Michael KramerDirector 2009-2013, Vice-President 2012-2013
Michael has demonstrated a lifelong commitment to personal and global sustainability. His efforts in the fields of social services, education, environment, economics, and planning reflect his holistic and creative capacity and his passion for creating positive change in the world. An Accredited Investment Fiduciary® and currently the only investment advisor in the State of Hawai`i who exclusively manages sustainable and responsible investment (SRI) portfolios, Michael is Managing Partner and Director of Social Research of Natural Investments, a Registered Investment Adviser, a Green America-certified green business, and a founding B Corporation, with offices in nine states.
Michael maintains considerable focus on corporate behavior and policy, shareholder advocacy, community development finance, and Hawaii-based and national green start-up companies. He is known within the SRI industry as a proponent of higher and more uniform industry standards, he is currently developing an SRI college course curriculum for college business courses and degree programs, and he serves on the Advocacy and Public Policy Committee of the Social Investment Forum.
In addition to his national leadership, Michael is very active in fostering sustainability in Hawai`i. Michael serves on the board of the Sustainability Association of Hawai`i, a statewide green business program, and is on the steering committee for the Hawai`i Alliance for a Local Economy, the state chapter of the national Business Alliance for Local Living Economies.
In 2005, Michael founded the Kuleana Green Business Program of the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce, the first all-sector social and environmental performance recognition program in the state. In addition to recognizing businesses that make exceptional commitment to employees, customers, the community, and the environment, the program conducts bi-monthly public workshops, hosts the leading annual green business conference in the state, and gives a Kuleana Award to the Green Business of the Year in West Hawai`i. In 2008, Natural Investments LLC received this award. Michael is a member of Envision Hawai`i, Kanu Hawai`i, and Sustain Hawai`i. and was a co-founder of the 20-event Kona Earth Festival, a series of annual environmental education events. Michael was also Vice-Chair of the Hawai`i County Energy Advisory Commission.
Michael earned a Master’s degree from Harvard University in 1990, and Michael’s life purpose since then has been to educate people locally and nationally about the importance of regenerative consciousness and lifestyles. Initially, interest in child development and education led to positions in public school teaching and social service program management. Michael founded and directed Youth Ecology Corps, a program dedicated to youth leadership, service, and sustainability, and helped spawn two others, Rocky Mountain Youth Corps and the New Mexico Youth Conservation Corps Leadership Program. He has taught sustainable design (permaculture) to youth and adults at schools, colleges and institutes, and is now recognized as a leading U.S. permaculture teacher trainer. As a proponent of service-learning in education who has published national research in the field, Michael taught the pedagogical approach to over 1200 educators, and coordinated several initiatives in this area.
Michael is the founder of the West Hawai`i Fatherhood Initiative at Family Support Hawaii. He served as Vice-Chair and Founding Commissioner to the Hawai`i State Commission on Fatherhood. Michael also serves on the Board of Directors of the Friends of Kona Pacific Public Charter School, a Waldorf-inspired K-8 educational program.
A strong social change advocate, Michael has organized state and national conferences, served as a prestigious National Service Fellow during the Clinton Administration, developed and advocated for youth, fatherhood, and sustainable business legislation, and served on numerous commissions and boards that promote youth leadership, community service and sustainability.
In addition to his national leadership, Michael is very active in fostering sustainability in Hawai`i. Michael serves on the board of the Sustainability Association of Hawai`i, a statewide green business program, and is on the steering committee for the Hawai`i Alliance for a Local Economy, the state chapter of the national Business Alliance for Local Living Economies.
In 2005, Michael founded the Kuleana Green Business Program of the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce, the first all-sector social and environmental performance recognition program in the state. In addition to recognizing businesses that make exceptional commitment to employees, customers, the community, and the environment, the program conducts bi-monthly public workshops, hosts the leading annual green business conference in the state, and gives a Kuleana Award to the Green Business of the Year in West Hawai`i. In 2008, Natural Investments LLC received this award. Michael is a member of Envision Hawai`i, Kanu Hawai`i, and Sustain Hawai`i. and was a co-founder of the 20-event Kona Earth Festival, a series of annual environmental education events. Michael was also Vice-Chair of the Hawai`i County Energy Advisory Commission.
Michael earned a Master’s degree from Harvard University in 1990, and Michael’s life purpose since then has been to educate people locally and nationally about the importance of regenerative consciousness and lifestyles. Initially, interest in child development and education led to positions in public school teaching and social service program management. Michael founded and directed Youth Ecology Corps, a program dedicated to youth leadership, service, and sustainability, and helped spawn two others, Rocky Mountain Youth Corps and the New Mexico Youth Conservation Corps Leadership Program. He has taught sustainable design (permaculture) to youth and adults at schools, colleges and institutes, and is now recognized as a leading U.S. permaculture teacher trainer. As a proponent of service-learning in education who has published national research in the field, Michael taught the pedagogical approach to over 1200 educators, and coordinated several initiatives in this area.
