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emwp staff

Meet Randy. He's the Program Manager of this whole project. Then there's the field crew, 6 of them, Peter, Eric, Givonn, Leeward, Dan & Nalu. They bust their bums out there protecting the rainforest with fence and muscle. And then there's Allison 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.

 

Randy Bartlett
Program Manager

Randy Bartlett was born and raised in Honolulu on the island of Oahu and graduated from the University of Hawaii. His conservation career started in 1985 as a summer intern in the Resources Management Division at Haleakala National Park. Since then he has spent almost 22 years as the Pu'u Kukui Watershed Preserve Manager for Maui Land & Pineapple Company and now serves as East Maui Watershed Partnership Program Manager. We are lucky to have him!

 

Audrey Tamashiro-Kamii
Program Assistant

AudreyTamashiro-KamiiAudrey believes it is vital to protect what little natural resources we have left. She joined EMWP to support conservation through administrative efforts. 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.

 

Allison Wiest
Outreach and Education Liaison

Allison WiestAllison is originally from Minnesota and Graduated from the University of Wisconsin LaCrosse with a degree in Recreation Management. After spending some time in Colorado she moved to Maui in 2002. Since then she has worked at Maui Eco-adventures leading environmental hikes and tours and with the West Maui Mountains Watershed Partnership as a field assistant doing outreach for them in her spare time. She recently decided to make outreach and education her focus and joined EMWP in August 2010.


Peter Smith
Field Crew Leader

Peter SmithMr. 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, taro farming, and picking opihi on the rocky shores. Peter’s goal for conservation is to be a great role model for others and to leave an impact of true leadership.

 

Eric Luke
Field Crew Leader

Eric LukeBorn 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 and Data Technician

Givonn OsterneckGivonn was born on Maui in beautiful upcountry Kula. He left Maui to get a degree from Indiana University in Earth Sciences with a minor in Environmental Management. Givonn felt a strong commitment to Hawaii's unique biota and decided to return Maui to help preserve the island's watershed. He is very happy to be a crew member of EMWP.

 

Leeward Akahi
Field Assistant

Leeward Akahi

 

Dan Eisenberg
Field Assistant

Dan Eisenberg

 

Nalu Andrade
Field Assistant

Nalu Andrade

 

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
Former Project Coordinator

Alex MichailidisProtecting 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
Former Field Crew Leader

Christopher GrasaBorn 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
Former Field Crew Leader

Clinton FukushimaClinton 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
Former Field Technician

Dave QuisenberryBorn 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
Former 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 Hawaiian forests have not seen the last of Greg Czar.

 

 

John Comcowich
Former 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.

 

Jon Ciacci
Former 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
Foremer Project Coordinator

Jordan JokielJordan 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
Former Public Relations/Admin

Katherine LuiKat 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.

 

 
I'd like to meet......
Randy
Audrey
Allison
Peter
Eric
Givonn
Leeward
Dan
Nalu
Former staff members...

Alex
Christopher
Clinton
DQ
Greg
John
Jonathan
Jordan
Kat

 

 


for more information, email us at info@eastmauiwatershed.org