Carolyn Stewart

Treasurer

Carolyn is a founding board member of Malama Kai Foundation, having served as Board President until 2026, and continues her service on the Board as Treasurer. Over her 35 years with the organization, she has been instrumental in managing finances and securing grants that have sustained and grown the Foundation's impact, while building the community partnerships that have made our marine education and conservation work possible.

Outside of Malama Kai Foundation, Carolyn is the Vice President of Marine and Coastal Solutions International, Inc., a small consulting firm specializing in planning, management, and policy analysis for marine and coastal resources. She brings over 30 years of experience in watershed planning and polluted runoff control. She is also a founding director and current board member of the nonprofit Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization.

Carolyn received her undergraduate degree from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service and a master's degree from the University of Washington's School of Marine Affairs.

Doug Harper

Secretary

In Doug’s 20+ years of professional life, he has worked for organizations as diverse as federal and territorial governments, to small non-profits. His experience covers a host of topics related to community and resource resilience, from incorporating fishermen and hunters in conservation, to preparing communities for coastal hazards, and natural resource restoration. Throughout his career, his focus has been on achieving desired outcomes through strong collaboration and mutual respect and understanding. He is currently the Executive Director for Mālama Maunalua. Doug has a BA in Environmental Studies, a Master’s in Environmental Planning, and a J.D., all from the University of Kansas.

Riley Coon

board member

Captain Riley E. Coon is a third-generation co-owner of Trilogy Excursions, founded by the Coon family in 1973. Born and raised on Maui, Riley grew up immersed in the ocean and the marine tourism industry, developing a deep respect for Hawaiʻi’s coastal and ocean resources from a young age.

In his current role as Director of Sustainable Tourism, Riley focuses on integrating environmental stewardship, education, and operational excellence across Trilogy’s activities. He is especially passionate about engaging captains and crew in Maui-focused conservation efforts, including hands-on involvement with Maui’s Day Use Mooring Buoy Program and 'aina-based conservation events.

Riley serves as a Board Member of Malama Kai Foundation, supporting its mission to protect Hawaiʻi’s nearshore waters through responsible ocean use and community partnership. He has also served on the Board of Directors for the Lahaina Restoration Foundation since 2014.

Riley is married to his wife, Jenny, and together they are raising their three young children on Maui, continuing a family legacy rooted in ocean stewardship, community, and mālama ʻāina.

Teri Leicher

Board Member

Teri Leicher is a founding board member and active participant of Malama Kai Foundation, where she has been involved for over 35 years. She has been active in coastal and reef protection issues in West Hawaiʻi and throughout the state for over 45 years, and played a key role in the development of the Hawaiʻi Day-Use Mooring Program, as well as the installation and maintenance of day-use moorings along the West Hawaiʻi coast and throughout the state.

As a managing partner of Jack’s Diving Locker, an ocean recreation and education company in Kailua-Kona, Teri has helped the business play a key role in the development and installation of day-use moorings along the Kona Coast, swim lanes in Kailua Bay, numerous coastal cleanups, marine education programs for children and adults, and many other endeavors.

In 2020, Jack's Diving Locker and Malama Kai Foundation co-wrote a grant that enabled over 400 children to attend the Marine Life Ambassador Program, providing each child with a mask, fins, snorkel, meals, and hands-on ocean education experiences.

Teri has served on numerous boards and advisory committees for the State of Hawaiʻi. She currently chairs the Kona Kohala Chamber of Commerce Sustainability Committee and serves on the Kailua Bay & Pier Advisory Committee, the Ocean Tourism Coalition, and Malama Kai Foundation.

Teri and her husband Jeff Leicher were recently recognized and inducted into the 2026 International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame.

Matthew Bogdanovich

board member

Matt grew up loving winter sports in the north country of New York State. He got his scuba certification when he was thirteen through school and that stuck with him for years. He moved to Hawaii after graduating from the University of Puget Sound in 2008 with a BA in Studio Art with his girlfriend at the time (now his wife). They have worked at Jack’s Diving Locker since 2009 and Matt has pursued all aspects of the business. He is a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer, PADI Freediver Instructor, USCG Captain, and Charter Operations Manager.

He has served as Treasurer of the Hawaiian Islands Scuba Association (HIRSA) since 2014. He has been involved with the Day Use Mooring program on the Big Island by installing and maintaining moorings for most of his professional scuba career.

