PRiMO Conference

2023 Conference

The Pacific Risk Management ‘Ohana (PRiMO)

April 3 to 6, 2023

Honolulu, Hawai‘i

PRiMO is celebrating 20 years! Join us to address questions of equity and inclusion, consider pathways to adapt to the changing climate, and share ideas, lessons learned, and resources. We invite you to share perspectives from across the Pacific Islands region and beyond, to deepen discussions on science and technology, and explore solutions for a resilient future.

2023 PRiMO Conference Theme

Equity and Resilience in a Changing World

Since PRiMO last met in 2020, the threats of climate change, a global pandemic, and the importance of social and environmental justice have sharpened in focus. We must re-envision fundamental questions of risk, vulnerability, and equity and reconsider pathways for a more resilient future for all Pacific Island communities.

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Registration

NOW OPEN

Daily Full
January 18 - February 28, 2023 $225 $495
March 1 - 31, 2023 $250 $595
April 1 - 6, 2023 $350 $750
Register Here

Session topics will be based on the conference theme in the following areas:

  • Pre-disaster Planning and Preparedness
  • Housing and Infrastructure Resilience
  • Food and Water Security
  • Nature-based Infrastructure: Planning and Implementation

Sessions will be formatted as:

  • Talk Story
  • Working
  • Panel
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Agenda

2023 PRiMO Agenda

View full abstracts here.

Download Agenda

Sunday, April 2
Pre-Conference Trainings and Workshops

9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

  • Ala Wai Canal Site Tour and Genki Ball Demonstration (Local2030 Islands Network)

12:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

  • Local2030 Islands Network Community of Practice Gatherings Day 1

Access the full Local2030 agenda here.

Monday, April 3
Pre-Conference Trainings and Workshops

8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

  • Nature-Based Solutions for Mitigating Hazards (National Disaster Preparedness Training Center)
  • Sustainable and Regenerative Tourism (Local2030 Islands Network)
  • Data for Climate Resilience (Local2030 Islands Network)

12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Break for Lunch

1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

  • Planning for Coastal Hazards and Climate Change: A Pilot Plan Evaluation Workshop (National Disaster Preparedness Training Center)
  • Sustainable and Regenerative Tourism continued (Local2030 Islands Network)
  • Data for Climate Resilience continued (Local2030 Islands Network)

Tuesday, April 4
Conference Day 1

8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Registration

9:00 a.m. - 9:45 a.m. (316 A/B/C)

  • Opening Protocol and Welcome
  • Keynote Speaker – President David Panuelo

9:45 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Group Photo

10:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. Break

10:15 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. Concurrent Sessions

  • Individual Presentations (318A/B)
    • Applying the Resilient Children/Resilient Communities Initiative to the Caribbean: Building child-focused resilience in Dominica (Thalia Balkran)
    • Older Adults’ Social Capital for Natural Disaster Resilience (Kiyomi Kawamoto)
    • Climate Change in American Samoa (Sandi Tonumaipea)
  • Talk Story (319A/B)
    • A Systems Approach to Food Security (Subhashni Raj)
  • Panel (321A/B)
    • Hawaiʻi Sea Grant’s Role in Resilience Planning and Ecosystem Restoration (Amy Wirts)

11:45 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Lunch on Your Own

1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Concurrent Sessions

  • Indigenous Knowledge and Environment Hui Sponsored Panel (318A/B)
    • Rising Voices, Changing Coasts: The National Indigenous and Earth Sciences Convergence Hub (Lesley Iaukea)
  • Panel (319A/B)
    • Transportation Planning as Resilience Making (Karl Kim)
  • Panel (321A/B)
    • Innovative Nature-Based Solutions for Adapting to Climate Change (Lauren Long)

2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Concurrent Sessions

  • Panel (318A/B)
    • Kauaʻi’s Covid-19 Response: Lessons Learned (Janet Berreman)
  • Talk Story (319A/B)
    • Identifying and Removing Barriers to Resilience (Kate Judson)
  • Talk Story (321A/B)
    • Planning and Implementing Nature-Based Solutions in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands - Lessons Learned, Opportunities, and the Path Ahead (Erin Derrington)

