About Hanalei Watershed Hui
Hanalei Watershed Hui is a 501(c)(3) non-profit environmental organization that strives to care for the Ahupua’a of Hanalei, Waioli, Waipa, and Waikoko guided by Hawaiian and other principles of sustainability and stewardship, integrity and balance, cooperation and aloha, cultural equity, and mutual respect.
History: The Hanalei Watershed Hui (the Hui), was established in 2000 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit to implement the Hanalei American Heritage River Program and Hanalei Watershed Action Plan. The Hui has focused its effort and funding awards on the assessment and restoration of the natural, cultural and economic assets of Hanalei. Recent projects include a continuing water quality monitoring program, restoration of the Okolehao Trail, replacement of aging cesspools in the riparian zone of the Hanalei River and the establishment of the Hanalei Makai Watch Program. The Hui also offers a continuing cultural education program which highlights watershed stewardship and kuleana curriculum. The Hui partners with Federal, State, County, NGO and community organizations and residents to address issues and concerns raised by the community and scientific assessment.
Vision: The environment of Hanalei is wholesome. The waters are fishable, swimmable, clean, and support native species and fisheries. The coral reefs are healthy and productive. The forests are restored with Hawaiian plants and animals. The cultures, traditions, and history of Hanalei are appreciated, vibrant, and influential. The economy of Hanalei is diversified, balanced, and sustainable. The community, including our youth and visitors, are educated and active stewards of Hanalei by supporting this vision.
Goals:
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The natural resources of the Hanalei Watershed are healthy and preserved for the future.
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The economy of the Hanalei Watershed is diversified and sustainable.
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Preservation of the culture and traditions of the Hanalei Watershed guide planning and decisions.
Areas of Focus (selected in a 2008 update to the Hanalei Watershed Hui Strategic Plan):
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Insure water to Hanalei famers
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Improve water quality in Hanalei River and Bay
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Sustainable fishery
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Develop integrated resource management plan, mauka to makai
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Get the cars off the beach
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Enforce the no wake zones in the Hanalei River and Bay
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Develop a Hanalei Reef Name map
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No big boats in Hanalei
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Teach youth about their place and kuleana
Hui Executive Director
Barbara “Maka‘ala” Ka‘aumoana was born in Kāne‘ohe, Hawai‘i, in 1948. Educated throughout the Pacific and California, she pursued careers in both nursing and public school teaching before returning “home” in 1989. Always active in environmental education and conservation organizations and activities, she soon became involved in local projects supporting community management of cultural and environmental resources. In 1999, she was elected by the Hanalei community to head the newly formed Hanalei River Hui.
Maka‘ala believes in community participation and transparent process and has continued to guide this organization through the founding of the nonprofit, Hanalei Watershed Hui, and the development and implementation of the Hanalei Watershed Action Plan, the Targeted Watershed Initiative project, the Hanalei Makai Watch Program, the Hanalei Watershed Management Plan, and the Hanalei to Hā‘ena Disaster Resilience Plan. Maka‘ala and her husband, a native Hawaiian, live on the north shore of Kaua‘i, have a small banana farm, and enjoy fishing and family time.
Board of Directors
Miguel (Micco) Godinez - President
Born in pre-revolutionary Cuba and raised in Puerto Rico, he developed a lifelong connection to the ocean. In 1974, he moved to Hawaiʻi, where he founded Kayak Kauaʻi and has spent decades exploring the islands by sea kayak and paddlecraft.
An avid adventurer, he also enjoys exploring the rivers, mountains, and coastlines of Alaska, Nepal, and Patagonia. A life member of the Sierra Club, he served for many years as Outings Chair for the Kauaʻi Chapter.
As President of Hanalei Watershed Hui, he remains dedicated to exploring, protecting, and preserving the unique landscapes and waters of Hanalei for future generations.
Michael Mitchell - Vice President
Born and raised in Southern California, he joined the U.S. Navy at age 22, serving as a Nuclear Reactor Operator before earning a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of California, San Diego.
He began his career with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1994 and held leadership roles at several National Wildlife Refuges across California, Virginia, and Florida. In 2004, he joined the Kauaʻi National Wildlife Refuge Complex as Deputy Project Leader, where he spent 16 years helping transform Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge into one of Hawaiʻi's premier wetlands for the recovery of endangered Hawaiian waterbirds.
After retiring in 2020, he has remained dedicated to community-based conservation on Kauaʻi's North Shore, volunteering with organizations including Waipā Foundation, ʻĀina Hoʻokupu o Kīlauea, Hanalei Watershed Hui, and Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge.
He and his wife raised two sons on Kauaʻi. In his free time, he enjoys gardening with both vegetables and native plants, as well as swimming and snorkeling.
Judy Gardner - Secretary
A retired educator, she spent more than 20 years teaching at Hanalei and Kīlauea Schools, where she integrated environmental education across all subjects. She inspired hands-on learning through field trips, a large school garden at Hanalei, and the creation of a Nature Center at Kīlauea School focused on Hawaiʻi’s native and endemic plants.
Her work earned national recognition from the National Geographic Society, which honored her as one of 30 educators nationwide for exemplary environmental education.
In retirement, she continues her passion for conservation by cultivating a home garden filled with native and endemic plants. She is also the proud mother of two grown sons.
Kimberlee Stuart - Treasurer
Kauaʻi has been her home for more than 40 years. With graduate degrees in biological and environmental sciences, she spent 30 years teaching at Kapaʻa High School while fostering a lifelong commitment to environmental education and stewardship.
She has been actively involved with Hanalei Canoe Club, the Hawaiian Civic Club, and the Polynesian Voyaging Society, and is a dedicated surfer and lifelong learner. As the matriarch of a large family, she is grateful to continue giving back through her service with Hanalei Watershed Hui and the North Shore community.
Samuel Ikaika Kalikiano Martin
Born, raised, and educated on Kauaʻi’s North Shore, he is part Hawaiian and a proud graduate of Kapaʻa High School. Growing up on his family’s farm in Kīlauea, he spent his childhood surfing and fishing the waters between Hanalei and Anahola, developing a deep connection to the island’s land and ocean.
After high school, he worked as an electrical apprentice and surf instructor before joining Nā Pali Catamaran, where he began running tours from Hanalei Bay. He became a captain in 2018, was promoted to Operations Manager and then to General Manager in 2023, and became a part owner in 2026.
He has long admired Hanalei Watershed Hui’s commitment to protecting Hanalei’s fragile ecosystems and marine resources and is proud to support its mission of caring for the place he has always called home.