Kealoha is the founder of HawaiiSlam, Youth Speaks Hawai`i (2008 International Champions), and First Thursdays (the largest registered slam poetry competition in the world with an average attendance of 600+).  He has served as Hawaii’s SlamMaster since 2003, and has been on the Artists in the Schools roster since 2005.  In the 6 years that Kealoha has represented Hawai`i at the National Poetry Slam, he has performed on the finals stage 4 times, finishing 8th individually out of 350 of the world’s best poets in 2007.  He has featured at major venues throughout the world including the Nuyorican poets cafe (New York City), the Bowery Poetry Club (New York City), the Green Mill (Chicago), the Schiffbau (Zurich, Switzerland), the Rokerij (Amsterdam, Netherlands), the Bienal do Ibirapuera (Sao Paulo, Brazil), and the 2007 NFL Pro Bowl halftime show.

In 2009, Kealoha was featured on HBO’s Brave New Voices series presented by Russel Simmons.  He is the poetic vocalist for Henry Kapono’s “Wild Hawaiian” project, whose album was nominated for a Grammy.  In the literature world, his poetry has been published by Bamboo Ridge, Wordstew, and the Honolulu Weekly.  His poetry performances have also been recorded on albums such as Hapa’s “Maui” (winner of 4 Na Hoku Hanohano awards and the Hawaii Music Award for “Album of the Year”), the Mana Maoli compilation (featuring Jack Johnson and John Cruz), and a full-length spoken word CD entitled Kealoha.  He has been featured 3 times on the “World’s Greatest Poetry Slam” DVD series (2004, 2005, 2007) and starred in the movie “Hawai`i Slam: Poetry in Paradise.”  Kealoha has made dozens of television appearances, including the State of Hawaii’s “Can’t Fool the Youth” anti-smoking campaign that he wrote, performed, and co-directed.

Kealoha has shared the stage with Jack Johnson (Multi-Platinum Recording Artist), Ben Harper (Multiple Grammy Winner), Willie Nelson (Multi-Platinum/Multi-Grammy Winner), Damian “Junior Gong” Marley (Multiple Grammy Winner), Jason Mraz (Grammy Nominee), Michael Franti (Spearhead), Don Carlos (Reggae Legend), Medusa (Grammy Winner), and countless numbers of slam poetry superstars.  He has also collaborated with local pioneers such as Henry Kapono (Grammy Nominee), Hapa (Multiple Na Hoku winners), Makana (Slack Key Virtuoso), Willie K (Grammy Nominee), and Jason Scott Lee (Actor).  Finally, he has conducted workshops at over 100 schools, libraries, prisons, and community centers throughout his career (including a Master’s Workshop at the Bamboo Ridge Writer’s Institute) alongside literary leaders such as Lois-Ann Yamanaka, Maxine Hong Kingston, and Lee Cataluna.

Beyond poetry, Kealoha co-wrote and played the lead role in a hip-hop theatre production entitled Chase, which sold out on every night of its original and encore runs.  He has also directed various productions including a sold out 1,400-seat show of the Vagina Monologues at Hawaii Theatre (featuring luminaries such as Lois-Ann Yamanaka, Nora Okja Keller, and Joy Harjo).  Kealoha graduated with honors from MIT with a degree in Nuclear Physics, served as a business consultant in San Francisco, and played around as a surf instructor prior to becoming a professional poet.