Makamae Sniffen

Makamae Sniffen is a kupu of Wahiawā, nourished by the ʻike of her kūpuna, fed by the moʻolelo of her ʻohana. Her commitment to serving her kaiāulu and lāhui led her to pursue her doctorate in Educational Policy Studies. Previously, as a Program Coordinator, she wrote federal grants to fund Native student access to higher education and oversaw college programming for Hawaiian immersion and culture-based high schools.

Her research interests include History of 19th Century Indigenous Education and Educational Equity as reflected in her final Master’s project that elevated wāhine presence in a patriarchal-dominated history.

Conference Presentations

Sniffen, M. (February 2025), “Ka Leo Akaaka o ka Lehulehu o ke Koho Pāloka 1874 (The Distinct Voices of the 1874 Election).” Newberry Consortium for American Indian and Indigenous Studies (NCAIS) Graduate Student Showcase. Chicago, IL.

Sniffen, M. (November 2024) “I hea nā lei wāhine? (Where are the beloved women)”. History of Education Society Conference. Chicago, IL.

Day, A. & Sniffen, M. (January 2024) “He Mana Ka Moʻolelo: Grounding Peer Education Training in Indigenous Storytelling”. NASPA Peer Education Conference. San Francisco, CA.

Sniffen, M. (December 2022) “Growing Student Engagement through Indigenous Storytelling”. National Association of Student Personnel Administrators Leader’s Education Institute. New Orleans, LA.

Iwashita, K., Sniffen, M. (June 2022) “Supporting Native Hawaiian Students”. Native American Student Advocacy Institute. Phoenix, AZ.

Sniffen, M. (November 2021) “Queen Emma, Carrying Forward a Kingdom of Education”. History of Education Society Conference, San Diego, CA.

Sniffen, M. (November 2019) “Building an Education System and Understanding the Impacts”. American Studies Association. Honolulu, HI.

Sniffen, M. (November 2018) “Working Within the System”. History of Education Society. Albuquerque, NM.