Schedule a business meeting with Heather Kerkering, Assistant Regional Administrator for the Pacific Islands CASC, and you might find yourself standing on a boat – or, if you are steady enough, on a surfboard – off the coast of a Hawaiian island.  

“I love being on the water because there are no distractions,” Heather says, “Especially in a meeting, you’re not on the water with your phones and your computer and anything else – you’re just there.”  

The allure of the ocean and the warmth of the Hawaiian community made a lasting impression on Heather when she first moved to Hawaiʻi in 2011 to direct the Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS).  

“I totally fell in love with it,” she recalls, “ocean access was everywhere, and the people are amazing.”  

Heather now works to help the Pacific Islands CASC (PI CASC) identify regional priorities, build partnerships, and collaborate with communities to manage projects that advance climate adaptation solutions throughout the Pacific.

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Missed the boat? Don’t worry, Heather has plenty of acceptably idyllic alternatives for her business meetings. One of her favorite places is nestled in the Heʻeia watershed (ahupuaʻa) on Oʻahu’s windward side. Above, hills cradle the source of the Papahana stream, which flows through a swimming hole, passes a USGS stream gauge, then reaches terraced taro patches (loʻi kalo), with each tier filtering the water and nourishing the next. Eventually, the water flows all the way to a traditional fishpond (loko iʻa) on its way to the ocean. 

“You go there, and you stomp around, and you aerate it,” Heather says, describing hands and feet sinking into the cool, soft soil during community workdays at the lush taro fields. Community restoration efforts here focus on removing invasive mangroves and experimenting with plantings aimed at self-sustainable food production, to help the islands reduce their dependence on imported food. 

A stark contrast to conference rooms and video calls, Heather’s decisions to hold meetings outside exemplifies how she works to connect people to the earth and to each other. This isn’t only a professional philosophy – she shares these special places with friends and family too. 

And this is exactly what makes her work with PI CASC so enjoyable – the job is all about making connections. Connections between people, between people and the land, between people and the ocean.

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“One of the things I was really drawn to when I first came out here, [that] I hadn't yet found a lot of on the mainland,” she says, are “Communities of people that really had this connection to their place.”  

Heather quickly learned that the connection she felt was captured by the Hawaiian value kuleana, which captures a sense of responsibility in caring for land, families, and community. Kuleana reflects a sense of stewardship and reciprocity that is evident in daily life, whether it’s preparing for storms, planning fishing trips, or organizing surfing outings.  

Another way to translate kuleana is “privilege.” For Heather, the ocean is an endless wilderness she feels privileged to experience. Whether she’s in it, on it, or simply near it, the water offers her both calm and excitement.  

“Sometimes explaining that we have an ecosystem mission area that studies culture and ecology throws people off,” Heather explains. She simplifies her job to family and friends as: “I help run a program that supports climate adaptation across the Pacific so that we can build resiliency to climate change.”  

Heather also stresses that PI CASC is not just a funding organization, but it connects science to real-world needs by developing partnerships, co-producing projects, and supporting efforts that help island communities adapt to climate change challenges. 

One of her favorite examples was a coral reef restoration project in Waimānalo with the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and the local community. It took a year and a half of meetings and discussions to build trust and mutual understanding before reaching an agreement. “It was fascinating to see island communities working with Western Science to adapt to climate challenges,” Heather says. 

Heather’s career path wasn’t always straightforward, but her passion for the ocean guided her from a young age. Growing up in Richmond, Virginia, she spent summer months at sailing camps in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, where she and her fellow campers would sail past the Duke Marine Lab, located on a small barrier island in Beaufort, NC. That’s when she decided that she wanted to study there. After earning a degree in Environmental Sciences at the University of Virginia, she went on to complete a Master of Environmental Management degree at Duke University.  

By the time Heather moved to Hawaiʻi in 2011 for her job with the PacIOOS, she already had years of experience launching and managing programs at the Central and Northern California OOS regions and working with researchers and managers across the U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands (API) regions. However, a few years later, Heather and her family unexpectedly had to move back to the east coast. At that time, she started her own consulting business called “Sea Connections Consulting,” providing strategic planning and project management services to government and non-profits.  

After a three-year hiatus on the east coast, Heather’s expertise, and strong professional connections in the region, made her a natural fit when the Pacific Islands CASC Research Coordinator job became available.  

“It’s really important to care about what you do because you end up working with people that share that passion, and that makes every day a fun job.” 

As the Assistant Regional Administrator for PI CASC, her work in the region was recognized through a National Award for her leadership supporting climate adaptation and resilience in Hawaiian communities, all while fostering a deep appreciation between people, the land, and the ocean.  

Today, Heather balances her work leading the charge in climate adaptation with her love for the ocean, whether she’s swimming, surfing, or racing six-man canoes. To her, the water is a beloved friend, something profound that is better experienced than described. 

The next time you visit Hawaiʻi, arrange a meeting with Heather. Maybe on a boat or surrounded by terraced taro fields. She’ll not only wow you with cutting-edge PI CASC science and innovative climate adaptation solutions, but also introduce you to the vibrant communities and landscapes she loves.