Our Team
Passionate about food & growing the local regenerative agriculture movement
We are a team of passionate foodies dedicated to supporting local farmers, growers, and producers to uplift the local agricultural economy and communities of Hawai'i. We love providing our customers with the freshest local and organic foods. Mahalo nui loa for your support!
Meet the Team
Executive Director
Maya Parish
Maya has been directing Kohala Food Hub since November 2021, overseeing considerable growth in the number of community members served, local producers supported, and collaborative partnerships created. Prior to that, Parish supported local agricultural initiatives on the island for many years through producing educational workshop series, videos and events. She has gratefully called Kohala home since 2013.
Maya has worked extensively as a community organizer and she currently sits on North Kohala’s CDP Advisory Group, and co-chairs the CDP Agricultural sub-group.
Previous employment includes Operations Manager of Escape Hatch, LLC, Programs Manager at Kohala Institute at ‘Iole, Teacher with Keiki Yoga Kohala, Teaching Artist at The Unusual Suspects, and CareActor with Kaiser Permanente.
Operations Director
Sandra Romer
Hailing from Ireland originally, Sandra leads operations for the Kohala Food Hub and has an extensive operations background in both the non-profit & for-profit sectors. She previously served as the Director of Operations for the Legacy Reef Foundation, growing coral at NELHA on the Big Island.
Prior to that, she held a range of roles in procurement & commodity management, had her own mobile food business, worked in the home automation field and has even been a bike messenger in Australia. She counts herself very lucky to have resided in multiple states in the US and a few global countries too. Sandra loves to stay active with her Big Island community, hiking & biking and trying to get in the ocean every day.
Market Manager
Lina Jacobs
After feeling the call for almost two years, Lina is humbled and thankful to call North Kohala home. A native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, she and her husband, James, recently sold their business, Magpie Cafe, which was born from their love for food and community. A natural foods chef, certified yoga instructor and graduate of the Institute of IntegrativeNutrition, she understands the healing force of natural foods and conscious living. She lives by the principle that food is medicine and believes that what we put into our bodies directly affects the way we function physically, emotionally and spiritually. Lina is grateful for the opportunity to connect with local farmers, growers, artisans and the Kohala community while supporting access to the abundant, local produce, plants, foods & products of the island.
Kitchen Manager/Associate
Travis Travers
Travis is a seasoned professional with a diverse background in hospitality, retail management, and sales. Originally from Alaska, he has recently made North Kohala his home, residing on a family horse ranch for the past 1.5 years. His time in Kohala has been dedicated to working with animals, tending to gardens, and stewarding the land.
Prior to his move to Hawaii, Travis spent a decade honing his skills in the hospitality industry, progressing to the role of general manager at a restaurant and bar establishment. During the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Travis pivoted to managing a retail store and later transitioned to a role as a sales and distribution manager in the wholesale business sector.
Now settled in Kohala, Travis has discovered a new passion in the food hub community. With a keen interest in culinary arts, he is excited to leverage his experiences and skills in a new commercial kitchen setting. Travis is committed to fostering connections within the community and helping individuals achieve their culinary aspirations.
Associate
Indigo Mathewson
Indigo Mathewson was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawai'i and is obsessed with all things food related. She has a B.S in Nutrition and Culinary Arts from Bastyr University and over 12 years of experience in restaurants in Honolulu, Seattle, and Austin, which have been the perfect precursors to owning her own private chef and catering company called Indigo's Healing Kitchen. Indigo has cooked for all types of people, celebrities, CEOs, political figures, and everyone in between, and has found that at the end of the day, we are all just people that want to eat good, real food made from the heart. Sourcing quality ingredients nurtured with good intentions is something that holds high value to her.
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Associate
Jayleen Antonio
Mealani or sometimes referred to as Jay, is a local resident here in North Kohala. She is a mother of two bright, sweet and amazing keiki. Gigi (3.5) and Emma (2) years old. Born and raised on the Big Island, Jay has always had an interest in the relationship between community and sustainability. She loves working with fresh produce and connecting with our local gardeners. She is intrigued to be involved with Kohala Food Hub, and especially excited about the commercial kitchen program and more opportunities to connect with our local communities.