Sust’ainable Molokai‘s New Leadership

Sust’ainable Molokai Board of Directors News Release

In 2021, Sust’ainable Molokai celebrated our 11th year of serving our island as a nonprofit. The organization has seen major growth in recent years. Today, we have nearly 20 employees operating a multitude of programs including a Food Sovereignty initiative that trains new farmers and brings locally produced food to the community through a weekly Mobile Market as well as monthly Food Bank distributions. Another blossoming program is our Energy Sovereignty initiative that is currently facilitating a community-led renewable energy plan and also responsible for Hui-Up energy-star appliance exchanges. We are also supporting the sustainability and protection of the environment through work related to climate change adaptation and planning, invasive limu management and education, and community stewardship of land.

None of this would be possible without our supportive community, collaborative partners, passionate staff, dedicated board members and visionary leadership team! This year, we really want to honor and thank Harmonee Williams, who played a foundational role in building Sustʻaina ble Molokai into what it is today. Harmonee has been part of the organization in a number of capacities since the very beginning, leading the organization as our executive director for many years. She worked tirelessly to expand the reach and impact of Sustʻaina ble Molokai while also raising two daughters with her husband, Josh Pastrana. 

This year, Harmonee transitioned from her position at Sustʻainable Molokai to become the executive director for a new statewide nonprofit, the Hawaii Good Food Alliance. We would like to thank Harmonee deeply for her leadership and dedication to Sustʻaina ble Molokai, our staff and our community. We also want to thank her for providing a sturdy foundation, guidance and support of our new executive director, Tehani Kaalekahi.

We are grateful to have Tehani now at the helm of Sustʻaina ble Molokai. She is a fourth-generation Hoʻolehua homesteader. Her background is in administrative operations, marketing and donor relations for nonprofits, and strategic and workforce analytics for health care systems. Tehani has a bachelor’s degree in Justice Administration from Hawaii Pacific University and a master’s degree in Business Management from the University of Redlands, California.