Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks Association Announces New Executive Director

A nonprofit association that partners with six national parks in Hawaiʻi and American Samoa is under new leadership.

The Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association announced Thursday, July 14, that Melody “Mel” Boehl was named its new executive director.

Boehl, who has a bachelor’s of science degree and graduated Magna Cum Laude, brings more than 30 years of leadership experience in business administration. She began her professional career with a Big Four public accounting firm, then moved into leadership roles with large nonprofits.

Boehl and her husband, Andy, moved in 2015 to Hawai‘i, where she joined the Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association ʻohana as business director.

“Our work supports the national parks through sales at our visitor center park stores and online, which convert to park donations,” she said in a press release. “I will work to increase our visibility so we can increase our support of the parks; we need to continue to uplift our park partners and communities, tell the stories of the national park sites and promote Pacific Island culture.”

Her primary goal as executive director is to deeply connect with visitors to the national parks, National Park Service staff and her Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association teams.

“We are pleased to welcome Mel officially to this position,” Miki Tomita, Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association board chairperson, said in the press release. “Her leadership and grace have been foundational to HPPA since she joined us in 2015 and will continue to shape this next stage of HPPA’s existence.”

Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association visitor center park stores and its online shop have contributed more than $20 million in support to its six national park partners in Hawaiʻi and American Samoa since 1933.