SUN VALLEY INSTITUTE - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Founder and CEO of Christensen Global
Aimée Christensen is the founder and CEO of Christensen Global where she collaborates with visionary leaders, leveraging deep expertise and a diverse network of relationships to mobilize resources to build an equitable, secure, and restorative world. Her clients have included innovators such as Aleph Farms and ByFusion, global impact initiatives including the Clinton Global Initiative and Global Ocean Commission, major corporations Duke Energy, FEMSA, Microsoft, Swiss Re and Virgin, and philanthropists including Rockefeller Brothers Fund and the United Nations Foundation.
She has nearly three decades of experience in policy, law, investment, and philanthropy including with the World Bank, Baker & McKenzie, Google and the U.S. Department of Energy, where she began her career, negotiating the first U.S. bilateral climate change agreements (Costa Rica, et al, 1994-1998) and negotiating and managing the first regional sustainable energy agenda for the Summit of the Americas (1994). At Baker & McKenzie, she advised on corporate climate change strategy, policy engagement and emissions trading transactions (2001-3), at the World Bank she advised the Bank's Carbon Funds and negotiated carbon trading contracts (2005). At Google, she guided the company's first climate change initiatives, including a commitment to carbon neutrality, successfully lobbying for passage of California's climate change legislation, and launching the first climate project for Google.org to accelerate the electrification of transportation (2006-07).
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
Job Titles:
- Executive Director
- Executive Director of the Sun Valley Institute for Resilience
Amy Mattias is the Executive Director of the Sun Valley Institute for Resilience. Amy Joined SVIR's Food & Farm Program, Local Food Alliance in fall of 2017 to deepen our ability to connect the dots among consumers, producers and elsewhere in our local and regional food system. Amy serves on the Blaine County Food Council, is a board member of Idaho Center for Sustainable Agriculture and has worked with numerous local organizations committed to the local food movement, including Wood River Valley HarvestFest, Idaho's Bounty, NourishMe and Kraay's Market & Garden. Amy created Kraay's Market & Garden's website and online ordering platform, expanded their vendor network, and increased awareness and sales throughout the Wood River Valley. Amy has created digital presences for food related entities, such as Wood River Valley HarvestFest and Blaine County Food Council.
Prior to moving to Idaho, Amy graduated from Western Michigan University, magna cum laude, in Sociology and Organizational Communications. She worked as the Communications & Operations Specialist for an herbal supplement company and as a small business consult for Rupert's Brew House, a micro-brewery, in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Amy is passionate about regenerative agriculture, preserving farmland & agricultural heritage, and community resilience.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
Annie Keenan was born and raised in the Wood River Valley. Currently serving as the Deputy Director of the Sun Valley Institute for Resilience, Annie's tenure with the organization spans back to 2017. Her journey with the Institute began as an intern for the RevUp Blaine program, and over the years, she has transitioned through various roles, including Program Coordinator and Director of Operations.
Annie pursued a passion for storytelling by studying journalism at the University of Montana. Her academic journey continued at Boise State, where she earned a degree in communications. Beyond her professional commitments, Annie has a deep love for the outdoors and finds expression in activities such as running, hiking, and international travel. Annie's commitment to community extends beyond her role at the Sun Valley Institute. She actively serves on the board of two other organizations: Rilos Rescue and Expedition Inspiration. These roles reflect her dedication to causes close to her heart and a desire to contribute meaningfully to the well-being of both human and animal communities.
Job Titles:
- President, Lava Lake Institute for Science & Conservation / Co - Owner of Lava Lake Land & Livestock and Lava Lake Lamb
Brian and his wife Kathleen founded Lava Lake Ranch in 1999 with the purchase and consolidation of six historic sheep and cattle ranches with the intention of producing and marketing 100% grass-fed and finished lamb while protecting the natural characteristics of the landscape. Their conservation efforts in Idaho began with the donation of a 7,500-acre conservation easement to The Nature Conservancy in 2001. Today, Brian is working with the Natural Resources Conservation Service and TNC to complete the 11th and 12th conservation easements on Lava Lake Ranch's deeded lands. When closed, Lava Lake will have permanently protected more than 20,000 bio-diverse acres in the Pioneer Mountains - Craters of the Moon landscape in the High Divide region.
The Beans established the Lava Lake Institute for Science & Conservation in 2004, a non-profit organization that supports conservation research in the Pioneer-Craters area. The Institute serves as the fiscal sponsor for the Wood River Wolf Project, now in its ninth year. Lava Lake is one of several sheep producer members of this successful nonlethal predator control collaborative and Brian serves on the Project's Steering Committee. Brian also serves on the Board of the Heart of the Rockies Initiative and is active in the Pioneers Alliance.
