Julie Strong appointed as MEO’s new chief fiscal officer

Julie Strong has been appointed chief fiscal officer of Maui Economic Opportunity.

She succeeds Monica Takamura, who stepped down due to health reasons. She remains with MEO as accounting manager.

Strong has more than 20 years of accounting/finance experience. Prior to joining MEO, she was finance manager at DB Schenker Inc., a third party logistics company for Proctor and Gamble in Shippensburg, Pa., and in Inwood, W.Va. She managed the finances and budgets for both locations.

She also has experience as a controller and staff accountant with companies in Buda and San Marcos, Texas.

With a Bachelor of Science in accounting from the University of Phoenix, Strong grew up in Ewa Beach, Oʻahu. She and husband, James, returned to the islands in September 2024 after 21 years on the Mainland.

The chief financial officer leads MEO’s Fiscal Department, which manages audits, grants, budgets and payroll, and works with nonprofit’s five departments on fiscal matters. With more than 200 staff on Maui, Moloka‘i and Lānaʻi, MEO operates more than 30 programs – including wildfire relief programs – with revenues of $22 million in fiscal year 2022-23.

“One of the strengths through MEO’s six decades has been its Fiscal Department and financial management,” said Chief Executive Officerf Debbie Cabebe. “Julie will continue MEO’s tradition of clean audits and honest financial management, while allowing us to utilize modern fiscal tools to improve efficiency and reporting.”

Maui Economic Opportunity, Inc. is a nonprofit agency that’s part of the national Community Action Partnership network. The agency aims to help low-income individuals and families and disenfranchised people help themselves and transform their lives.

For more information, visit meoinc.org or call 808-249-2990.