Meet the Editors
Tanner Haworth, Editor in Chief
Tanner is a senior majoring in journalism going into his second year as the Editor in Chief of Ka Leo O Hawaiʻi. Heʻs pursued journalism since coming to UH M ānoa in 2019 and has also worked for ESPN Honolulu since 2020, UHʻs radio broadcaster for athletics. Born and raised on Oʻahu, he derives his love of sports and journalism from his time as a former high school athlete wanting to continue his passion for sports after injuries.
Dwight Byrum, Managing Editor
Dwight is a senior majoring in journalism, well integrated with UH both as a member of Ka Leo and as the Treasurer of The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ). Spring 26’ will be his second semester as Managing Editor. Born and raised in California, he aims to pursue a masters degree in journalism abroad and eventually work in investigative journalism or as a war correspondent.
Love Akina, Chief Copy Editor
Love Akina (they/them) is a senior English and French double major. They were born and raised in Hawai‘i immersed in their native Hawaiian and Japanese culture. Some of their hobbies are playing piano, reading, and baking scones. Their ongoing project in the Honors Program is to write part of a novel exploring non-Western relationships and themes of performance in daily life. After graduation in Fall 2026, their plan is to teach English in France with the TAPIF program. As Chief Copy Editor, they want to preserve the writing quality of English and ‘Olelo Hawai‘i news and make articles accessible and interesting.
Nicole Lawler, Sports Editor
Nicole is a Junior in a self-designed major, looking to pursue advertising. Originally from North Dakota, she hears "I've never met anyone from there,” more than her own name. She owns a photography business named Sol Snaps, where she recruits students as models, and primarily does editorial work and passion projects. Although the Sports Editor, she does a lot of work in conservation in Hawai’i for both leisure and news. On the weekends, you’ll catch her bodysurfing, hiking, or rock climbing – usually camera in hand. Fun fact: she hasn’t fallen off of a bucking horse, but has fallen off of a walking horse.
Alec Johnson, Photography Desk Editor
Alec Johnson (he/him) is a sophomore majoring in cinematic arts and marine biology, aspiring to tell conservation stories. He began seriously pursuing photography in high school, with the long-term goal of capturing marine life in its natural habitat. He found a niche in live music photography, capturing performances in his home town of Seattle. With Ka Leo, he covers UH Mānoa sports, local and campus events, as well as campus concerts. In addition to his role as photo editor, he continues to pursue music photography while beginning to explore wedding and portraiture work.
Paige Lum, Social Media Lead
Paige Lum is a sophomore majoring in Cinematic Arts who also hopes to pursue a secondary major in Journalism. This lover of anime, video games, and alternative music wants to make it big in both fields of study. In the news world, she wishes to provide true, unbiased facts to the public. In cinema, she has dreams to walk on a red carpet or to help edit a future hit movie. Most of all, she hopes to also one day write a good story that makes an impact on others. As a social media editor, she strives to get as much viewership to Ka Leo as possible while providing her own touch of video journalism in the process.
Quinn Gladstone-Lamas, Design Lead
Quinn is a senior year art major on the UH sailing team. She is from Newport Beach California and was raised doing ceramics and painting. Quinn is a digital and film photographer, and a graphic designer. On her weekends, she spends her time at the beach. This will be her second year as Ka Leo’s design lead.
Phuong Pham, Web Editor
Phuong-Phuong Pham is a junior pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. Born and raised in Hanoi, Vietnam, he moved to Hawaii in 2013. Phuong is the Web Editor. Outside of school, he loves experimenting with creative projects, from coding small apps to designing digital art. He is excited to be part of Ka Leo, where he hopes to combine his passion for technology and design to create engaging digital experiences.
Nerissa Roxas, Print Editor
Nerissa is a print editor for Ka Leo and a junior graphic designer for Manoa Now’s design team. With her constant pursuit to get into the Bachelors of Fine Arts program, she is honing her skills to be a part of the design industry. She began pursuing graphic design early on from high school in Waipahu and thanks to their academic programs, she was introduced early to the Adobe Creative Suites software. She now uses her passion and experience to learn about the marketing and communication aspects of designing projects. It’s not just about the aesthetic, but the overall user experience.
Leanne Joy Ramel, Copy Editor
Leanne Joy is the Associate Copy Editor for Ka Leo, she is a junior pursuing a Bachelor’s in Cinema with a minor in Psychology. She was born in the Philippines and raised on Oʻahu. After graduating, she plans to work as a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) while taking a gap year before pursuing her master’s degree to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). She’s still sharpening her skills in creative programs, determined to keep video editing close to heart as she continues telling stories frame by frame.