MEDIA RELEASE

The Agricultural Leadership Foundation of Hawaii is proud to announce Class XIV of the Agricultural Leadership Program.

A committee comprised of board members, alumni and staff selected the 15 participants who represent Hawaii’s best and brightest emerging leaders from agriculture, natural resource management and rural communities.

The participants represent government, nonprofits, academia and small and large businesses. There is a balance of producers and those who work with and provide services or support to agriculturists.

* Brandi Beaudet, Land Manager for Parker Ranch, Inc. (Hawaii)

* Chris English, Vice President of Production at Ponoholo Ranch, Ltd. (Hawaii)

* Tyler Jones, Assistant Forester & Plant Breeder at Hawaii Agriculture Research Center (Oahu)

* Sydney Keliipuleole, Director Asset Management, Land Assets Division, Kamehameha Schools (Oahu)

* Kirby Kester, Applied Genetics Manager at BASF Plant Science L.P. (Kauai)

* Derrick Kiyabu, Assistant Farm Manager at MAO Organic Farms (Oahu)

* James Kwon, Botanist & Wildlife Biologist with the US Fish and Wildlife Service (Oahu)

* Jennica Lowell, Biologist & Research Manager for Blue Ocean Mariculture (Hawaii)

* Elton Mow, Nursery Owner & Manager at Orchid Plantation, Inc. (Hawaii)

* Cynthia Nazario-Leary, Director of New Farmers Network at UH Maui College (Maui)

* Judith Rivera, Scientist & Research Station Manager with DuPont Pioneer Hi-Bred Int. (Kauai)

* Ashley Stokes, State & Pacific-wide Extension Veterinarian at UH CTAHR Human Nutrition, Food & Animal Sciences (Oahu)

* Miki Tomita, Educator & Dean of Curriculum/Instruction at the University Laboratory School (Oahu)

* Lisa Zeman, Owner & Manager of Oahu Fresh and Agronomy Manager at DuPont Pioneer Hi-Bred, Int. (Oahu)

* Christina Zimmerman, Environmental Health Specialist IV for the Hawaii Department of Agriculture (Oahu)

For the next 17 months Class XIV will attend a series of seven seminars and a two-week national trip. Content areas integral to agriculture in Hawaii will be imbedded in each seminar and participants will have an opportunity to design parts of the seminars to meet their specific interests.

Leadership, conflict resolution and mediation as well as communication and facilitation skills will be taught by Peter Adler, Ph.D. and Pauline Sato, the Agricultural Leadership Program Director.

The Agricultural Leadership Program develops knowledgeable, multi-cultural leaders for Hawaii’s food, agricultural, and natural resource industries who have the skills necessary for leadership at local, state and national levels and will put those skills into practice.

Graduates of the program are expected to take leadership roles in bringing about solutions to issues that shape Hawaii’s agriculture, natural resources and rural communities and increase sustainability within our island communities.

To date, the Agricultural Leadership Foundation of Hawaii has graduated 154 Agricultural Leaders that form a strong resource network throughout the state.

— Find out more:
www.agleaderhi.org