KAWAI MATTHEWS is a director who specializes in storytelling with emotional appeal and an elevated visual style. Whether she’s working on a Netflix special, the BET Awards, ABC’s Global Citizen Festival or the hit Facebook Watch series, Cardi Tries, her combination of skill, vision and work ethic proves to be a winning combination for a versatile range of projects.
As a DGA director working with some of the world’s biggest stars, Kawai has completed projects for BET, ABC, NBC, Netflix, Disney, Meta, and other high-profile networks and brands.
For Matthews, the most important aspect of her job is creating space for the talent, crew and collaborators to do their best work. In addition, she approaches each project as fertile ground for visions to come to life, unearthing the magic beneath the surface of each story.
Kawai is a UC Berkeley alum and founder of the creator empowerment brand, Thriving Artist.

KAWAI MATTHEWS is a director who specializes in storytelling with emotional appeal and an elevated visual style. Whether she’s working on a Netflix special, the BET Awards, ABC’s Global Citizen Festival or the hit Facebook Watch series, Cardi Tries, her combination of skill, vision and work ethic proves to be a winning combination for a versatile range of projects.
As a DGA director working with some of the world’s biggest stars, Kawai has completed projects for BET, ABC, NBC, Netflix, Disney, Meta, and other high-profile networks and brands.
For Matthews, the most important aspect of her job is creating space for the talent, crew and collaborators to do their best work. In addition, she approaches each project as fertile ground for visions to come to life, unearthing the magic beneath the surface of each story.
Kawai is a UC Berkeley alum and founder of the creator empowerment brand, Thriving Artist.