Townsend Named Sierra Club Hawai’i Director

Marti Townsend has been voted in as the new director of the Hawai’i Chapter of the Sierra Club.

With more than 10 years of experience in community organizing, public interest advocacy, and environmental law, Townsend was voted unanimously by volunteer leaders within the club for the role.

“She has an impressive record,” said David Kimo Frankel, Chairperson of the Sierra Club’s Hawai’i Chapter. “She knows how to empower people so that they can effectively engage policymakers to protect Hawai’i’s resources.”

Townsend graduated from Moanalua High School and attended Boston University before returning to Hawai’i to receive a certificate in Environmental Law from the University of Hawai’i’s William S. Richardson School of Law in 2005.

“The Sierra Club is a force for good in the world,” Townsend said. “Club volunteers are fighting to uphold our right to clean energy and protect our special places throughout the islands, and I am honored to help support their efforts.”

Previously, Townsend served as Executive Director of The Outdoor Circle. In her role she advocated for the establishment of Hawai’i’s Environmental Court, which has become the second of its kind in the entire country.

Townsend’s past experiences also include services as a Program Director and interim Executive Director for KAHEA: The Hawaiian-Environmental Alliance. During her time with KAHEA, she advocated to establish and enforce protections of Papahānaumokuākea in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, improve public health protections in the Waianae community, expand Hawaiian monk seal habitats, and uphold protections for the conservation district of Mauna Kea.