Peter Merriman of Maui joins Hawaiʻi Public Radio’s board of directors

Hawai‘i Public Radio announced the newest members to its Board of Directors and Community Advisory Board, effective July 18.

They are:

• Peter Merriman (Maui), Chef and Restaurateur, Merriman’s and Handcrafted Restaurants
• Jim Burke Jr. (O‘ahu), President of Production, Focus Features
• Cheryl Lupenui (Hawai‘i Island), President and CEO, The Kohala Center
• Dana Tokioka (O‘ahu) Vice President, Atlas Insurance Agency, Inc., President, Island Holdings’ Foundations

Hawaiʻi Public Radio also has a new Community Advisory Board Chair and ex-officio board member: Kelsie Aguilera (O‘ahu), Professor of Anthropology, Leeward Community College.

The Board of Directors is legally responsible for the governance of Hawaiʻi Public Radio as a locally owned and operated nonprofit corporation. The Board also holds the FCC broadcast licenses for the radio stations operating as HPR. 

To learn more about the Board of Directors, click here.

HPR also named 10 community members from across the state to its Community Advisory Board Class of 2024:

• Katie Mecklenburg, Wailuku, Maui
• Melissa Will, Kahului, Maui
• James Faumuina, Kapolei, O‘ahu
• Padraic Gallagher, Līhu‘e, Kaua‘i
• Valerie Koenig, Honolulu, O‘ahu
• Eric Korpi, Kaunakakai, Moloka‘i
• Kamaka Mahi Gunderson, Pāhoa, Hawai‘i Island
• George Mavrothalassitis, Honolulu, O‘ahu
• Angelina Mercado, Honolulu, O‘ahu
• Nakanaela Nathaniel, Volcano, Hawai‘i Island

The Community Advisory Board is an adjunct to the Board of Directors. It provides feedback to HPR management on station programming and community outreach opportunities. Members were selected from 79 nominations from across the Islands. Each member will serve a two-year term. 

To learn more about the Community Advisory Board, click here.

The following Board of Directors are retiring:

• Barry Rivers (Maui, 2013-2022)
• Thomas Benedict (Honolulu, 2021-2022)
• Barbara A. Hastings (Hawai‘i Island, 2013-2022 )

Benedict served as Chair of the Community Advisory Board, and served on HPR’s Board of Directors in an ex-officio position.