The Nature Conservancy Names Keobel “KB” Sakuma Executive Director for Micronesia and Polynesia
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Kaitlyn Soares Abbott
Media Contact
The Nature Conservancy
Email: kait.abbott@tnc.org
A longtime conservation leader in TNC’s Pacific region, KB will guide TNC’s work to advance community-led conservation, resilient oceans and climate solutions across Micronesia.
The Nature Conservancy (TNC) today announced the selection of Keobel “KB” Sakuma as Executive Director of its Micronesia and Polynesia business unit. Sakuma, a respected conservation and policy leader with deep roots across the Pacific Islands region, will lead TNC’s work advancing durable, community-driven conservation solutions across Micronesia and Polynesia.
Sakuma steps into the role at a pivotal moment for Pacific Island communities and ecosystems as climate change, biodiversity loss and pressures on marine resources increasingly affect the region’s people, cultures and economies.
“KB Sakuma is an exceptional leader whose experience, relationships and vision reflect the strength and resilience of the Pacific,” said Molly Wallace, director of TNC’s Pacific Division. “He brings a deep commitment to community-centered conservation and an extraordinary ability to build partnerships that deliver lasting impact for people and nature. KB’s leadership will help advance TNC’s mission across one of the world’s most ecologically and culturally important regions.”
As executive director, Sakuma will oversee TNC’s conservation strategies and operations across Micronesia and Polynesia, where the organization partners with governments, traditional leaders, local communities, fishers and other stakeholders to protect oceans, strengthen climate resilience and support sustainable livelihoods.
The region encompasses globally significant marine ecosystems and communities whose stewardship traditions span generations. TNC’s work across Micronesia and Polynesia includes supporting island resilience and communities, advancing marine spatial planning, sustainable fisheries management, coral reef conservation and large-scale ocean protection efforts grounded in generations of traditional practices.
KB’s leadership will help advance TNC’s mission across one of the world’s most ecologically and culturally important regions.
A Trusted Pacific Conservation Leader
Sakuma currently serves as interim deputy director and conservation policy director for TNC’s Micronesia and Polynesia program, where he has led conservation policy strategies and supported some of the region’s highest-profile initiatives focused on marine protected areas, sustainable fisheries and transboundary ocean conservation.
“I’m honored to step into this role and to continue working with our TNC teams and partners to protect the lands and waters that sustain Pacific peoples and cultures,” said Sakuma. “As a Palauan living in the Pacific, I see the challenges facing our islands and our people every day, but I also see the opportunity to build a resilient future guided by science and rooted in tradition, culture and collaboration.”
Prior to joining TNC, Sakuma served in senior leadership roles for the Republic of Palau, including as press secretary and special assistant to President Tommy E. Remengesau Jr. During that time, he helped advance major national initiatives, including the development of Palau’s fiber optic infrastructure and the creation of the Palau National Marine Sanctuary. He later served as executive director of the Palau National Marine Sanctuary from 2015 to 2018.
Sakuma also served as chairman of the boards of the Belau Submarine Cable Corporation and the Palau International Coral Reef Center.
The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at an unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more resilient. The Nature Conservancy is working to make a lasting difference around the world in 83 countries and territories (39 by direct conservation impact and 44 through partners) through a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. For more news, visit our newsroom or follow The Nature Conservancy on LinkedIn.