Michael is the founder of the West Hawai`i Fatherhood Initiative at Family Support Hawaii. He served as Vice-Chair and Founding Commissioner to the Hawai`i State Commission on Fatherhood. Michael also serves on the Board of Directors of the Friends of Kona Pacific Public Charter School, a Waldorf-inspired K-8 educational program.
A strong social change advocate, Michael has organized state and national conferences, served as a prestigious National Service Fellow during the Clinton Administration, developed and advocated for youth, fatherhood, and sustainable business legislation, and served on numerous commissions and boards that promote youth leadership, community service and sustainability.
Kainoa CascoDirector 2012-2013
Born and raised in Lahaina, Kainoa is a proud to call Hawaii his home. Kainoa is the founder of the sustainable business consulting firm Casco Pacific based on Maui. He has worked on sustainable business initiatives across five states with organizations such as Pacific Gas & Electric, New Resource Bank, Dowling Company/Makena Resort, Wireless Advanced Vehicle Electrification (WAVE), KYA Sustainability Studio, Mountain Riders Alliance, and Hali’imaile Pineapple Company. He earned an undergraduate degree Business Administration: Real Estate Finance from Portland State University and an MBA in Sustainable Management from Presidio Graduate School in San Francisco. Kainoa is a 2008 Ka Ipu Kukui Fellow and also serves as a board member at Maui Community Work Day and Maui Nui Botanical gardens.
Rachel HarveyDirector 2012-2013
Rachel Harvey is an sustainability consultant, educator, and community organizer. Inspired by the insidious presence of marine debris in Hawaii, she initiated the Kailua Chapter of the Kokua Hawaii Foundation’s Plastic Free Hawaii program in 2010, forming a plastic free business and school coalition, leading volunteers to collect over 3000 pounds of trash at Kailua Beach Park, and helping Hawaii to become the first state with a plastic bag ban across all counties. Fostering an interest in the implementation of waste management policies and zero-waste behaviors among Hawaii’s diverse communities, Rachel chaired Kanu Hawaii’s 2011 No Waste Challenge. She now serves as the Plastic Free Hawaii Program Manager, helping Hawaii schools and small businesses reduce their waste footprint while becoming better community stewards.
Rachel holds a Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of Florida. Her graduate research concerned community-based tourism and urban development, including fieldwork in Cape Town, South Africa. She has taught classes on cultural anthropology, tourism, and African studies for UF and UH Manoa. Rachel has additionally served as Mentor to RISE Interns for Kupu. RISE is a collaborative effort to develop Hawaii’s green workforce and implement a variety of sustainability projects while providing paid internships for higher education students and recent graduates.
Keone KealohaDirector 2011-2012
Keone is the co-founder and Executive Director of Malama Kaua’i, a Kaua’i-based non-profit organization dedicated to promoting self-sufficiency and sustainability primarliy through the lens of localized food systems. He is a skilled public speaker with a strong background in community organizing, conducting meetings and hosting large scale events. His leadership role at Malama is focused on building community through healthy relationships; those between the people and the `aina within a “native-to-place” context indicative of cultural responsibility.
Additional skills include graphic design, web development and project management. He possesses hands-on experience in developing brand strategies and online marketing campaigns, and has departmental and executive level management experience.
Jenna LongDirector 2010-2012, Treasurer 2011-2012
Jenna Long grew up on Maui, Hawaii without ever going to a gas station for petroleum. By the time she could drive, her parents had founded Pacific Biodiesel and had opened the first retail biodiesel station in the nation. This has had a great influence on the way she thought of energy and fuel throughout her life. After high school, Jenna spent a year in Japan attending an international university in Beppu. She transferred to University of Hawaii where she earned a B.A. in Environmental Studies and a certificate in Japanese language.
In 2006, she started working at Pacific Biodiesel and today is their Hawaii Sales Manager. She also is the Hawaii Island Sales Rep at Cleanway, the division of Pacific Biodiesel that collects restaurant grease. In addition, Jenna has helped to start the Restaurants for Renewables program, in which restaurants are recognized for their contributions to renewable energy. She is also a Board Member of Honolulu Clean Cities, a member of the Chamber of Commerce Environmental Affairs Committee and Pacific Biodiesel's representative in the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative.
Board of Directors 2011-2012
From left to right top row: Cherub Silverstein (Secretary), Ivory McClintock, Keone Kealoha, Keely Bruns, Carol Feinga
From left to right botton row: Dricka Brown, Shanah Trevenna (President), Tammie Armstrong (Vice-President), Jeniffer Chirico
Not shown: Jenna Long (Treasurer), Michael Kramer, Lauren Roth Venu
Holiday lunch meeting 2012
From left to right top row: Keely Bruns (Treasurer), Shanah Trevenna (President), Rachel Harvey, Michael Kramer (Vice-President), Daita Serghi (Coordinator), Kainoa Casco