Aloha
A ka lā Consulting LLC (Akalā) was established in late 2024 by Janice Marsters, PhD, PE (Env-WA), FACEC, LEED AP. We are a Hawaiʻi-based woman-owned small business, with expertise in facilitating environmental planning and permitting for critical infrastructure and in stormwater and environmental compliance management.
Janice’s love of and deep commitment to the health of Hawaii’s environment are exemplified by both her approach to projects and her personal volunteer efforts in habitat restoration. For hundreds of essential government projects, she has provided common-sense environmental solutions that protect Hawaii’s precious natural and cultural resources.
Our Story
Janice has a highly successful track record in consulting in Hawaiʻi. Her experience includes 15 years as a partner with a highly successful local small business geotechnical/environmental consulting firm and 8 years as the Pacific environmental lead for a 750-person civil/environmental firm. Ten years ago, she started the Hawaiʻi offices of a mainland geotechnical/environmental firm and successfully grew the offices to 25 engineers and scientists on Oʻahu, Maui, and Hawaiʻi before she left the firm in the fall of 2024. She knows how to build successful teams to deliver high-quality consulting services and remains committed to exceptional client service.
Beyond her project work, Janice has been a tireless advocate for the consulting engineering profession through her involvement with several professional organizations, including the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC), Hawaii Association of Environmental Professionals, and the Society of American Military Engineers. She has also served as Chair of the Industry Advisory Council at the University of Hawaiʻi College of Engineering and continues to provide scholarships for UH Engineering students.
As Legislative Commitee Co-Chair of ACEC of Hawaiʻi, Janice helped to pass the State's Qualifications Based Selection (QBS) law, establishing a framework for prioritizing expertise and quality in public procurement of design services, as well as the Design Claims Conciliation Panel law to protect design firms from frivolous claims. She has served as chair of several ACEC and ACECH committees, on the ACECH board, and as Senior Vice-Chair on ACEC's national EXCOM. She continues to speak and consult on business and risk management topics.
Janice has been recognized by her peers for her contributions to the business of engineering consulting. In 2014, she was honored with ACECH's inaugural Kakoʻo Award for her service in enhancing the business landscape for local engineering firms. In 2025, she was humbled to receive the Hawaiʻi Council of Engineering Societies' Lifetime Achievement Award, citing her significant technical contributions, unwavering advocacy, and commitment to mentorship that have profoundly impacted Hawaiʻi’s engineering profession.