Derek Hoffmann — Executive Director
Born and raised in Honolulu, Derek Hoffmann's passion for photography was sparked by his love of the the ocean at Sandy Beach and refined on the waves of the North Shore after graduating from Kaiser High School in 1984.
In 1987, he had legendary water housing builder Taro Pascual design a custom water housing for his 8mm video camera, launching his filmmaking journey that quickly led to shooting 16mm film for directors Scott Dittrich and Mike McFadden—including water cinematography for the 1991 theatrical release of Rolling Thunder.
Mentored by the late Chris Bystrom, who flew him to Australia in 1990 to learn the craft of surf filmmaking, Derek traveled the globe in the early '90s filming for Rip Curl's legendary Search program alongside his close friend and collaborator, Sonny Miller.
Alongside his extensive surf media work, Derek built a prolific career as a camera operator, working on hundreds of episodes of primetime television, earning 7 Emmy nominations for Best Cinematography for his work on Survivor.
When Sonny Miller passed away suddenly in 2014, Derek stepped in to help the family, uncovering a massive collection of irreplaceable archival footage at risk of being lost to time.
His painstaking efforts to haul, organize, and preserve Miller's life work inspired the creation of Nalu TV and, ultimately, the Nalu Film Foundation.Today, Derek serves as the Executive Director of the Foundation, leading its mission to digitize, protect, and share historic moving images of surfing and action sports. He lives in his hometown of Honolulu with his wife.
Kamna Mishra Upadhyaya — Treasurer
Kamna is a strategic finance executive with over 30 years of global leadership experience spanning real estate, infrastructure, telecommunications, FMCG, investment banking, and hospitality.
Partnering closely with CEOs, boards, and executive leadership teams, she guides capital allocation, investment strategy, corporate governance, and enterprise performance to drive sustainable growth and long-term value creation.
Currently serving as Chief Financial Officer at J L Capital, she is based in Honolulu, Hawaii.
(Joe) Prabhas Upadhyaya — Secretary
Joe Prabhas Upadhyaya brings over 35 years of diverse professional experience and an Executive MBA (earned with honors) to the Nalu Film Foundation.
His background blends a well-rounded foundation in marketing, management, and finance with proven leadership as a decision-maker.Known for strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills, he has a long-standing track record of cultivating effective relationships with clients, senior management, and staff.
Currently serving as a Vice President at Hawaiian Agents Inc. in Honolulu, Joe applies his strategic business acumen and organizational expertise to support the foundation's mission of protecting and perpetuating cinematic surf history.
Board of Directors
Nathan Fletcher — Board Member
As the grandson of North Shore legend Walter Hoffman, son of surf icon Herbie Fletcher, and younger brother of aerial innovator Christian Fletcher, Nathan Fletcher was born into surfing's most storied dynasty. With that lineage came extraordinary ability and immense pressure; by age 12, he was already charging Pipeline and Waimea before stepping away in his teens to pursue motocross. He made an unforgettable return to the sport at the 1998 Gotcha Pro in Tahiti, posting back-to-back perfect 10s on a then-unknown wave called Teahupoo.
Fletcher's career is defined by a relentless pursuit of the ocean's most consequential moments, from helping ignite the modern paddle-in big wave movement at Mavericks in 2008 to conquering a historic 30-foot monster at Teahupoo. That same instinctive, all-in commitment now drives his work off the water.
As a board member of the Nalu Film Foundation, Nathan brings a deep personal investment to preserving vital surf history—including the extensive archival footage of his father Herbie, which is proudly housed within the Nalu Vault.
Herbie Fletcher — Board Member
Herbie Fletcher is a true surf legend, shaper, innovator, and the patriarch of surfing's most influential dynasty. After securing a Clark Foam franchise in the Hawaiian Islands and honing his craft, he opened the Herbie Fletcher Surf Shop in Dana Point, where his signature slogan, "The Thrill is Back," captured the explosive energy of a new era in surfing.
An unstoppable pioneer, Herbie revolutionized the sport by inventing Astrodeck traction pads, mastering the outer reefs as a jet ski trailblazer, and helping develop the techniques behind modern tow-in surfing. His landmark Wave Warriors and Astrodeck video series became some of the most iconic and culturally defining films in surfing history.
Today, that legacy lives on through the entire Fletcher family—including sons Christian and Nathan, and grandson Greyson—who remain central figures across surf, skate, and snow communities. As a board member of the Nalu Film Foundation, Herbie helps steward the very cinematic history and culture he helped shape, with his extensive personal archives proudly preserved in the Nalu Vault.
Rick Haynes — Board Member
Rick Haynes is the owner of Haynes Properties LLC and Haynes Real Estate Investments, with offices in Fresno and Arroyo Grande. He also owns the HomeVestors Franchise for the Central Valley Fresno area, establishing it as one of the fastest-growing franchises in the Western United States. His companies focus on purchasing and rehabilitating single- and multi-family residences for the homeowner and investor markets, maintaining a rental portfolio, and offering investment returns on First Trust Deeds.
A cum laude graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Rick maintains professional memberships with the Pismo Coast Association of Realtors, Fresno Association of Realtors, the California Bureau of Real Estate, and the National Association of Realtors. Outside of his professional ventures, he is an avid pilot whose personal passions include golf, sailing, and scouting new properties to restore.
Rick joins the Nalu Film Foundation Board of Directors in honor of his brother, the late Larry Haynes—a celebrated filmmaker whose invaluable cinematic archives and films are proudly preserved and managed by the Foundation.
Staff
Richard Cheski
Richard Cheski developed a lifelong love for surfing and the ocean while growing up on the island of O'ahu. He first picked up a camera at age thirteen and hasn't stopped shooting since. He went on to study Photography and Film at the University of Utah, where he discovered a new parallel passion for snowboarding and filmmaking.
By combining action sports with professional cinematography, Richard built a global career working as an Adventure Sports Photographer and Cinematographer for commercial clients. Today, he and his wife live in Orange County, California. Bringing comprehensive digital media expertise across photography and cinema production, Richard serves as the foundation's lead archivist, meticulously scanning and digitizing the priceless history inside the Nalu Vault.
Craig Hoffmann
Craig Hoffmann has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Communication, with an emphasis on video, television, and film production and editing.
Craig has worked on the sets of major feature films and episodic television productions in the grip, electric, props, and set dressing departments, gaining experience across many aspects of professional production.
As an independent filmmaker, Craig produced and directed "The Freddy P Project – Interrogation" (2006) and "The Seven Mile Miracle "(2007). In 2010, he co-produced, co-directed, and edited the award-winning documentary "Fiberglass and Megapixels".
Craig serves as a producer and editor for the Nalu Film Foundation, combining his lifelong connection to surfing with his passion for storytelling and filmmaking. He lives on Oʻahu with his wife and their two children.
