Ellise Kakazu biography: 13 things about Miss Waikiki USA 2025

Who is Ellise Kakazu?

Ellise Midori Kakazu is a Hawaiian journalist, model and beauty queen from Waikiki, Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii, United States. Here are 13 more things about her:

1. She is a former resident of Ala Moana, Honolulu.
2. She is an alumna of the University of Hawaii at Manoa in Honolulu.
3. Her husband Mando Cayabyab is Filipino.
4. Her parents-in-law Armando Cayabyab and Victoria Cayabyab are from Pangasinan, Philippines.
5. She and Mando have one daughter together.
6. She is 5’3.5″ tall.
7. In 2016, she was a 64th Cherry Blossom Festival Queen candidate.
8. She was Miss Hawaii USA 2017 first runner-up.
9. She was Miss Hawaii USA 2018 first runner-up.
10. In 2018, she married Mando.
11. In 2019, she became a mother.
12. On May 23, 2024, she turned 33.
13. She was a Miss Hawaii USA 2025 finalist.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Miss Hawaii USA (@misshiusa)

TIMELINE

2015

• In May 2015, she graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
• On October 19, 2015, she started working at MidWeek, a newspaper based in Hawaii.

2016

• On January 10, 2016, she was introduced as one of the 15 candidates of the 64th Cherry Blossom Festival Queen competition, which was part of the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii’s New Year’s Ohana Festival.
• On March 26, 2016, she competed against 14 other 64th Cherry Blossom Festival Queen candidates at Sheraton Waikiki in Honolulu, which marked the first time she competed in a beauty pageant. She did not make it to the Top 5.
• On November 6, 2016, she represented Ala Moana at Miss Hawaii USA 2017 at the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu. She was runner-up to Julie Kuo.
• On December 28, 2016, she went to The Republik in Honolulu to watch Jhené Aiko‘s concert.

2017

• On May 14, 2017, she went to the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA to watch Miss USA 2017.
• In July 2017, she was featured in a Spectrum Hawaii television commercial.
• On November 19, 2017, she represented Oahu at Miss Hawaii USA 2018 at the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu. She was runner-up to Julianne Chu.

2018

• On May 5, 2018, she and Mando got married at the Sunset Ranch Hawaii in Pupukea, Pupukea, Ko’olauloa, Oahu.
• She graced the cover of the June-July 2018 edition of This Week Oahu magazine.
• In June 2018, she became the new editor of Dining Out, a weekly food publication produced by The Star Advertiser.

2019

• On June 1, 2019, she gave birth to her daughter at the Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children in Honolulu.

2020

• On June 1, 2020, she cooked coconut chicken noodle soup and put up some party decorations from Target to celebrate her daughter’s first birthday.

2024

• On August 4, 2024, she went to the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, California, USA to watch Miss USA 2024.
• On October 20, 2024, she announced her Miss Hawaii USA 2025 candidacy.

2025

• On March 22, 2025, she represented Waikiki at Miss Hawaii USA 2025 and competed against 16 other candidates at the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu. She finished in the Top 10.