Spotlight on Sustainability: Hawai‘i Land Trust’s Olu Campbell Shares Insights on Achieving 20 Years of Environmental Stewardship
Quick Facts
The Heart of Hawaiʻi: ‘Olu Campbell’s Journey towards Land Preservation and Leadership
Hawaiʻi has long been a place of profound connection between people and land. For ‘Olu Campbell, this connection was ever-present, shaping his values and guiding his path towards a life of land preservation and leadership. As the president and CEO of Hawaiʻi Land Trust, Campbell embodies the spirit of aloha, embodying the reciprocal relationship between land and its people.
Campbell’s Journey
Growing up, Campbell spent most of his days exploring the great outdoors, from volunteering with his father at He’eia Fishpond to playing at the beach and climbing mountains. This intense connection to nature and the community ultimately led to his role at Hawaiʻi Land Trust, where he oversees all acquisitions and projects, ensuring the preservation of sacred lands for future generations.
Campbell’s journey began with a deep passion for the environment and a desire to make a difference. After completing his undergraduate degree in biology, environmental sciences, and Hawaiian language at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, he went on to pursue a degree in environmental law. He recognized the power of knowledge in advocating for the land and the people, acknowledging that his understanding of the law would enable him to be a more effective advocate for the things he truly cared about.
“Being in Hawaiʻi and understanding our place here, I felt like I could be a better advocate for the things I care about, including our land and our people, through a knowledge of the law,” says Campbell.
Leadership and Family
Today, Campbell’s dedication to land preservation is unwavering. His team at Hawaiʻi Land Trust is committed to protecting the land and its people, recognizing the crucial role that reciprocal relationships play in maintaining a thriving community. “I feel we have a really big responsibility to try to reestablish or protect those relationships between people and place,” Campbell emphasizes.
Colleagues and peers alike have taken notice of Campbell’s focused leadership, with Neil Hannahs, a board member of the trust, concluding that Campbell is “mission driven, strategic, inclusive, energetic and accountable.” The results speak for themselves, with Hawaiʻi Land Trust achieving significant milestones under Campbell’s guidance.
Despite his many accomplishments, Campbell remains humble and grounded, recognizing that nothing compares to the love and support of his family. “Having a wonderful wife and two wonderful kids, and an extended family – my parents and my siblings – we just are so close. I don’t think anything else in my life will ever top that,” he shares.
Preserving Hawaiʻi’s Land
Campbell’s story is a testament to the power of following one’s passion and staying true to one’s values. As one of the leaders featured in our 20 for the Next 20 series, he embodies the spirit of innovation, stewardship, and community that defines the next generation of Hawaiʻi’s leaders.
As we continue to look to the future, Campbell’s commitment to preserving Hawaiʻi’s land and its people serves as a beacon of hope for a brighter tomorrow. His story is a reminder that leadership is not just about achieving success, but about staying true to one’s values and being a catalyst for positive change in the community.
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Category: 20 for the Next 20, Leadership