Christopher Hawkins

Executive Director

Christopher Hawkins has spent more than two decades in the coastal management field. He has broad experience in the principles of coastal marine ecology and artisanal fisheries and expertise in conservation planning and monitoring, human dimensions research, and program evaluation. His approach to resource conservation is rooted in a social values model, and he has worked for local and federal government agencies, universities, and non-profit organizations.

Chris has a bachelor’s degree in Marine Environmental Management and Safety from Massachusetts Maritime Academy. He earned his Master’s degree in Tropical Coastal Management from Newcastle University in the United Kingdom and a Ph.D. in Environmental Conservation at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. 

Alyssa Garvin

Administration and education Director

Alyssa Garvin leads organizational operations and advances environmental education initiatives that connect communities to Hawaiʻi’s coastal resources. With five years of experience collaborating with federal, state, and community partners across the Pacific, Alyssa brings a strong background in grants management, program development, and outreach.

She plays a key role in strengthening MKF’s education programs, cultivating partnerships, and supporting collaborative marine management efforts that align with the organization’s mission. Alyssa holds a B.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Rochester and is passionate about building systems and programs that empower communities to mālama Hawaiʻi’s marine and coastal environments for future generations.

Victoria Martocci

marine Programs director

Victoria Martocci came to conservation work through the water. Over three decades in Maui Nui she has synthesized her skills as an interpretive naturalist, a professional mariner, and a program designer to shepherd conservation education into field practice.

Victoria first volunteered for the Day-Use Mooring Buoy (DMB) Program in 2000 and joined the Malama Kai Foundation Board of Directors in 2015 before moving into her current staff role. That history gives her firsthand knowledge of the program's evolution, its community roots, and the realities of working in the marine environment.

As Marine Programs Director, Victoria oversees MKF's statewide marine conservation portfolio, including stewardship of 223 day-use mooring buoys managed in partnership with DLNR across multiple islands. Her work spans grant and contract implementation, environmental compliance, dive team coordination, systems development, and long-range infrastructure planning. On any given day, she may be drafting proposals, coordinating field operations, or at the helm of a maintenance vessel inspecting moorings.

Kater hiney

Ridge to reef Kona COORDINATOR

Kater holds a Master’s of Science Degree in Animal Sciences from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and a Bachelor’s Degree in Marine Science from the University of Hawaii at Hilo. Previously Kater worked as the Hawaii Day-Use Mooring Buoy Coordinator for Malama Kai Foundation. Kater has been sharing her biological knowledge with students and the public for over 20 years. She is very familiar with a wide array of scientific subjects with her expertise being marine science, seabird biology, and ocean conservation. Currently, Kater is working as an education specialist assisting Malama Kai Foundation working to educate future generations and the public about

ilene Grossman

Ridge to Reef Kohala COORDINATOR

Ilene has been working in the field of Environmental Education for over 30 years with a Master’s Degree in Environmental Education and a bachelor's degree in Zoology. She has developed teacher professional development programs, environmental education curriculum, and integrated lessons for students to study native plants and habitat restoration; water resources; forest, grassland, and wetland ecology; birds, insects, and field sciences. She especially loves working with people of all ages exploring the natural world together and doing stewardship work to restore native habitats. Ilene has worked throughout the U.S., in Guatemala, and Thailand helping connect people to their 'āina. She currently works with our Ridge to Reef Program at Waimea Middle and Waikoloa Schools.

BAILEY DONAHUE

Ridge to Reef cURRICULUM COORDINATOR

Bailey is a passionate educator driven to engage students in scientific inquiry through 'āina-based education. While teaching 7th grade science at Waikōloa Elementary and Middle School, she participated in MKF's Ridge to Reef program with her students. She is now excited to help strengthen this program and bring it to more Hawai'i Island classrooms as a curriculum coordinator. Bailey obtained her Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Hawai'i at Hilo with a focus on ecology, evolution, and conservation, and holds a Master's in Teaching degree from the University of Washington.

ROSS BRONZAN

COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR

Ross has loved the ocean since he was old enough to wade in the tidepools of the Monterey coast. He has worked as a dive instructor in Kona for 10 years, and has assisted in the maintenance of and is an avid proponent of the day-use mooring buoys as a means of keeping anchors off of the reef. He currently uses his photography and videography as a means of promoting ocean conservation and education through visual media.