brian keaulana
FOUNDER & PRESIDENT
Brian Keaulana, eldest son of legendary Hawaiian waterman Richard “Buffalo” Keaulana, is an internationally renowned waterman, ocean safety expert, and Hawaiʻi Waterman Hall of Fame inductee. Raised in Mākaha and immersed in the ocean from an early age, Brian has carried forward his family's legacy of ocean knowledge, service, and aloha. A former City and County of Honolulu lifeguard and Leeward District Captain, he helped revolutionize modern ocean rescue through the use of personal watercraft and rescue sleds.
Brian is co-founder of Hawaiian Water Patrol and the Big Wave Risk Assessment Group (BWRAG), where he serves as Chief Master Instructor. For decades, he has shared his expertise in ocean safety, rescue, and risk management with surfers, lifeguards, first responders, law enforcement, and military special operations personnel, including U.S. Navy SEALs. His ocean expertise has also led to an extensive career in the film industry as a stuntman, stunt coordinator, water safety specialist, and second-unit director.
As Founder and President of Hoʻomaʻa Foundation and Contest Director of the Buffalo Big Board Surfing Classic, Brian continues his lifelong commitment to protecting people in the ocean, preserving Hawaiʻi's waterman culture, serving his community, and passing generations of ocean knowledge on to those who follow.