Board Members

Mauna Kea SWCD board of directors are made up of 5 volunteers that either work or live within the service area. Two of the members are appointed and three are elected by landowners within the district. The board members duties includes review and approve conservation plans, comment on sub-division reviews, and identify and meet the community resource needs while providing technical guidance to agriculture producers.

Four men posing in front of a sign that reads "Mauna Kea Soil & Water Conservation District". Image is rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise. — From left to right: Jacob Tavares, Pono von Holt, Guy Cellier, Willie Rice, & Charlie White

Harry von Holt

Position: Chairman

Pono has been a board member since 2013. He is a retired rancher and part owner of Ponoholo Ranch Ltd, raising cattle for beef production.

Guy Cellier

Position: Treasurer

Guy has been a board member since 2021. He is a forester who founded Forest Solutions and Nursery Solutions. He has a vanilla farm in Kona and…

Charlie White

Position: Director

Charlie has been a board member since 2015. He is a Hawaiian homestead farmer growing vegetables and owner of Kale Kea Farms.

Jacob Tavares

Position: Director

Jacob Tavares has been a board member since 2023. He is a rancher who works for Parker Ranch as a manager for their Livestock Business Operation.

Willie Rice

Position: Director

Willie has been a board member since 2019. He is a operations manager for Kealakekua Mountain Reserve, managing various forestry projects.

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