3 Big Island professionals to graduate from rigorous Hawai‘i Agricultural Leadership Program on Nov. 9
The 14 members of Class XIX of the Hawai‘i Agricultural Leadership Program will graduate next month, marking the completion of a rigorous 14-month curriculum for agricultural professionals statewide.
The graduation ceremony will be Nov. 9 at 5 p.m. in the Naupaka 4 Ballroom at the Waikōloa Beach Marriott Resort and Spa on the Big Island.
It is taking place during the 2026 Hawai‘i Agriculture Conference, which has the theme: “Hawai‘i Agriculture: Driving Dedication, Diversity & Diligence.”
The leadership program provides training to equip local industry leaders with the tools they need to navigate complex regulatory landscapes, drive agricultural innovation, increase sector collaboration and strengthen food system resilience.
With Hawaiʻi importing more than 85% of its food, the state’s food system is vulnerable to outside forces. This year’s cohort authored a white paper that identified three key opportunities to reduce Hawaiʻi’s food import dependence and strengthen the resilience of the food system: biosecurity and invasive species; natural disaster mitigation and action; and post-harvest processing.
The paper was produced after conversations with farmers, ranchers, farm support agencies and food system advocates.
Since 1982, more than 200 people have participated in the leadership program including producers, entrepreneurs, corporate managers, association executives, researchers, government employees and non-profit managers.
This year’s graduates are:
● Lehua Abrigo – Hawai‘i Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, O‘ahu
● Mason Alfaro – Lydgate Farms, Kaua‘i
● Clayton “Jr” Allencastre – Reyes & Hall, Maui
● Jessica Araszewski – Hawai‘i Farm Bureau Federation, O‘ahu
● Bonarath “Bo” Bory – Pacific Gateway Center, O‘ahu
● Justin Brown – Vylor, Kaua‘i
● Rachel Fukumoto – Agriculture Stewardship Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i
● Judah Lum – Kahuku Farms, O‘ahu
● Jesse Pilialoha Mikasobe-Kealiinohomoku – ʻElepaio Social Services, O‘ahu
● Christen Oliveira Reppun – Hawai‘i Good Food Alliance, O‘ahu
● Jillian Scheibe – Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture & Biosecurity, O‘ahu
● Francesca “Chess” Scola – North Shore Economic Vitality Partnership, O‘ahu
● Chelsea Takahashi – The Food Basket Inc., Hawai‘i
● Shaun Wilcox – Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture & Biosecurity, Hawai‘i
The Agricultural Leadership Foundation of Hawaiʻi was established in 1982 in response to the major shift in Hawai‘i away from plantation agriculture. The non-profit organization provides leadership development opportunities for people committed to strengthening agriculture in the state.