4:00 p.m. - 4:15 p.m. Break

4:15 p.m. - 5:15 p.m. (316 A/B/C)

  • Local2030 Islands Network Sponsored Plenary: The Voluntary National and Local Reviews: Islands taking on the Sustainable Development Goals Challenge (Governor Josh Green, Mayor Richard Bissen, Mayor Rick Blangiardi, Mayor Derek Kawakami, Mayor Mitch Roth invited speakers)

5:15 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. (316 A/B/C)

  • Networking Reception and Poster Session

Wednesday, April 5
Conference Day 2

8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Registration

9:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. Concurrent Sessions

  • Individual Presentations (318A/B)
    • Community-Based Resilience Hubs on Oahu (Miku Lenentine)
    • Building Resilience to Complex Emergencies through Community-Based Disaster Risk Management (Robin Fine)
    • Towards Coastal Adaptation in US Island Jurisdictions through Planning Evaluation and Integration (Rob Porro)
  • Panel (319A/B)
    • Addressing and Operationalizing SVI to Support Social Justice in Disaster Response and Recovery (Karl Kim)
  • Individual Presentations (321A/B)
    • PacIOOS Launches Wave Flooding Tools for West Maui to Support Community Preparedness and Resilience (Melissa Iwamoto)
    • A New Future: Integrating Sea Level Rise and Coastal Threats into Planning for Beach Parks in Maui County (Catherine Courtney)
    • CASPER as a Preparedness and Response Tool (Lauren Guest)

10:15 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Break

10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Concurrent Sessions

  • Panel (318A/B)
    • Towards an end-to-end and people-centered early warning system in the Pacific (Viliame Vereivalu)
  • Panel (319A/B)
    • Wicked Problem: Marine Debris (Karl Kim)
  • Talk Story (321A/B)
    • Pacific Diaspora Responses to Compounding Disaster (Petra Satele)

12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Awards Lunch and Keynote Speaker – Dr. Lilik Kurniawan

1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Concurrent Sessions

  • Panel (318A/B)
    • Sharing Knowledge to Help Close the Equity and Capacity Gap for Coastal Zone Management Programs in Hawai‘i and other Pacific Island Nations (Jim Buika)
  • Panel (319A/B)
    • Local2030 Islands Network: Local-Global Approaches for Equitable and Resilient Island Futures (Jabal Hassanali)
  • Panel (321A/B)
    • Rapid Integrated Damage Assessment: Leveraging Technology to Support Effective, Equitable Response and Recovery (Karl Kim)

3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Break

3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Concurrent Sessions (Open to the Public)

  • Talk Story (318A/B)
    • Koʻolauloa Community Resilience Hub (Cody Winchester)
  • Panel (319A/B)
    • Blue Beacon - Rooted in Resilience: Community-Based Conservation in Hawai‘i (Abigail Rodgers)
  • Working Session (321A/B)
    • Blue Carbon: Understanding Needs in the Pacific Region for Blue Carbon Tracking and Management (Lauren Wenzel)

5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. (316 A/B/C)

  • Community Night (Keynote Speaker - Kainoa Azama)

Thursday, April 6
Conference Day 3

9:00 a.m. - 10:10 a.m. U.S. Government Panel: Pacific Priorities and Opportunities (316 A/B/C)

10:10 a.m. - 10:20 a.m. Break (316 A/B/C)

10:20 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Coastal Resilience Funding and Resources Networking Session (316 A/B/C)

11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Closing Remarks and Closing Protocol (316 A/B/C)

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Pre-conference Workshops

Workshops will be held on Monday, April 3 preceding the start of the conference at the Hawaii Convention Center. Workshops are open to any participants regardless of attendance at the PRiMO conference and sponsored by the National Disaster Preparedness Training Center.

Nature-Based Solutions for Mitigating Hazards

April 3, 2023 from 8am - 12pm HST
Register here using registration code 93825.

Planning for Coastal Hazards and Climate Change: A Pilot Plan Evaluation Workshop

April 3, 2023 from 1pm - 5pm HST. Register here.

