MEO’s Lee Imada Named to HPR Community Advisory Board

Maui Economic Opportunity Executive Assistant, Lee Imada, was to the new class of Hawaiʻi Public Radio’s Community Advisory Board. The advisory panel’s responsibilities include being the eyes and ears in the community for HPR and to provide feedback on the station’s programming goals, services, policy decisions and outreach opportunities.

The 10-member board also serves in an advisory capacity for the HPR Board of Directors, which is led by Chairman Francis Oda, chairman of G70.

The first of four meetings of the board for the fiscal year was held virtually on Wednesday, Aug. 11.

Members were selected from more than 140 nominations. Each member will serve a two-year term. Imada was the only Maui member selected for Class of 2023. 

Thomas Benedict of Honolulu was elected chair of the Community Advisory Board and will serve on HPR’s Board of Directors in an ex-officio position. The other members of the Class of 2023 include: Kevin Chang, Kāne‘ohe, O‘ahu; Andy Collins, Honoka‘a, Hawai‘i island; Edward Joseph, Kapolei, O‘ahu; Sylvia Flores, Honolulu; Faith Elarionoff, Hilo, Hawai‘i island; Benjamin Willkie, Kailua, O‘ahu; Pat Griffin, Līhu‘e, Kaua‘i; Pamela Haulani Medeiros, Kailua, O‘ahu; and Cathy Ching, Honolulu, O‘ahu.

A resident of Waikapū and born and raised on Maui, Imada joined the nonprofit MEO in January after a nearly 40-year career as a reporter/editor at The Maui News.

MEO provides a wide variety of programs that assist low income and disenfranchised residents of Maui County, including persons with disabilities, youth, kupuna and immigrants.