President: Kimokeo Kapahulehua is and has been the driving force of ‘Ao‘ao O Nä Loko I‘a O Maui since 2000. His excitement and commitment in restoring Kö‘ie‘ie is infectious to all. He is an invaluable cultural resource for Maui and is well-known for his strong leadership skills and volunteer efforts. Among them include founding the Hawaiian Outrigger and Canoe Voyaging Society and serving as President of the Kīhei Youth Center and Kīhei Canoe Club. He is a leader in numerous native plant and coastal sand dune restoration projects and has worked as the cultural ambassador at The Fairmont Kea Lani. In 2005, Kimokeo received the prestigious National Volunteer of the Year Award from NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. For more information on Kimokeo, go to his website at www.kimokeo.org

Vice President: David Mackwell has been a board member of ‘Ao‘ao O Nä Loko I‘a O Maui for five years and in 2008, was elected as Vice President. Dave’s interest in caring for Kö‘ie‘ie began in 1997 when he became concerned about extraordinarily large algal blooms affecting Kö‘ie‘ie Fishpond and Maui’s southern shoreline. This encouraged him to serve as Chairman of Mayor Apana’s Seaweed Taskforce. He is also an active Maui Coastal Land Trust board member and has served as a board member of the Kīhei Community Association for ten years while serving one year as President and Environmental Committee Chair.

Treasurer/Secretary: Richard McCarty brings a versatile array of experiences to our program including being an active seven year member of Nä Koa Kau I Ka Meheu O Nä Küpuna, a Hawaiian cultural group that has restored Kö‘ie‘ie Fishpond and practices native traditions and culture. One of the most valuable association contributions that Richard makes is his ability to practice law. He has done so for over thirty years and has a wide base of professional legal experience concerning administrative hearings as well as reading and interpreting laws, rule, and regulations. He has also worked as a humpback whale volunteer research assistant and was a boat captain for the Center for Whale Studies for over ten years.

Board Member: Robert Howerton makes a great contribution to the marine science aspects of our project and has worked actively with the restoration of Moloka‘i’s fishponds. As a University of Hawai‘i Sea Grant Extension Agent, Robert’s areas of expertise include aquaculture, water quality and integrated agriculture-aquaculture systems. He volunteers his time with our education program by hosting marine science stations whenever the opportunity is available.

Board Member: Alex de Roode is the newest member of our board and brings an exciting background of sustainability to our project. He currently serves as Executive Director of the Sustainable Living Institute of Maui. He has a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Economics and International Affairs at the University of Colorado at Boulder and a Master of Science degree in Bioresource Engineering at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. Through formal and informal education, Alex has acquired extensive knowledge in the areas of renewable energy, energy efficiency, waste management, green and natural building, sustainable agriculture, sustainable development, and ecological systems.