Aloha kākou! I’d like to take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Kim Perry and I am the new Master Gardener Coordinator for Kauaʻi County. I am very excited to take on this role and carry forward the great work initiated by my colleague Richard Ebesu, who previously managed the program. I am committed to enhancing food self‐
sufficiency and promoting environmental stewardship on Kauaʻi and I look forward to working alongside you towards this goal. A little about me: I recently moved to Kauaʻi from California where I earned my M.S. in Regenerative Studies with a focus in sustainable food & agriculture systems from the John T. Lyle Center for Regenerative Studies at California State Polytechnic Uni‐
versity, Pomona. While pursuing my degree, I worked part‐time as an assistant site technician to develop and maintain the Lyle Center’s organic agricultural demonstration site and as an agro‐ecology intern, conducting research and demonstration on the use of beneficial microorganisms in soil amendment and organic food production. Prior to joining the Lyle Center, I worked on a small farm in Mexico where I gained experience in all aspects of organic food production from production planning to post‐harvest processing. I’ve been involved in a number of community gardening and local food projects over the years and am passionate about working with Master Gardeners to strengthen and grow Kauai’s local food network. My bachelor’s degree is in Biology and Environmental studies from Grinnell College. I also studied Ecology and Conservation at the School for International Training in Madagascar and worked as an Environmental Specialist for the Peace Corps in Ja‐
maica. I hope to apply some of the knowledge and experience I gained in these ar‐
eas to promote garden and landscape practices that conserve and regenerate Kauai’s native habitat and natural resources. In my spare time I like to hike, bike, kayak, camp, and otherwise explore this beauti‐
ful island. I also love to garden, cook, and walk other peoples’ dogs. That’s me in a nutshell. I look forward to meeting and working with many of you in the future. Thank you for being so welcoming and supportive as I learn the ropes here. If you have any questions or ideas you’d like to share with me, please feel free to call me at (808) 274‐3478, email me at kperry2@hawaii.edu, or stop by my office in Lihue (3060 Eiwa Street, Suite 210). My door is always open!