The Maui Nui Botanical Garden Staff

Emily was raised in Minneapolis, MN, and has called Maui home since 2005. With over two decades of experience in conservation and education in Hawai‘i, she has been deeply involved in outreach and environmental stewardship within the community. She has worked with both Learning Endeavors and the Maui Nui Seabird Recovery Project, leading public education initiatives to raise awareness about coastal resiliency, native seabirds, and their vital role in island ecosystems. At Haleakalā National Park, Emily worked across multiple divisions, gaining a deep understanding of the park’s natural and cultural resources. Emily holds a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from the University of New Mexico, which has shaped her understanding of the intricate connections between people, culture, and the environment.

Yayoi Hara of Lahaina is a graduate of Lahainaluna High School and earned her degree in Bilingual Education from Boston University. She has worked in logistic operations supporting the host broadcasting of international sporting events around the world. A mother of two, she founded the Farmers Market at Lahaina Jodo Mission and is an active advocate for community initiatives. Since the August 2023 fire, she has been engaged in recovery efforts, supporting conversations and actions focused on Lahaina’s rebuilding and long-term resilience. She currently serves as Project Outreach & Network Specialist for I Mua I Ke Ola, MNBG’s community forestry recovery initiative supporting fire-affected areas of Maui.

Cathy has lived on Maui since 1987 and joined the MNBG team in February 2020. Cathy has a M.S. Botany from UH Mānoa; 12 years teaching UH-MC courses such as Ethnobotany and Hawaiian Field Biology, and she’s a retired Hawai`i State Agricultural Inspector. She is now the lead on a project with the USDA Forest Service to collect and store ‘ōhiʻa seeds that represent all varieties and a broad range of genetic variability on Maui, Molokaʻi, and Lānaʻi. Samples of the seeds are being sent for disease resistance testing to Hawaiʻi island, with the goal of ultimately finding naturally resistant populations.

Namea was raised in Lahaina and is a graduate of Lahainaluna high school. He has training in Hawaiian Studies with an emphasis on Hawaiian Language Immersion from the University of Hawai‘i Maui College. From 2011 until the present, MNBG has been working with a grant from the Ceres Trust to create “huli bank” of verified Hawaiian kalo cultivars. More than 60 varieties of Hawaiian kalo are being grown for distribution to Maui farmers and other growers as part of a statewide effort to mālama Hāloa. Namea has led several cultural workshops at MNBG about kalo, including classes about different groups of related varieties, techniques for making kulolo, and other topics.

Emmely was raised in upcountry Maui and graduated from King Kekaulike high school. She joined the MNBG team as a staff member in February 2020. She has an AAS in Agriculture and Natural Resources from UH Maui College. She has experience with conventional and organic agriculture through her work on campus as an Agriculture Assistant and an extensive knowledge of native Hawaiian plants. Emmely helped with MNBG’s seed storage and plant collection in the Summer of 2019 with Nā Hua Ho‘ohuli i ka Pono as a Kupu member, and among her many duties is assisting with a USDA project to collect and store genetic representation of Maui County ʻōhiʻa for natural disease resistance testing.

Kaʻawa grew up in Kailua, Oahu and has been a Maui resident since high school when he came to board at Lahainaluna. He was a framing carpenter for more than 20 years and for the last decade has been working in native forest restoration and agroforestry with Waiheʻe Land Restoration, Kanukaʻike in partnership with Hālau Kealaʻokamailie, and Grow Some Good.

Alex Calma, Grounds and Maintenance. Alex is a Lahainaluna graduate, a U.S. Navy veteran, former registered nurse, and conservationist. He has worked with the Maui Nui Seabird Recovery Project and Mauna Kahālāwai Watershed Partnership through KUPU Hawai‘i, leading habitat restoration, seabird monitoring, and community outreach initiatives. He has volunteered with coastal restoration and marine debris removal on Maui and will serve in 2025 as a new employee supported by a grant from the MALU program.

Michael was raised in South Maui and is a graduate of Baldwin High School. He is studying biology at the University of Hawai'i Maui College and recently completed the Landscape Industry Technician Certification prep course. He has a strong interest in Hawaiian botany and taxonomy.

Chris was raised in upcountry Maui. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies – Environmental Studies: Agroecology from the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa and brings his experience in farm and nursery production of food crops and ornamentals, strong data management skills, and an interest in taking an ecological approach to agriculture. Chris served as Horticulturist at Haleakalā National Park and recently completed two courses at UHMC, one in irrigation design and the other in agricultural business management.

Alexa was raised in Lahaina and is a graduate of Lahainaluna High School. She holds a B.A. in Graphic Design from Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, California. Alexa has been managing MNBG's programs and events since September 2020 and has been instrumental in growing the Saturday cultural workshops program. She is currently studying traditional lei making through the Kahōkūala Program at UH Maui College.