Talk Story Tuesdays at the Hui, 5pm

Dr. Arthur Medeiros, among Maui’s most accomplished biologists, has spent his career fascinated with the ‘beautiful details’ of Hawaiʻi’s native plants and animals, both their science and the cultural connections with the ‘people of old’. Formerly working with Haleakalā National Park and the U.S. Geological Survey, Art founded the Auwahi project, the Leeward Haleakalā Watershed Restoration Partnership, and the Pu’u-o-kali Wiliwili Reserve. The Auwahi project, started 25 years ago, was the first attempt on Maui to see if damaged native watershed forests could be restored, something of growing importance in a changing world. Art says that this is the best part of his career, in that he works with young people, colleagues, volunteers, and a landowner in ‘Ulupalakua Ranch that authentically care about Hawaiʻi’s resources and are really willing to make a stand and do something about it.

Keoki Kanakaokai Keoki Kanakaokai of Waiʻanae, Oʻahu has worked for The Nature Conservancy for seven years and he is privileged to steward and protect Conservancy preserves on Maui and Lānaʻi. He started his conservation career 17 years ago at the Oʻahu Invasive Species Committee as a field technician before joining the Waiʻanae Mountains Watershed Partnership as a Weeds/Restoration Supervisor. In his current position as Natural Resource Manager, Keoki is committed to normalizing and championing bio-cultural approaches to conservation with emphasis on cultivating pilina (relationships) between community and nature.

Zach Pezzillo considers himself incredibly fortunate to have grown up on the island of Maui. His interest and enthusiasm for native plants and invertebrates began at a young age and he could often be found exploring the remote corners of the island in search of new subjects to identify. Zach left Maui in 2011 to attend the Rochester Institute of Technology in upstate NY. During college breaks he returned home and began volunteering with various conservation groups on Maui, continuing to learn and appreciate the issues facing many of our native species. After graduating Zach began pursuing a career in endangered species conservation here on Maui and became a KUPU intern with the Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project. In 2017 Zach left to spend two winter seasons working and living on extremely remote Kure Atoll, in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, conducting habitat and wildlife recovery work. It was a truly extraordinary experience, cementing his commitment towards conservation work. After returning from Kure in 2019, he was hired on full time with the Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project and worked on recovery efforts for the Maui Parrotbill until joining the PEPP crew in 2021. Zach is also a well regarded, award winning photographer and often uses his skills to promote awareness and appreciation of some of Maui’s most endangered native species.