The jurors for the 22nd annual Mālama Wao Akua exhibition bring together a unique blend of expertise in environmental conservation and the arts. Chris Brosius provides deep ecological insight as the Program Manager of the Mauna Kahālāwai Watershed Partnership, while Emillia Noordhoek offers a wealth of experience as a sculptor, arts administrator, and community advocate. Together, they serve to celebrate and give voice to the native species of Maui Nui.
Chris Brosius
Chris Brosius is the Program Manager of Mauna Kahālāwai Watershed Partnership, and has served in this role since 2004. He grew up in rural southeastern Pennsylvania and graduated from the University of Vermont with a B.S. in Natural Resource Management and a concentration on Terrestrial Ecology. Previous experiences have included work with the Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project’s habitat management program, Haleakalā National Park’s endangered species management program, the USGS’s avian disease project on the Big Island, and an assignment with National Geographic in Belize. All the while, Chris has had a passion for preserving the natural world and its wonderfully diverse species. He has found watersheds to be incredible storehouses of value, ranging from pure awe and wonder to cultural and spiritual fulfillment, and what we need to sustain life in Hawaiʻi. Chris finds watershed protection to be the perfect way to dedicate his life’s energies and is honored to support the promotion of Maui’s species through Mālama Wao Akua.
Emillia Noordhoeck
Emillia Noordhoek is a sculptor, arts administrator, and community advocate with deep roots in Hawaiʻi. She is the chair of the ʻAha Hana Lima program through Hawaiʻi Craftsmen, a statewide craft organization dedicated to supporting the craft community across all of our islands. A co-founder of the Molokaʻi Arts Center and co-founder and founding Executive Director of Sustʻāinable Molokaʻi, Emillia has spent decades working at the intersection of community, culture, and the environment. She has long been committed to making the arts accessible across all of our islands, guided by a deep connection to place and the belief that creative expression belongs to everyone. She is honored to serve as a juror for the 22nd annual Mālama Wao Akua exhibition and looks forward to celebrating the artists who give voice to the native species and watersheds that make Maui Nui so extraordinary.
