HIAP Board of Directors
HIAP's Board of Directors has representation of multiple stakeholder groups and interests, establishing mechanisms for system-wide alignment and collaboration.
Composition and Purpose
The HIAP Board of Directors is designed to ensure that diverse agricultural voices help steer the organization toward its central mission of fostering a vibrant Hawaiʻi Island agri-food system. Members may include farmers, ranchers, forestry representatives, service agencies, major institutional buyers, and academic or community-based experts. This broad representation helps the Board remain attuned to the varied realities of Hawaiʻi Island’s unique agricultural landscapes.
Core Responsibilities
Strategic Oversight: The Board sets overarching objectives and priorities for HIAP and ensures that each of the committees (Data & Analysis, Policy & Legislation, Funding & Investment) and project teams aligns with those objectives.
Fiduciary Stewardship: Board members review HIAP’s financial health—particularly new revenue models or proposed collaborations—to confirm that budgets and spending prioritize the collective interest of the membership.
Neutral Governance: While the Board keeps an eye on key policy debates and new legislative proposals, it remains neutral on such matters. Official endorsement or opposition is left to the discretion of individual members or committees, ensuring the Board functions as a balanced governance body rather than an advocacy platform.
Membership Criteria: The Board periodically reviews membership protocols to ensure that small producers, historically underserved communities, new agritech startups, and established businesses all have pathways to participate in HIAP’s activities.
Conflict Resolution: In cases where major disagreements arise—such as overlapping resource claims or conflicting scheduling for big island-wide projects—the Board may convene mediation or special sessions to help reach constructive solutions.
Meeting Structure and Decision-Making
The Board generally meets quarterly, with additional sessions convened as needed for time-sensitive decisions. Although the committees often do the groundwork, the Board ensures final decisions on strategic direction, major financial commitments, and membership expansions reflect the broader goals and values of HIAP. Decisions typically strive for consensus, but majority votes are used if necessary to keep momentum.
Significance for System Change
A well-structured Board of Directors, representing the island’s variety of agricultural voices, anchors HIAP’s commitment to transparency, inclusivity, and practical progress. By maintaining neutrality on policy issues, the Board focuses on sustaining a stable organizational environment that unites all members—whether smallholders or large commercial outfits—around a shared vision of economic opportunity and agricultural resilience on Hawaiʻi Island.