Kiblas joins OneReef after serving as Director of the Bureau of Cultural and Historical Preservation within Palau’s Ministry of Human Resources, Culture, Tourism, and Development. Prior to that, Kiblas was the National Coordinator of the Global Environment Fund (GEF) Small Grants Program in Palau.
Kiblas graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology at the University of Hawaii at Hilo and a Master of Arts degree in Pacific Studies at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand. Her Master’s thesis explored the idea of reforming Palau’s education system with a focus on cultural Palauan identity and heritage as the foundational core.
Kiblas is passionate about and interested in Palauan traditional ecological knowledge and has published papers on cultural keystone plants in Palau and the role of taro fields and mangroves in protecting coral reefs. She has lectured in anthropology at the local community college and has been involved with Palauan youth and women’s groups.
Kiblas is also a well‑known local musician. She released her first solo album in 2022, performs regularly across Palau, and plays guitar with her church choir in Ngaraard.