Brian is a magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Pomona College, where he was a dual major in botany-molecular biochemistry and biophysics and in zoology. Brian was awarded his MBA by the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he was a Miller Scholar. Before business school, Brian was a captain in the United States Marine Corps, having served with the 1st Marine Division.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
Catherine has almost 20 years of experience in investment analysis, working in multiple asset classes from the public equity markets to impact credit funds. She began her career at Lehman Brothers, analyzing stocks in the equity research department of Neuberger Berman. After several years working in global equity research, Catherine founded Conscious Capital Strategy. There she led a consulting team to drive new revenue growth for purpose-driven businesses and social enterprises. More recently, Catherine has worked with several large impact credit funds, running Underwriting teams and scaling processes as well as developing new debt products to support social enterprises, BIPOC founders and female founders.
Catherine has been practicing Tibetan Buddhism for over 25 years and teaches compassion training from the Dzogchen lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. She advises the board at Border Angels, volunteers with the Community Resource Center, and Encinitas for Equality. Catherine is an avid surfer and open water swimmer.
Catherine is an alumna of The Taft School, Boston College and has also completed graduate coursework at New York University in Financial Statement Analysis, Economics, and Micro Finance.
Employment - Our team is passionate and dedicated to building community resilience. As we grow, we're looking for inspired individuals to bring their skills to the table. New jobs with SVIR will be posted here when available.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
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- Member of the Advisory Committee
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- Member of the Advisory Committee
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- Member of the Advisory Committee
Hannah Harris first joined the Sun Valley Institute for Resilience as an intern in the summer of 2021, writing youth program curriculum in collaboration with the Hunger Coalition. Since then, her passion for understanding the intersection of environmental, economic and political systems has led her to a wider breadth of projects. Hannah is originally from the Winnipesaukee region of New Hampshire, and enjoys pursuing any and all outdoor activities the mountains and lakes have to offer.
She graduated from Miami University (OH) in Economics and International Relations. Eventually, her love of travel focused her research on experiences of refugee women, and how localized public healthcare can mitigate economic costs of global crises. Her previous work has centered around climate literacy and youth development, through the American Youth Foundation and Wood River Valley YMCA. She is thrilled to grow alongside the Institute as a new member of the team.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
Heidi Shelton is a partner at Lallman, Felton, Peterson & Pierce, P.A. where she provides integrated tax and financial planning services to her clients, ensuring they have the best wealth management strategy to meet their business and personal goals.
Heidi grew up in Ketchum ski racing during the winters and working for her parents' Middle Fork River rafting company during the summers. She graduated from Whitman College with a degree in Physics and spent the first 10 years of her career as an aerospace engineer helping build the replacement to the Hubble Telescope. In the pursuit of moving back to the mountains and reconnecting with nature, she returned to school at the University of California Los Angeles to study accounting. In 2014, Heidi moved back to Ketchum and begin her accounting career. She is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the states of Idaho and California. She is also a Certified Financial Planner™ and serves on the board of the Idaho Society of Certified Public Accountants.
Heidi is passionate about preserving the environment and the Wood River Valley for future generations including her 9-year old son Colin. Prior to joining the SVIR board, Heidi served as the treasurer of the Sawtooth Botanical Garden and supported the finance committee of Idaho Conservation League. When she's not working or volunteering, you can usually find Heidi backcountry skiing, mountain biking, hiking, or river rafting with her family.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
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- Member of the Advisory Committee
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- Member of the Advisory Committee
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- Member of the Advisory Committee
Job Titles:
- Chief Sustainability Officer at Levi Strauss & Co
- Chief Sustainability Officer Levi Strauss & Co
Jeffrey Hogue is the Chief Sustainability Officer at Levi Strauss & Co. - the iconic brand with a 167-year history. In his role, he leads the sustainability and circular economy efforts for the organisation to create positive impact across the environmental and social aspects of their global operations.
Prior to joining LS&Co., Jeffrey has held several CSO and lead roles in a variety of industries including, Biotechnology, Food and Agriculture, Retail Food and Fashion. Preceding his leadership role at LS&Co. he designed and led C&A's global sustainability strategies and established notable leadership in the co-development of Fashion for Good, leading C&A to the world's largest user of certified organic cotton, guiding the organisation to create the world's most sustainable denim and circular knit products certified to Cradle to Cradle™ GOLD, developing the company's sustainability brand value proposition #WearTheChange and in-store takeback programme #WeTakeitBack, and leading the organisation to leadership positions in transparency and prevention of forced labour and slavery.
Before his role at C&A, Jeffrey led CSR and Sustainability team at McDonalds Corporation. In this role, he successfully led the development of McDonald's first global sustainability strategy and climate change positions. Prior to this, Jeffrey served for 17 years at Danisco A/S & Genencor International their VP and Chief Sustainability Officer and led the integration of Danisco's Sustainability and Regulatory programmes into the DuPont organisation.
He has held numerous non-profit board positions including the C&A Foundation, the Innovation Committee of Fashion for Good, Textile Exchange, Organic Cotton Accelerator, Sun Valley Institute and The Cradle to Cradle Product Innovation Institute.
