Maui Nui Food Alliance Welcomes New Coordinator

The Maui Nui Food Alliance (MNFA) is excited to welcome Breon Michel as its new Coordinator with Hawai‘i Public Health Institute (HIPHI).

MNFA is a cross-sector collaborative working to strengthen food security and build a more resilient local food system across Maui, Molokai, and Lāna‘i. Through partnership and community-driven action, the alliance supports efforts that improve access to healthy local food and advance long-term food systems sustainability throughout Maui Nui.

Breon brings nearly 20 years of experience in health, wellness, nutrition, and community leadership, grounded in a deeply held belief that food is medicine. Her career has focused on addressing the systemic factors that shape long-term health outcomes, including advocacy for programs like Da Bux that increase community access to healthy, locally grown food.

Growing up in a rural farming community in the Midwest and later working as a case manager supporting individuals experiencing food insecurity gave Breon firsthand insight into both the challenges farmers face and the barriers families encounter in accessing healthy food. She understands that education alone isn’t enough. Policy-driven change is essential to ensuring that culturally relevant, healthy food is accessible to everyone. With a Master’s degree in Positive Psychology, she brings a strengths-based, solutions-focused approach to collaboration and systems change.

For the past seven years, Breon has lived and raised her family in Hawai‘i and currently resides in Kula. She is passionate about sustainability, land stewardship, and building strong community partnerships across Maui Nui. As the MNFA Coordinator, she looks forward to building connections across the food system to support a healthier, more resilient, and food-secure future for generations to come.