Laurie Rich was named the new executive director of the East Hawai’i Cultural Center (EHCC).

Rich, who formally begins her role on August 1, is an experienced leader in the nonprofit sector. She was the former Executive Director of the David Brower Center in Berkeley, California where she spent seven years managing a LEED platinum building that encompassed office tenants, a conference center, restaurant, environmental education programs and gallery space. As ED, she managed a $1.7 million budget and along with operational oversight responsibilities she stewarded the long-term vision and strategy of the organization.

Prior to her appointment as ED, Rich served as director of Events & External Relations for The Children & Nature Network. She recently finished producing CNN’s annual Inside-Out international conference, where she established a Youth Advisory Council to center youth voice in conference planning and initiating scholarships for 30 local Indigenous youth leaders to attend.

In a press release Rich said, “I couldn’t be more excited to join EHCC, the mission of the organization aligns with my belief that having a place where art and culture are celebrated is necessary for vibrant community. I am looking forward to supporting our current strong programming and feel there is great potential within our team and the community to establish new partnerships and synergize our programs for sustainable growth.”

Rich replaces outgoing ED Carol Walker, who is retiring but will remain active with EHCC as a board member, volunteer, and director of its Javanese gamelan program.

Photo credit: EHCC