Charles Nainoa Thompson (born March 11, 1953) is an American Native Hawaiian navigator and the president of the Polynesian Voyaging Society.

[3][4] Thompson is a direct descendant of Alexander Adams and James Harbottle, foreign advisors of the Kingdom of Hawai'i, rancher John Palmer Parker, and King Kamehameha I.

[2][5] Thompson was trained by master navigator Mau Piailug from the island of Satawal.

In June 2014 he was made a commander of the Order of Tahiti Nui for his work with the Polynesian Voyaging Society.

The success of the Hōkūleʻa's leg trip from Rarotonga landing at Waitangi on 5 December 1985 has earned him honorary membership with other crew of the canoe among the Te Tai Tokerau Māori as part of a sixth iwi inducted by James Hēnare.