Sarah Freeman

Sarah Freeman is the Food System Specialist for the County of Hawai’i Department of Research and Development. In this role, Sarah works with partners to increase collaboration, effectiveness, and identify funding for community-initiated projects that focus on improving Hawai’i’s food system. Sarah co-facilitates Hawai’i Island Food Alliance and is on the Executive Team of the Hawai’i Island Agriculture Partnership where she supports the development and implementation of a county level Food System Action Plan, and network and value chain assessments to identify strategic interventions. Sarah works closely with statewide systems leaders on enabling viable models of local agriculture production, aggregation and processing, local institutional purchasing, agriculture and nutrition education programs, and food access and obesity prevention initiatives.

The County of Hawai’i Department of Research and Development works to imagine, invest in and collaboratively create a sustainable, equitable, and thriving Hawaiʻi Island. The Department’s core program areas are Food Systems, Agriculture, Community Wellbeing, Energy, Economic Development, Creative Industries, Tourism, Immigration Information Office, and the Workforce Development Board. The Department’s focus is on economic development that reflects community values and enables a diverse and stable economy that offers a high quality of life for our residents through innovations that balance Hawaiʻi Island’s economic, social, and environmental well-being. Through its work, the Department informs planning, policy and programmatic decision-making with data-driven research and collaborates in the development and funding of initiatives seeking environmental, community and economic sustainability.