The Mālama Learning Center is run by a small staff that is guided by an active Board of Directors, supported by a Campaign Cabinet, and fueled by a lot of kōkua. We could not be half as successful without the support of dedicated volunteers.

Pauline Sato, Executive & Program Director

Pauline has dedicated the past 25+ years to environmental preservation, working for organizations such as The Nature Conservancy, Bishop Museum, and Moanalua Gardens Foundation. Her skill-set has enabled her to assume various positions, from environmental educator and teacher trainer to volunteer coordinator, natural resources program manager, and public awareness coordinator. A strong believer in working with partners to accomplish shared goals, Pauline has also served on several boards and councils, including the Hawai‘i Environmental Education Association, North American Association for Environmental Education, Mālama Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Academy of Science, and the State of Hawai‘i Environmental Council. Pauline’s extensive career in conservation in Hawai‘i has helped her build a broad network among natural and cultural resources throughout the state.

Paula Nagao, Administrative Coordinator

Paula has over 25 years of executive administration and organizational experience implementing change initiatives within corporate and not-for-profit organizations. Her wide-ranging experiences include: implementing training programs for Liberty Bank; producing marketing materials and events for The Shidler Group; coordinating strategic planning meetings and other projects for The Nature Conservancy; implementing organizational change programs for Hawai‘i Community Foundation; supporting community-based economic development efforts through the Hawai‘i Alliance for Community-Based Economic Development; and serving as a project coordinator for several cultural and environmental organizations.

Janice Staab, Education Coordinator

Janice earned a Masters degree in Educational Foundations specializing in environmental education from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Her final project for graduate school involved updating the Hawai‘i Environmental Education Resource Guide. As an undergraduate at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, she ran several student environmental campaigns including “Stopping Global Warming Starts Here” and “Students for Fair Trade.” Prior to joining Mālama Learning Center, she worked as an Outreach Assistant for The Nature Conservancy of Hawai‘i and also was a teacher at the Early School.

Sayo Costantino, Environmental Eduator

Thanks to a number of supporters, including Kupu Hawai‘i, we have an AmeriCorps member as part of our education team at the Mālama Learning Center. Sayo Costantino is engaged in a variety of activities with students and the general community. Sayo brings 10 years of environmental education experience to MLC. In California she worked as a program director with KIDS for the BAY, running programs such as “the Storm Drain Rangers Program,” “Reduce Waste and the four R’s Program” and “the Urban Wilderness Classroom.” Prior to KIDS for the BAY, Sayo worked for the US Forest Service taking families on a first camping experience in their local mountains.  Her most recent accomplishment, however, was not in the classroom but on the trail, completing the Pacific Crest Trail.

Kawai Soneda, Education Assistant

Kapolei resident Kawai Soneda is eager to get his start in environmental education. "I started learning about sustainability and organic living with my wife after our daughter was born.  We felt it was important to give her the best life and future we could.  In doing so we started our adventure in a new way of living.  Our path has taken us on new and exciting ways of living our life.  We now have a worm bin, compost bin and bokashi bucket for my families food waste.  We are also growing kalo and other plants to feed our family.  In the near future we plan to expand to raising organic broiler chickens and hopefully living in a eco-community."