charles also leads the Kona Coffee & Cream Grains for Good Program, which promotes Hawaii-made products and supports local agricultural programs and education back home.

Additionally, he is an Army veteran who served in the 871st Engineering Company in Hilo, Hawaii.

Chloe Berg is the Events Specialist at Mālama Kōkua. She is currently a student at University of Michigan studying Public Health. She just recently finished an internship on health equity with Kaiser Permanente and was the Pre-Health Chair for Mu Epsilon Delta, Beta Chapter. Chloe formerly worked at Thrive Juice Lab in Laguna Niguel to promote healthy eating and living, and she spearheaded the first Chef's Table Series to launch the organization in conjunction with Sprout's Farmers Market and Tanaka Farms in Irvine, California.

Chloe is of Chamorro descent, belonging to the indigenous people of the Marianas Islands. She enjoys exploring her Polynesian roots and deeply values the principles of Mālama Kōkua!