Transitions and Appreciations
We’re writing to share heartfelt and exciting news about transitions and appreciations at Māla‘ai. At the end of 2023, we will be saying farewell to our current Lead Garden Educator, Holly Sargeant-Green, who has been with Māla‘ai for 17 years.
Beginning as a volunteer parent when her son was a student at Waimea Middle School in 2006, Holly has helped the Culinary Garden grow from a groundbreaking experiment into what it is today– a safe, loving, engaging environment for children, adults and animals alike. In addition to nurturing and developing the program, Holly is an incredible mentor for the gardening community, the school and Māla‘ai’s staff team. Known as “Aunty Holly”, she has shown unwavering consistency and dedication to the keiki and this program at a level of rarely seen love and kūleana. Holly built long and lasting relationships with the school community which have empowered and enabled the organization to thrive into who we are today. We are sure that the educators, students and community at Waimea Middle School will miss her immensely. We will miss Holly, but because of lasting friendships we will never let her go too far from our garden community.
In this changing of seasons, we are pleased to announce that Zoe Kosmas, our current Executive Director, will be transitioning into the role of Lead Garden Educator. Zoe has been the Executive Director role since January 2021, steering and supporting Māla‘ai through the Covid-19 pandemic, organizational growth with HISGN, and Executive founder transitions.
Zoe first joined Māla‘ai in 2016 as the Culinary Garden Assistant, under the direction of Holly, who mentored her over the years. We’re thrilled that Zoe will be returning to the mala, where she can practice her passion for the ‘āina and keiki with her hands back in the soil. She brings ten years of agricultural experience in Hawai‘i to the role, having worked on projects across Kohala and Hāmakua, in addition to previous land work in South America and Vermont. We’re thankful for her deep familiarity with the organizational values, founding and friends of Māla‘ai, as well as her knowledge of regenerative agriculture, the role of gardens in the farm to school movement, and a love and appreciation for Hawaiian culture developed through hula.
What’s next:
We look forward to continuing to build Māla‘ai’s team and appreciate our people. Before the end of the year, we will have a celebration to appreciate Holly and her amazing time with Māla‘ai–please stay tuned for details and join us! Zoe will continue to hold Executive responsibilities this fall with the Board and the support of an Executive Coach. Zoe will transition into the Lead Garden Educator role by the end of the year, joining the Garden Assistant, Gabriel, in managing the space while Holly is still on staff. In the coming months, we will be hiring for the Executive Director role and responsibilities. Stay tuned for more details. Please keep us in mind, should you know any inspiring or qualified people.
Again, mahalo nui for your unwavering support to our organization and for the farm to school movement. As we make these organizational transitions, we are dedicated to continue serving our purpose, which is cultivating connections between people, land culture and food in school gardens.
A hui hou! Mahalo nui and imua!
Māla‘ai Board of Directors
Sophia Bowart, Board President
Wendy Baker, Healohamele Genovia, Willie Quayle, Derrick Kiyabu, Madeline Sofranac
