Nicole Galase - Chair (2020- ); Treasurer (2013-2019)
Nicole Galase was born and raised in Hawai'i and obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration with a Marine Option Program Certificate from the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa. Nicole has spent time working for various agencies on Midway Atoll, Kure Atoll, and French Frigate Shoals. She achieved a Master of Marine Conservation from Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand, then went on to study the Band-rumped Storm Petrel at Pōhakuloa Training Area on the Island of Hawai'i. She is currently the Managing Director for the Hawai'i Cattlemen’s Council, Hawai'i Beef Industry Council, and the Hawai'i Rangeland Stewardship Foundation in a position that supports Hawaii’s ranching industry and aims to increase local food production. Her goal is to highlight the overlapping goals of cattlemen and the conservation community to foster closer collaboration.
Ilana Nimz- Vice Chair (2020- ); Director (2017- )
Ilana Nimz is from Oahu, and remained in Hawaii to design her own major in Conservation Biology and Marine Science at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She is currently an ecologist for Oikonos Ecosystem Knowledge and an ecological consultant with her own business, Leaf & Feather. Nimz has spent six field seasons in Papahānaumokuākea working with monk seals, seabirds, and habitat restoration projects. She has also participated in seabird research in the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, Farallon Islands, and on Kauai. Nimz recently completed her Master's degree in the Pelagicos lab at Hawaii Pacific University, focusing on foraging habits of Christmas Shearwaters in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. In addition to research, she enjoys sharing stories of the unique habitats of Hawaii through writing and painting.
Barry Stieglitz - Secretary (2020- )
Barry was a second-generation employee of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Born in Florida, he lived in several other states before earning his Bachelor of Science in Forest Resources with a concentration in Wildlife Management from the University of Georgia in 1983. He worked in the Service’s Division of Law Enforcement as a Wildlife Inspector before moving into the National Wildlife Refuge System. His interests in recovering endangered species and combatting invasive species led him to positions in Florida and South Carolina before he transferred to the Headquarters Office to work on policy and conservation planning. While there, he earned his Master of Public Administration and was recognized as a Certified Wildlife Biologist ® by The Wildlife Society. He was grateful to serve as the Refuge and Monument Supervisor for 13 years, overseeing the National Wildlife Refuges and Marine National Monuments in the Pacific and thoroughly falling in love with Hawaiʼi, before family responsibilities required his early retirement and return to the continent. He hopes to continue the important work of conserving the special places of Hawaiʼi from afar by service on the Board.
Asher Loring- Treasurer (2020-); Director (2017- )
Asher Loring is from Santa Rosa California and received his bachelors degree in Political Economy from Evergreen State in 2013. While residing in Olympia he volunteered as a homeless advocate and was a member of the local Move to Amend chapter. Since moving to Hawaii Asher has been working with the land: farming and foresting. He currently works for Hawaiian Legacy Hardwoods, a native reforestation project. In his free time Asher enjoys running trail, playing music and exploring the Big Island.
Heather Smith-Lee- Director (2015- ), Secretary (2016-2019 )
Heather Smith-Lee is a graduate of the University of Hawai'i at Manoa. She earned a MEd in Educational Psychology, BAs in Psychology and Mathematics, and a certificate in Women's Studies. Heather's Masters Plan B looked at high school student engagement levels using laptops.
Heather returned to the University of Hawaii, William S. Richardson School of Law in July 2016 to serve as the Director of Law Student Financial Assistance. She works very closely with current and prospective students, as well as alumni, to guide them through the general financial aid process. She previously worked as the Admissions and Web Coordinator at Hawaii's Law School. She recently spent three years in Manhattan, New York as a Program Coordinator/Consultant at a private tutoring company. Heather worked as a primary point of contact to set up and sustain proactive relationships among families and tutors.
Heather returned to the University of Hawaii, William S. Richardson School of Law in July 2016 to serve as the Director of Law Student Financial Assistance. She works very closely with current and prospective students, as well as alumni, to guide them through the general financial aid process. She previously worked as the Admissions and Web Coordinator at Hawaii's Law School. She recently spent three years in Manhattan, New York as a Program Coordinator/Consultant at a private tutoring company. Heather worked as a primary point of contact to set up and sustain proactive relationships among families and tutors.
Catherine Fox- Director (2013- ), Chair Emeritus (2013- 2019),
Secretary (2013-2016)
Catherine Fox received her M.S. in Biology from Boston University, where she studied marine biology in Woods Hole, MA and tropical ecology in Quito, Ecuador. Currently, Catherine is an adjunct professor of life sciences at Santa Monica College and Long Beach City College in Los Angeles, CA. She spends her summers volunteering as a field biologist for various wildlife conservation programs. With over ten years of experience working for environmental non-profits, such as the New England Aquarium, National Wildlife Federation and the Jane Goodall Institute, Catherine has worked first-hand with legislators, scientists, and the general public to achieve conservation goals. Through her previous experience as an environmental educator for informal learning centers, such as the Chattahoochee Nature Center and Aquarium of the Pacific, Catherine recognizes the importance of educating and engaging local communities to instill a sense of global consciousness, self-confidence and empowerment.