Leilani Combs grew up between San Diego, California and ʻAiea, Hawaiʻi. Growing up near the ocean has shaped both her lifestyle and her reporting. Now Leilani focuses her passion for the environment into stories around marine conservation, climate and science communication.

Leilani returned to Oʻahu this summer to join Civil Beat as a reporting intern after completing a master’s degree from the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism where she focused in filmmaking, video journalism and climate journalism. Having completed a masters project about shark field research in the New York Bight, she can’t wait to get in the water and meet some of her heroes.

Prior to her journalism career, Leilani completed a Bachelor of Science in marine biology at the University of Washington focusing in Arctic studies and marine birds and mammals.

A self-described “outside dog,” Leilani’s greatest comfort zone is in the realm of outdoor and adventure sports. Having spent almost a decade as a whitewater rafting guide, rock climber and more recently snowboarder, she’s someone who thinks life is better with a little dirt on it and looks forward to bringing that grit to her reporting here at Civil Beat.