Job Titles:
- Director of Philanthropy at the Climate Center
- Fundraising Leader
Jeri Howland is a fundraising leader and entrepreneur who has raised millions for climate causes and education. She is the Director of Philanthropy at The Climate Center, for bold CA climate policy. She served for eight years as Director of Development for Rainforest Action Network, for 13 years as Chief of Advancement at Katherine Delmar Burke School, and as the Chief of Development at a college-prep charter school management group, Envision Schools, before turning to consulting for Academy Award documentary filmmaker Louie Psihoyos (The Cove, Racing Extinction, Game Changers), POW (Protect Our Winters), even Sun Valley Institute! She's drawn to missions that include climate change, social justice, education, and resilience.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
Job Titles:
- Founding Partner of Hawaiian Cloud Forest Coffee
Founding Partner of Hawaiian Cloud Forest Coffee, since 1998. John jointly manages a family business. As both CFO and CBC (chief bean counter) he oversees both capital and operating expenditures and Internet sales. The farm has grown to become one of the largest organic coffee farms in Hawaii. John has served on the Wood River Community YMCA board for 10 years. He is a graduate of University of Virginia (BS) and Columbia University (MBA).
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
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- Member of the Advisory Committee
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- Member of the Advisory Committee
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- Member of the Advisory Committee
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- Member of the Advisory Committee
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- Member of the Advisory Committee
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- Member of the Advisory Committee
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- Member of the Advisory Committee
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- Member of the Advisory Committee
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- Member of the Advisory Committee
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- Member of the Advisory Committee
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- Events and Communications Manager
Mike Gordon joined the Sun Valley Institute in 2019 to help deepen the breadth and impact of the Sun Valley Forum. He comes to the Institute from a background working at the intersection of business and community resilience. His roles have focused on the positive impact organizations can have on the community fabric, global trends, and the environment.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
Nina is an entrepreneur and marketing expert with 20 years of experience launching and growing digitally-forward fashion, beauty, and retail brands. She's currently the co-founder and CEO of MerciTechnologies, a text-commerce platform for brick and mortar retail. She's also the co-founder of IdahoEarth Guide, a volunteer-led online sustainability platform for all things green in Idaho.
After graduating with a B.A. from Princeton University in 1998, Nina started her career as an entrepreneur in the fashion industry, creating a nationally distributed handbag line, Noelle, and a line of women's activewear in a joint venture with Body Glove. She completed an MBA in Finance at Pepperdine in 2008 and went on to become the Director of Digital Marketing for Guthy-Renker, managing the online business channels for Proactiv, Meaningful Beauty, Wen Haircare, and Sheer Cover.
She's also held positions as the Vice President of Marketing for Sole Society, a direct-to-consumer women's startup shoe launched by Nordstrom and InsightVenture Partners, as the Chief Marketing Officer of The Left Shoe Company, a Finland-based men's custom shoe brand, and as the Chief Marketing Officer of High Wide & Handsome, a Los Angeles based advertising agency.
Her interest in sustainability dates back to 2008when she co-authored a research paper in business school, titled "Do Corporate Social Responsibility Leaders Perform Better Financially", that was published in the Journal of Global Business Issues.
Nina grew up in the Wood River Valley and moved back to Hailey last year with her husband, James, and two boys, Mac and Anderson. Prior to moving back to Idaho, she made the decision to transition to a more purpose-driven life and career and to use her skills to create a better planet for future generations. In addition to managing the Idaho Earth Guide, she's also an active volunteer with the Climate ActionCoalition of the Wood River Valley.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
Peter is a 25-year Ketchum resident who is interested in promoting the development of local food and nutrition resources.
He grew up in England and Switzerland, attended college at Middlebury, and then worked in Japan for a few years before medical school at Columbia University and post graduate training in internal medicine and endocrinology at the University of Chicago. He practiced endocrinology in Chicago for 5 years before moving the family to Idaho where he worked in Ketchum, Hailey, Twin Falls and Fort Hall.
With his twin daughters leaving for college in 2008, he started working on overseas projects in multiple hospitals in Africa and Asia and eventually closed his Idaho practice. He completed a master's in Health Care Delivery Science at Dartmouth to help with his project administration in 2013, and is currently focused on several clinics in Cambodia.
He runs the Peco Foundation which supports programs in health care, sports and education and has become interested in improving nutrition locally, especially for children. He is also on the board of the Wood River YMCA, Health Volunteers Overseas, and the US Ski and Snowboard Foundation.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
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- Member of the Advisory Committee
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- Member of the Advisory Committee
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- Member of the Advisory Committee
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- Member of the Advisory Committee
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- Member of the Advisory Committee
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- Member of the Advisory Committee
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- Member of the Advisory Committee
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- Member of the Advisory Committee
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- Member of the Advisory Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee