Women’s Fund of Hawaiʻi adds two new board members

The Women’s Fund of Hawaiʻi, the state’s only grantmaking foundation dedicated exclusively to funding programs for women and girls, has named two new members to its board of directors: Meredith Artley, president and chief executive officer of Hawaiʻi Public Radio, and Julie Yunker, senior director of sustainability, government and community relations at Hawaiʻi Gas.

The nonprofit awards grants statewide, including to organizations serving Maui County, through requests for proposals issued twice a year.

Artley and Yunker join a board that includes Chair Stephanie Shipton, Vice Chair Sharon Lovejoy, Treasurer Gwen Pacarro, Secretary Judy Bishop, and members Karen Mukai and Elaine Rossi DeLeon, according to the organization.

Artley has led Hawaiʻi Public Radio, a listener-supported news and arts organization, since before her board appointment. She previously served as editor in chief and senior vice president of CNN Digital and as interim executive director and executive in residence at the Doris Duke Foundation’s Shangri La Museum in Honolulu. Artley moved to Hawaiʻi in 2022 with her husband, Naka Nathaniel, and their son, and the family lives in Waimea on Hawaiʻi Island.

Yunker oversees sustainability strategy and statewide community engagement for Hawaiʻi Gas, where she also leads the company’s community investment and volunteer programs. She has more than two decades of experience in energy and public affairs work. Before joining Hawaiʻi Gas, Yunker served as strategy officer for the Hawaiʻi State Energy Office, where she worked on strategic communications for the Hawaiʻi Clean Energy Initiative in partnership with the US Department of Energy. Hawaiʻi Gas has been a multiyear sponsor of the fund’s annual “Tea & Champagne” fundraiser.

Elisabeth Case, the fund’s executive director, said the new board members bring broader statewide perspective to the organization’s work. Case said in a statement that the additions will help the fund better understand community needs as it builds on the impact of its first 25 years.

The Women’s Fund of Hawaiʻi also announced a change to its grant cycle. The summer grant period opened July 15 and closes Aug. 15 at midnight, while the winter grant period will run Jan. 1 through Jan. 31. Awards are announced in April and October. The organization said Maui County nonprofits and other eligible programs should review its grant guidelines before applying through its online portal.

The fund, based in Honolulu, focuses on issues including self-sufficiency, safety, health and wellness, substance abuse, homelessness, human trafficking and incarceration, and gives particular consideration to programs serving Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander women and girls, according to the organization.

More information is available at womensfundhawaii.org.