Korean Adoptees of Hawai'i, Inc. (KAHI), is a nonprofit member organization that serves as a resource and network for adult Korean adoptees living in Hawai'i. KAHI members meet twice monthly for meetings and activities such as discussion forums, informational workshops, film screenings, cultural education, community events, social gatherings and other relevant happenings.

Current members of the KAHI 'ohana represent a broad spectrum of backgrounds including kama'aina as well as newcomers. We have among our membership college students, artists, musicians, parents, teachers and business professionals, among many others.

Learn more about KAHI's membership structure here.

Officers and members of the board of directors volunteer their time apart from their jobs, families and academic responsibilities to help shape KAHI's goals and direction, in order to best serve the needs of the group.

Katie Putes, President
Katie is a founding member of KAHI and a senior at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa, majoring in English literature. Katie, who grew up on O'ahu, studied at Yonsei University in Seoul, Korea, in 2005. During that time, she reunited with her birth family. 

Ji In Lugtu, Vice President
Ji In is a founding member of KAHI and a freelance writer and editor. Ji In grew up in Iowa and lived in Minnesota for several years before she and her spouse moved to windward O'ahu. Ji In reunited with her Korean family in 2002 during her first return trip to Korea.

Peter Savasta, Treasurer
Peter is a founding member of KAHI and a professional Web developer. Peter moved to O'ahu in 2001 from his home state of New York, where he was a founding member and former president of Also-Known-As, an organization for intercountry adoptees and members of the international adoption community.

Lisa "Charlie" Ritts, Secretary
Charlie has been a member of KAHI since 2006. Currently a high school history teacher in Honolulu, Charlie earned her master's degree in Korean studies from the University of Washington. She has traveled to both North and South Korea, and has called O'ahu home since 2002.

Amanda Renee Kim Eun-Ja Lowrey Silva, Membership Director
Amanda joined KAHI in 2007. Amanda has been an active member of the international Korean adoptee community for several years. She co-founded Chicago Korean Adoptees in 2003 and Helping Adoptees Lead Together in 2004, and has volunteered at Camp Pride for Korean adoptee teens in Illinois since 2002.