MEO CEO Debbie Cabebe to retire in July; Maggie Batangan to succeed her

Maui Economic Opportunity Inc. will be undergoing a leadership transition in 2026 with Debbie Cabebe retiring as the seventh chief executive in the 61-year-old Maui County nonprofit’s history and Maggie Clark Batangan succeeding her as the eighth leader beginning Aug. 1.

Cabebe ends her 26 years at MEO on July 31, the last nine years as CEO of one of the county’s largest nonprofit agencies with more than 270 team members throughout Maui County, more than 30 diverse programs and an annual budget currently exceeding $64 million.

She rose through the ranks after joining MEO in 2000 as human resources manager and became chief operating officer in 2011. She succeeded Lyn McNeff in 2017.

During her tenure as CEO, Cabebe has led the agency through the COVID-19 and 2023 wildfires crises, quickly standing up programs such as Hawaii Emergency Laulima Partnership (HELP) and Maui Disaster Recovery National Dislocated Workers Grant, the Maui Relief TANF Program and the Maui Fires Relief Fund at the behest of state and county governments and private foundations to distribute funds and other resources to desperate Maui County residents. 

She also led the effort to bring MEO’s Youth Services program to Moloka`i. Kaohi offers in-school and after-school suicide, bullying, drug, alcohol and smoking prevention programs to middle and high schoolers while offering leadership, community service and cultural activities.

In her earlier years, Cabebe brought her Human Resources experience from the private sector and led MEO’s transition to modern business and employment practices. She instituted formal hiring processes with job descriptions and separation protocols, wrote anti-discrimination and other 21st Century labor policies, and employed stricter budgeting and fiscal procedures.

Cabebe has been actively involved in the community and taken leadership roles with the Society for Human Resource Management, Maui County Council on Aging, Maui Economic Recovery Commission and Maui Nonprofit Directors Association to name a few.

She also has been honored as a Pacific Business News Woman Who Mean Business Honoree (2019), Maui Nonprofit Executive Director of the Year (2019), Pacific Business News Hawaii’s Most Admired Leaders Honoree (2023) and Society for Human Resource Management Volunteer Service Award (2025).

“It has been an honor and privilege to serve MEO for the past 26 years,” said Cabebe. “I am deeply grateful to those who established the foundation for our success, as well as to our dedicated staff, board, volunteers, funders and partners whose collective commitment strengthens our impact.

“I am also pleased that the board has selected Maggie as my successor. She is thoughtful, capable, and exceptionally talented, and I am confident she will lead MEO with vision and integrity in the years ahead.”

Batangan joined MEO as chief administrative officer in January 2021 and will be executive director during the transition through Cabebe’s retirement. As chief administrative officer, she supervised the Human Resources Department and focused on contract compliance, talent and change management, organizational and performance management, training and development, hiring and compensation. 

She joins MEO after holding various positions in the Maui County administration and Maui County Council, including as deputy county clerk and legislative and budget analyst. Before joining MEO, Batangan was a part of the Department of Management staff.

During her years with the county, Batangan managed personnel and contracts, oversaw elections, served as a communications liaison and drafted and implemented policy. She also has worked with local and international nonprofit organizations in Hawai`i, Washington, D.C., and Ohio.

Batangan holds a Master of Public Administration with a focus on public management and a Bachelor of Science in Communication Studies with a specialization in political communication, both from Ohio University.

“I’m immensely grateful to Debbie for her mentorship and many contributions to MEO,” Batangan said. “She has spent 26 years strengthening the core operations of the organization and her impact will be timeless. The Maui County community has benefited greatly from her leadership, knowledge, and commitment to the core values of community action.

“I feel incredibly fortunate to be a steward of MEO’s enduring role as a strong community partner. It is a great privilege and responsibility to ensure we continue to effectively meet the needs of our community. I thank the board of directors and MEO staff for their support, and I look forward to starting this journey alongside an outstanding team.”

The MEO Board of Directors approved the succession plan last year. 

“The MEO Board of Directors applauds the stellar work and outstanding leadership of Debbie throughout her 26 dedicated years,” said Board President Carol Reimann. “Her tenure will likely be best remembered for her dedication and leadership during COVID-19 and the 2023 wildfires. Her hard work brought much needed relief quickly to those in need and fortified MEO’s reputation as an important place in the community for residents in need.”

“Maggie is cut from the same mold with a caring heart and eagerness to help struggling Maui County residents succeed. She has the board’s confidence. MEO is in good hands.”

With Batangan, MEO will have had only eight chief executives since its incorporation in March 1965 as a Community Action Agency, one of more than a thousand entities organized across the nation to battle poverty. The list of executive directors include Jonesie Medeiros, Joe Souki, Paul Pladera, Gladys Baisa, Sandy Baz, Lyn McNeff, Cabebe and Batangan.

MEO has grown from two programs in 1965, which included the Head Start preschool program, to more than 30 today. These include Maui Bus paratransit; Head Start preschool; small business planning courses and grants; middle and high school drug, bullying and suicide prevention; and rent and utility assistance and support for recently released inmates.

For more information about MEO and its programs, call 808-249-2990.