Indigenous people are often hesitant to participate in research projects because they lack trust in researcher intentions. In this article, we explore the critical role that Indigenous boundary spanners play in research conducted with Indigenous communities through our research on oceans and human health. Our analysis centers around five principles where Indigenous boundary spanners significantly influence the research process. Centering work around 'ohana (family), being intentional around where to collect data, approaching the work with humility knowing that the community are the experts, cultivating team members’ knowledge of community through conversations, and challenging assumptions within the institution are all aspects of research that must be considered when working with Indigenous communities. Including Indigenous community members and Indigenous scholars as part of teams can improve these aspects of research and begin the process of (re)building trust with Indigenous communities.