WHEN THE HARVEST IS LOST — Building a Stronger Safety Net for Hawai'i's Farmers

Jennifer Nelligan

Jen Nelligan serves as the Chief Program Officer at the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD), which represents America's 3,000 conservation districts and their 17,000 governing board members.

She works across federal, state, and local governments and private sector partners to advance locally led conservation. This model centers on locally elected leaders working alongside landowners and producers to drive voluntary, incentive-based conservation action. She is committed to strengthening that grassroots model and ensuring local communities can shape the policies and programs that make them more effective stewards of the land.

Prior to NACD, Jennifer advised executive leaders through her consulting practice, including work with USDA's Farm Production and Conservation mission area. She began her career as a contracting officer at Naval Sea Systems Command, where she managed a $1.4 billion portfolio for naval systems development and lifecycle programs.

Chief Program Officer, National Association of Conservation Districts

Michael Chock is the Farm Loan Manager for Honolulu County at USDA Farm Service Agency. With over 9 years of experience in agricultural lending, Michael provides financial assistance to Hawaii’s farmers and ranchers. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, and going to the beach.

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Farm Loan Manager - Honolulu County, USDA Farm Service Agency

Michael Chock

Bridget Kapahu (formerly Bridget Napier) is a fourth-generation Hawaii rancher and Plant Manager of Hawaii Meats, bringing a unique perspective from both livestock production and meat processing. Raised in Hawaii agriculture, Bridget has spent much of her career working across the livestock industry and currently oversees operations at one of the state’s USDA-inspected meat processing facilities.

Bridget also serves as President of the Oʻahu Cattlemen’s Association, after previously serving as the association’s Secretary for 16 years. Her longstanding involvement in Hawaii’s cattle industry has allowed her to work alongside producers while also experiencing firsthand the challenges that exist beyond the ranch gate.

Her experience across ranching and processing gives her a practical perspective on processing capacity, transportation, labor, infrastructure, regulatory requirements, rising operating costs, and the vulnerabilities of an island food system.Bridget is passionate about strengthening Hawaii agriculture through practical solutions that support producers, preserve local agricultural capacity, and build a more resilient local food supply.

Plant Manager, Hawaii Meats LLC and Hawai'i Rancher

Bridget Kapahu

J.B. Martin is the NRCS Pacific Islands Area director, headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi.

He provides leadership for the state of Hawai'i; territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Freely Associated States.

Martin's deeply rooted career with NRCS includes pivotal leadership positions and hands-on work in the field vital to NRCS’s mission.

Early in his career, he served as a soil conservationist inMarshalltown, Iowa; district conservationist in Burlington, Iowa, and Madison,Wisconsin; and area conservationist in Flagstaff, Arizona, where he managed more than 33 million acres in Northern Arizona while working with seven federally recognized Native American Tribes. He developed a strategic plan to establish the Flagstaff Area Office and helped the Navajo Nation reduce a backlog of $10 million in Environmental Quality Incentives Program contracts.

During his two years serving as the deputy state conservationist in Lakewood, Colorado, Martin addressed mismanagement of funds and authorities and developed special initiatives for conservation planning.His work led him to Raleigh, North Carolina, as state conservationist, where he implemented a special EQIP initiative to address issues relating to small and historically underserved farmers.

For the following nine years, Martin held various leadership positions at the NRCS Central National Technology Support Center in Fort Worth,Texas, including as acting director of the Southern Plains Climate Hub and acting division director of Strategic Planning and Accountability.

A native of Crystal Springs, Mississippi, Martin graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture Economics from Alcorn StateUniversity in Lorman, Mississippi. He and his wife have one daughter. He enjoys watching sports, traveling, and outdoor activities.

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Director - NRCS Pacific Islands Area, USDA

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J.B. Martin

Dean Matsukawa serves as the Agricultural Loan Administrator for the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture & Biosecurity, where he leads a team managing a $22 million loan portfolio supporting local farmers. With over 30 years of experience in agricultural finance and a deep background in farming, Dean combines financial expertise with firsthand knowledge of Hawai‘i’s agricultural landscape.

Raised on his family’s farm in Waiahole Valley, Dean brings a lifetime of connection to the land. He has played a key role in modernizing loan systems, expanding access to capital for farmers statewide, and crafting legislation to strengthen the industry.

