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emwp staff
Meet Jordan. He's the coordinator of this whole project. Then there's the
field crew, 4 of them, Eric, Peter, Givonn, & Jon. They bust their bums out
there
protecting
the rainforest with fence and muscle. And then there's Kat who gets to
spread the news about EMWP. She does the public
relations
and
outreach.
Audrey is the administrative wizard who works wonders with the numbers and the paperwork. Together we staff the East Maui Watershed Partnership,
proud to be doing our part in preserving this island's fragile ecosystem.
Join the team! EMWP is Hiring!
Audrey Tamashiro-Kamii
Administrative Assistant
Audrey has worked in an office or a classroom all her life. She believes it is vital to protect what little natural resources we have left. She joined EMWP to support conservation efforts through administrative support. She grew up in Waikapu when it was just a speck on the map, majored in Japanese Art History and taught English in Osaka, Japan. She is an avid UH football fan and loves her sashimi and rice. We are very happy to have Audrey on our team. She joined us in the autumn of 2007.
 Eric
Luke
Field Crew Leader
Born on 'Oahu, Eric has lived on Maui since he was one year old. He was
taught at a young age how to survive by gathering from the land and ocean.
Having worked in the business sector for a number of years, Eric has
returned to working with the land, joining the EMWP team in October 2006.
"I took this job to help ensure that some of the island I
experienced growing up remains for our children and future generations.
These islands have given me and my family so much for so long, it is
time
for me to give back."
Givonn Osterneck
Field Technician
Born in Kula, Givonn grew to rely on the island's natural resources for
food, fun, and happiness. He started his education at Haleakala Waldorf
and skipped around the island to Kula Elementary, Emmanuel Lutheran, and
finally graduated from Seabury Hall in 2000. He graduated from Indiana
University with a degree in Earth Sciences and a minor in Environmental
Management. Freshly armed with conservation skills, Givonn felt committed
to return to help preserve the island's unique biota. He is very hapy to
be a crew member of EMWP.
Jon Ciacci
Field Technician
"With
development comes destruction...we need to save what we have that is
Hawaiian and keep it Hawaiian. If we don't do it...no one else will." Besides
building fence, Jon spends his free time hunting, fishing, surfing and
sleeping. A Baldwin High School graduate, Jon started
working at EMWP in October of 2002.
Jordan Jokiel
Project Coordinator
 Jordan
joined the crew in October of 2003 as the Field Crew Supervisor. He was
soon promoted to Natural Resource Manager, and as of July, 2007, Jordan
has taken over as the new project coordinator. Jordan
was born and raised in Kaneohe, Oahu and has a long history of working
in the conservation field. He started out working in the Natural Area Reserve
System on Maui and the Big Island. He then moved on to serve as a field
technician in the United States Army. Jordan spent some time as a pak ranger
for the Napali Coast State Park before becoming an ecologist for the National
Guard working to save endangered plants.
Kat Lui
 Public
Relations/Admin
Kat enjoys playing with birds, running around in the rainforest and teaching
kids. She's worked previously for the Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project
and on the Big Island helping with avian malaria research. Through creative
communication, she hopes to connect the community with their natural resource
using fun, "out-of-the-box" methods.
Kat's been with EMWP since June 2003.
Peter Smith
Field Crew Leader
Mr. Smith has worked many years for The Nature Conservancy of Maui before
moving on to EMWP. He loves to hunt and hike in the mountains. Born and
raised in Keanae, Peter has spent many hours in ocean sports, fishing,
and picking opihi on the rocky shores. Peter's favorite food is Vienna
sausages with rice and he plans to be the next mayor of Maui.
Former Staff Members
Though we hate to see them go, we know that they've put in their time
on the mountain, and they're moving up in their natural resource management
career.
Aloha and mahalo for your sweat and tears!
Alex Michailidis
Project Coordinator
Protecting East Maui's watershed is an important job and without the assistance
of our staff and partners, East Maui's watershed wouldn't stand a chance
against invasive plant and animal species. The work we are doing will ensure
East Maui with a source of fresh water and protect the native rainforest
so future generations can appreciate the biological diversity and cultural
significance of this area. Alex has been with the project since January
2002 and spent the past 16 years in the environmental protection field,
mostly involved with projects relating to the U.S. EPA's Clean Water Act.
Alex is now working in Maryland for the conservation of endangered species.
Christopher Grasa
 Field
Crew Leader
Born on Maui, Christopher has spent the last 10 years as a chef, including
his own business on Maui for the past 5 years. When asked why he decided
to switch professions, he replied, "conservation work in Hawai'i is
very much needed." The work he does for EMWP is "fulfilling".
His grandfather also worked in conservation, for Haleakala National Park.
Christopher is glad that someone in the family is continuing the legacy.
Grasa is now living in Oregon, working in the restaurant business, and
taking care of his new family.
Clinton Fukushima  Field
Crew Leader
Clinton came to us with previous forestry experience from volunteering
for Americorps and for The Nature Conservancy on Maui. In addition to making
a difference and trying to save Hawaii's rare plants and animals, he likes
his job because "I'm out in the jungle playing in mud, knee high,
camping, hunting and, at the same time, working hard". Clinton is
a recent graduate of King Kekaulike High School and joined the East Maui
Watershed Partnership in October of 2002. You can now find Clinton at Maui
Community College where he is studying natural resource management and
working at the college bookstore.
 Dave
Quisenberry
Field Technician
Born and raised in Haiku, DQ is pleased to be doing resource management
work and building fence for EMWP. DQ worked as a seasonal Wildland Firefighter
for the Forest Service for 3 years while attending college at San Luis
Obispo, CA where he studied agriculture. With the completion of a B.S.
in Fruit Science and a concentration in weed and insect pest management,
he returned to Maui where he was employed with the Maui Invasive Species
Committee's Miconia Project in Hana for 1 year before joining the EMWP
field crew in April of 2004. DQ finds conservation work with EMWP physically
challenging and mentally stimulating. "It makes me feel alive".
Aside from work, DQ enjoys surfing, paddling, exploring the mountains,
diving, and hunting. DQ now works with EMWP's partner
agency, the State of Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources.
Greg Czar
Field Technician
In 1982 Maui was blessed with the birth of a new conservation warrior.
Growing up in Kula, Greg spent most of his time hiking, hunting, and fishing
around Maui. Now he spends his time growing native plants, helping local
ranches, and chasing Maui's four-legged animals. With his knowledge of the
mountain and wilderness, Greg has been a great asset to the team. An opportunity to work with a professional hunting business from New Zealand nabbed this watershed warrior from EMWP, but we are sure that the Hawaian forests have not seen the last of Greg Czar.
John Comcowich
Field Technician
Born and raised in the heart of the Rockies at 10,152 ft. in Leadville,
Colorado, "Johnny Colorado" as the staff affectionately call
him, moved to the Valley Isle in 2002 shortly after receiving his degree
in Natural Resource Management from Colorado State University. John eagerly
joined the East Maui Watershed Partnership in April of 2004, after working
in the service industry on Maui's west side because "only in nature
can one be 'out standing' in his field". John took the opportunity
to move up in his career as a field crew supervisor for the West Maui Mountains
Watershed Partnership.
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I'd like to meet......
Former staff members...
Alex
Christopher
Clinton
DQ
Greg
John
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