Our Story

The Albizia Project was founded in 2017 to develop innovative uses of the prolific invasive albizia tree and to support native ecosystem restoration across the Hawaiian Islands. Building with albizia wood helps us to replace problematic species with native trees to forge pathways to a circular economy for Hawaiʻi. Our approach seeds responsible material sourcing that can reduce our reliance on imports, create jobs, sequester carbon, and restore habitats.

Team

**Joey Valenti**
*Founder & Chief Design Officer*

Christine JohnsonCo-founder & Operations — **Christine Johnson**
*Founder & Head of Operations*

**McKenna Conforti**
*Creative Director*

Joey Valenti is co-founder and Principle Designer of Albizia Project, Wahiawa Design Lab, and Bizia Surf.

In 2016, Joey earned his Doctorate degree in Architecture at the University of Hawaiʻi, Mānoa (UHM). His research investigated the state’s low-value forest resources to develop innovative building systems that utilize Hawaii’s prolific invasive albizia tree. This work led to the creation of an impact driven organization called the Albizia Project. He established Wahiawa Design Lab as a collaborative arm of the business to expand the wood innovation and manufacturing efforts behind locally sourced materials.

Joey thrives on crafting up new products and architectural designs with special emphasis on invasive and salvage wood. His latest creation is Bizia Surf & Coffee Bar, a trendy new coffee shop that doubles as a showroom for their wooden surfboards and other custom woodworks.

Christine Johnson is co-founder of Albizia Project and Bizia Surf.

An experienced senior audit associate turned self-employed entrepreneur, Christine is focused on creating social enterprises that improve and elevate Hawaii's island community. Her education includes a Bachelors in Accounting and International Business from University of Hawai'i at Manoa.

Christine harnesses her inspiration to make a positive impact by watching her two young boys grow in a world with an uncertain future.

You can find her behind the counter at Bizia Surf & Coffee Bar serving up the best espresso drinks on the island.

McKenna Conforti is the creative director of media and marketing for both Albizia Project and Bizia Surf.

With a degree in conservation biology and a love for the arts, McKenna focuses on utilizing creativity to share her passion for sustainability. Since graduating, she has worked in a variety of niches within the field of sustainability, from biological field research to marketing and advising eco-focused small businesses.

McKenna hopes to combine her experience in research, creative arts, and marketing to effectively translate visions of sustainability to a diverse and global audience.

Advisory Board

**Matthew K Lynch**
***Regenerative Enterprise Director***
*Co-founder of Albizia Project*

**Uncle Bruce Keaulani**
***Native Hawaiian Cultural Practitioner***
*CEO and Kahu of Living Life Source Foundation*

**Aunty Kehaulani Lum**
***Native Hawaiian Cultural Practitioner***
*Board Secretary of Living Life Source Foundation*

**Eric Bello**
***Manufacturing Specialist***
*Owner of Bello’s Millwork*

University of Hawaiʻi, Mānoa – School of Architecture

LIKA was a prototype built entirely out of albizia wood, a material that was once considered useless. It was an expression of creative awareness around the importance of the materials we use. The wood system is a prefab kit-of-parts, intersecting new manufacturing technology with Indigenous Pacific Island-inspired design to craft a beautiful 400 square foot pavilion for the tropics.

Utilization

We collected unwanted albizia wood from several removal projects on Oʻahu, including Lyon Arboretum, U.S. Army Schofield Barracks, and H-2 Mililani.

Island economy

Multi-sector collaboration has opened up the possibility to offer a system of all local resources from building materials to prefabrication.

Testing

Structural testing of specimens was performed at UH Mānoa Structures Lab and has proven that albizia can be a viable construction material for Hawaiʻi.