Jen Maydan joined the Maui County Planning Department in May 2014 with a passion to work with communities to plan for a sustainable, resilient and equitable Maui County.

KAANAPALI — Jen Maydan will be the guest speaker at the Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunset’s meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 17, at the Royal Ocean Terrace Restaurant at the Royal Lahaina Resort.

What exactly is an urban forest? How do trees benefit our communities? Who cares for the trees in our neighborhoods, and how can you get involved? Maydan, Kaulunani Advisory Councilmember, will discuss the Kaulunani Urban & Community Forestry Program, a program of the state’s Division of Forestry and Wildlife.

Through community partnership grants, support of Arbor Day, and coordination of projects such as Tree City USA and Citizen Forester, Kaulunani aims to improve the wellbeing and resilience of communities across Hawaii.

Maydan serves as a planning supervisor for the Long-Range Planning Division at the Maui County Planning Department.

She has over 15 years of experience in community planning in Maui County, working on projects like the Maui Island Plan, Lanai Community Plan, Molokai Community Plan, and West Maui Community Plan.

She holds a Master’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Colorado at Denver and is a certified member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP).

As well as serving as an advisory member of the Kaulunani Forestry Council, she is also chair of the Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Coalition for Maui, Molokai and Lanai.

For more information about Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunset meetings, upcoming speakers and projects, visit the club website at https://www.rotarycluboflahainasunset.org.