KAILUA-KONA — The Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation named Elizabeth Pickett as its first executive director, it announced Saturday.
Pickett joins the foundation, DRSMF, having worked for 12 years at the Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization, where, under her leadership as executive director, the organization grew from a small nonprofit that worked solely in West Hawaii to a national award-winning hub of wildfire information and protection projects across the entire state and US-affiliated Pacific.
She also spent 13 years at Malama Kai Foundation, where she led community-based coastal stewardship projects and established the well-regarded Ocean Warriors program, an education and mentorship program for North and South Kohala youth, a press release stated.
“Elizabeth’s unique experience at the intersection of nonprofit leadership, community-focused work, and fire protection across Hawaii will help take DRSMF to new heights,” Laura Mallery-Sayre, co-founder of DRSMF, said in the release. “Her ideas and passion for expanding DRSMF’s reach and impact in supporting emergency responders and honoring our community’s heroes will be crucial as our organization continues to grow, innovate, and help save lives in the coming years.”
With over a decade of nonprofit management experience, Pickett is adept at building organizational capacity and coordinating people, programs, and assets toward the vision and mission of an organization. She has a bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley and a Master’s degree from Yale.
She has long worked to cultivate a sense of connectivity, inspiration, and capacity among the many people and entities dedicated to solving some of our most pressing community and environmental challenges in Hawaii, according to the release.
“I am excited to join the Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation family, and build upon the decades of work that the Sayre family and the many dedicated volunteers have committed to securing life-saving equipment and training for HFD and to honoring firefighters on Hawaii Island.” Pickett said. “I’ve worked closely with Hawaii Fire Department and other fire agencies across Hawaii, the Pacific, and the country. I couldn’t be more humbled or honored to have this chance to be of direct service to those whose everyday efforts inspire and protect us all.”
DRSMF was founded by Frank Sayre and Laura Mallery-Sayre to show gratitude for Hawaii Fire Department’s efforts to assist with the recovery of their son Danny, whose life was lost during a hiking accident in Pololu Valley in 1997. The Sayre family and many volunteers have since held 21 annual ceremonies to honor the courageous and heroic acts that are performed by HFD firefighters to protect the Hawaii Island community and its 1.5 million visitors every year, and to raise funds for equipment and training that are vital to saving lives.
The 22nd annual Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation annual awards dinner and fundraiser will be held on Aug. 31 at the Fairmont Orchid.
Info: danielsayrefoundation.org