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Hotel Accommodation

Book your room at the Ala Moana Hotel by Mantra. Rooms are available at the federal per diem rate.

Make and modify your hotel reservations online, as well as take advantage of any room upgrades, amenities or other services offered by the hotel.

If you would like to make a reservation by phone, please use the dedicated Group Reservations phone numbers below in order to access the special block rates.

Reservations Toll Free: (800) 367-6025
Reservations Local Phone: (808) 955-4811

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Sponsorship

Interested in being a PRiMO 2023 sponsor?
To sponsor or for more information, click here.

DIAMOND ($25,000 and above)

Large exhibit booth with prime placement (four tables, two chairs, power supply), Logo featured in the expo collateral, ten complimentary registrations

PLATINUM ($10,000)

Large exhibit booth (three tables, two chairs, power supply), Logo featured in the expo collateral, four complimentary registrations

GOLD ($5,000)

Medium booth (two tables, two chairs, power supply), Logo featured in the expo collateral, two complimentary registrations

SILVER ($3,000)

Small exhibit booth (one table, two chairs, power supply), Logo featured in the expo collateral, one complimentary registration

BRONZE ($1,500)

Exhibit space in the center of the exhibit hall (one table, two chairs, no power supply), Logo featured in the expo collateral

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PRiMO Awards

Nominate Someone for a PRiMO Award!

The Pacific Risk Management `Ohana (PRiMO) is a coordinated effort to enhance communication and collaboration among agencies, institutions and organizations that make up a network of risk management partners and stakeholders in the Pacific. PRiMO is seeking nominations to recognize outstanding partner efforts that foster collaboration and partnerships while embodying the spirit of PRiMO. Award nominations are reviewed and selected by the PRiMO Navigators, and conferred annually at PRiMO meetings.

Nominations must be submitted here by February 28, 2023.

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Past Conferences

Did you know the first PRiMO convening was the Federal Hazard Mitigation Partners in the Pacific Islands Roundtable in March 2003? Since then, we’ve been holding meetings and conferences almost every year in Honolulu, Guam, American Samoa, and other locations. Learn more about our history and view past meeting and conference materials on the Our History page.

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About the Conference

The Pacific Risk Management ‘Ohana (PRiMO) conference is the premier venue for community leaders interested in protecting Pacific Island communities from natural hazards. Each year, hundreds of participants gather to make connections, learn from each other, discuss ongoing initiatives, and design action plans.

Watch the video
Watch the video for more information
PRiMO session in progress PRiMO session in progress PRiMO session in progress

The diverse group of attendees includes heads of state, representatives from business, nonprofits, and environmental groups, and concerned citizens. Topics range from water quality to disaster management and economic sustainability. This diversity and collaborative focus is what makes PRiMO work. People and organizations must work together if communities are to become more resilient. The action plans must be far reaching if Pacific Island natural resources, quality of life, infrastructure, homes, economic framework, and citizen health and safety are to be preserved. This is a tall task that requires inhabitants of the region to work and learn together. PRiMO provides that opportunity.

PRiMO conferences offer at least 25 different sessions, many led by distinguished leaders and innovators. Field trips and preconference training sessions provide opportunities to increase professional skills and gain firsthand knowledge about active hazard-reduction activities. Participants return to their organizations with new skills, information, ideas, contacts, partners, and perspectives. They leave better equipped to find the creative solutions today's coastal hazard challenges require.

Each conference has a community resilience-focused theme. Attendees are encouraged to submit an abstract, for it is through sharing with one another that we all become stronger!

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PRiMO session in progress

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10 reasons to attend PRiMO
  1. 1

    Region's top resilience conference

  2. Focus on unique Pacific region needs

    2
  3. 3

    Diversity of attendees

  4. Diversity of topics

    4
  5. 5

    Networking opportunities

  6. Partnership-building mecca

    6
  7. 7

    Hotbed of innovative thinking

  8. Respectful combining of tradition and new technology

    8
  9. 9

    Impressive speaker lineup

  10. Unmatched opportunity to learn and share

    10