Michelle Manu

Dr. Kumu Michelle Manu, JD, PhD, is a multi-disciplinarian and a lifelong elite athlete. She is a 10th-degree Black Belt in Hawaiian Lua, the only indigenous martial art of the Hawaiian people. She is a Kumu (teacher) of both the ancient and modern practices of Lua, carrying forward a warrior lineage that has been preserved for generations.

She earned a Juris Doctorate, business credentials from George Washington University, senior executive leadership credentials from Harvard Business School, and a PhD specializing in metaphysical counseling.

Beyond her academic and martial achievements, Michelle is a former touring Polynesian dancer. She is also a fight actress, host, producer, director, and cultural consultant in film, using media to share and preserve Hawaiian culture, warrior traditions, and bring awareness of who women warriors were in ancient times and today.