The Maui Invasive Species Committee works to control the high-threat invasive species that are feasible to eradicate or contain based on their distribution and resources available. Our Committee helps prioritize target species for control operations and provides expertise on effective survey and control techniques and reporting. The Committee includes scientists and resource managers from state, county, federal, and private organizations.
Funding:
The Maui Invasive Species Committee receives funding from a variety of sources, including: County, State, Federal, local businesses, private foundations, and private individuals. Funding received also supports work by the Molokai/Maui Invasive Species Committee (MoMISC), which has a staff of five.
If you would like to support MISC, click the Donate link at the top of the page. Your donation is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Staff (Updated August 2022):
MISC has four field crews focused on specific target species, an outreach and education team, and management and administrative staff to provide project oversight, secure funding, and track and analyze progress. Some staff are part-time.
Management:
Teya Penniman, Acting Manager
Elizabeth Anderson, Program Specialist
Stephanie Miller, Data and Program Associate
Erin Johnson, Program Support
Teri Field, Program Assistant
Brooke Mahnken, Data Analyst & GIS Specialist and Invasive Ant Supervisor
Education & Outreach:
Serena Fukushima, Public Relations and Education Specialist
Merrill Ranken, Education/Outreach Program Associate
Lissa Strohecker, Outreach and Education Specialist (Intermittent)
Field Operations:
Adam Knox, Operations Manager
Tyler Gagnon, Operations Support
Early Detection Specialists:
Forest Starr
Kim Starr
Coqui Field Crew: Susan Frett, Community Coqui Control Coordinator and Acting Coqui Control Coordinator Megan Archibald, Invasive Species Associate III Danielle Higashi, Invasive Species Associate II Savanna Valdez, Invasive Species Associate II Nalu Ehman Invasive Species Field Associate I Sam Totman Temporary Field Worker Sammy Metzl Temporary Field Worker Margaret Angel Temporary Field Worker
Community Coqui Control Program:
Elizabeth Speith, Community Coqui Control Liaison
Carl Schwarz, Community Coqui Control Liaison
Little Fire Ant Field Crew:
Monte Tudor-Long, Crew Leader
Kayani Singh
Joe Brower
Mikiʻala Puaʻa-Freitas
Invasive Plant Field Crew:
Mike Ade, Plant Coordinator
Hāmākuapoko Crew:
Billy Pacheco
Ross Kamimoto
Syrus Smith
Hāna Miconia Crew:
Aja Akuna, Crew Leader
ʻImi Nelson, Crew Leader
Elroy Krause
Jesiah Malaikini
Aimoku Piʻimauna-Beck
MISC Committee Members:
Chair: Marshall Loope, Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture
Hanna Mounce, Ph.D., Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project
Kerri Fay, The Nature Conservancy
Chelsea Arnott, DLNR/Hawai‘i Invasive Species Council
John Vetter, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Jeremy Gooding, National Park Service-Pacific Islands Exotic Plant Management Team
Jeffrey Mallinson, Haleakalā National Park
Bob Hobdy, Community Member, Retired DLNR
Dan Eisenberg, East Maui Watershed Partnership