Dean holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Washington and is a graduate of lending and leadership programs through Fresno State, the Hawai‘i Leadership Academy, and the Agricultural Leadership Foundation of Hawai‘i. His contributions have earned him multiple honors, including the Department’s Manager of the Year award.

Agricultural Loan Administrator, Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture & Biosecurity

Dean Matsukawa

As Executive Chef of Prince Waikiki, Chef Tadena oversees the overall performance of all food and beverage operations, ensuring that the hotel's diverse dining outlets are elevated for continued success.

Bringing over a decade of distinguished culinary expertise, Chef Brooke masterfully manages large-scale food and wine productions with a philosophy rooted in treating perfect ingredients with the utmost respect. He is a multi-dimensional leader whose career is anchored by early, defining roles at two of Hawaii’s most prestigious luxury properties. He first honed his craft at the Mandarin Oriental, Honolulu, where he served as Executive Sous Chef and Chef de Cuisine for the award-winning Hoku’s, before moving to the legendary Halekulani to serve as Restaurant Chef for the iconic House Without A Key.

Before joining Prince Waikiki, Chef Tadena served as the Executive Chef of the Hawaii Convention Center. His impressive career also includes nearly a decade at the HiltonHawaiian Village, where he served as both Executive Sous Chef and Banquet Chef. Additionally, he refined his leadership skills as the Executive Sous Chef at the Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa.

A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Chef Tadena also attended McKinley High School and Kapiolani Community College. Born in Honolulu and raised in Wahiawa, he brings a strong foundation in team building and engagement to the Prince Waikiki family. When heis not in the kitchen "leveling up on life," he can often be found pursuing his passion for fishing or enjoying the scenery at Hinana Bar.

Executive Chef

Prince Waikiki

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Brooke Tadena

Bio coming soon!

Owner + Chef

DC Caterings

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Dayton Cagaoan

Chef Kevin Guard of The Guarden, a private dining experience and catering company, owned by him and his life and business partner Sabrina Peters, expresses his culinary art form with sustainability at the forefront. He practices home-gardening to source his edible flowers, herbs, tropical fruits, and vegetables, while sourcing many of his products from local suppliers who provide locally grown and sourced ingredients. “It’s difficult to go 100% local from a business perspective, but it’s a priority to support our local agriculture community. It’s a fragile system that needs all the attention it can get and it deserves.”

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Owner + Chef

The Guarden

Kevin Guard

Andrew Le is creating and adding his own flair to Hawaii’s culinary scene by using his cultural roots to inspire his tastes. Creator, owner and chef, Le is the mastermind behind the innovative restaurant, The Pig & The Lady. Le innovates by accentuating his cuisine with Southeast Asian flavors through an Asian American lens, a foundation built on delicious memories first introduced by his Vietnamese immigrant mother. As of November 2019, Le’s culinary footprint has expanded internationally with the opening of The Pig & The Lady in Tokyo, Japan.

Born and raised in Honolulu, Le attended the Culinary Institute of America in New York, and graduated in 2006. Soon after, he landed a job at Chef Mavro, working under the tutelage of namesake Chef George Mavrothalassitis, founding member of the Hawaii Regional Cuisine movement. After five years working at Chef Mavro, Le decided it was his time for people to experience his own cooking and launched The Pig & The Lady in the summer of 2011, causing an immediate buzz and following among foodies.

A “rising star” by national online magazine StarChefs.com, Andrew Le is also a 2014 James Beard Foundation “Rising Star Chef of the Year”, 2015 and 2025 “Best Chef: West” semifinalist, and most recently 2022 “Outstanding Restaurateur” semifinalist. Le has also won several local awards including winning Gold for Honolulu Magazine’s Hale Aina Best New Restaurant in 2015, Best Oahu Restaurant three times in a row, 2017 – 2019, and was honored Restaurateur of the Year in 2017.

Along Le’s gastronomic journey, he’s learned how cooking can bring people together: everyone from the farmer, to the rancher and fisherman, and of course, to the restaurant staff and the diner.

Creator, Owner + Chef

The Pig & The Lady

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Conversations That Feed Hawai‘i’s Future