Pohai joined the conservancy’s Fund Development team in spring 2024. As a Major Gifts Officer, he works to amplify the conservancy’s fundraising capacity by building lasting relationships with donors, foundations, and other granting organizations.
Prior to the nonprofit sector, Pohai’s professional experience ranged from multimedia production to teaching English as a second language. He earned a B.A. from the University of Michigan in 2014 and began his career in filmmaking. Originally from Hawaii, Pohai spent his formative years in the woods and on the water in Northport. Ancestors on his maternal grandfather’s side were Norwegian immigrants who settled in Suttons Bay in the 1880s.
Pohai’s appreciation for the natural world runs deep. Family camping trips introduced him to many parks and wilderness areas in the U.S. and beyond, and he achieved the rank of Eagle Scout as a teenager. Pohai continues to seek the outdoors in all seasons by hiking, camping, freshwater surfing, cycling, or simply being in nature.
Pohai is also deeply passionate about soccer as a player, fan, and U.S. Soccer-certified referee. He is humbled and inspired to work alongside dedicated staff and board at the Leelanau Conservancy and to engage in essential work to support the organization’s mission.
