HAWAII GREEN GROWTH - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Digital Strategy Fellow With the Hawaiʻi Green Growth Local2030 Hub
Ariana Caruso is a Digital Strategy Fellow with the Hawaiʻi Green Growth Local2030 Hub supporting the Sustainability Dashboard and digital communications. Previously, Ariana served as HGG's local-global communications specialist through the AmeriCorps VISTA program. Born and raised in New Jersey, Ariana spent six months in New York working with the SDG Integration team at the United Nations Development Programme before relocating to Hawaiʻi. She holds a BS in Marketing and a minor in Sustainability Leadership from Penn State University.
Casey Maslan supports the Ala Wai Watershed Collaboration as an AmeriCorps VISTA. After growing up in New Jersey, she attended Boston College and earned her BA in Environmental Studies, concentrating in Climate Change and Social Adaptation. While in college, she studied abroad in Sydney, Australia, and also earned her LEED Green Associate certification from the US Green Building Council. Casey's professional experience has mostly been in sustainability consulting, working with the organization Boyer Sudduth Environmental Consultants for over a year and a half.
Celeste Connors has twenty years of experience working at the intersection of economic, environment, energy, and international development policy. Before joining Hawaii Local2030 Hub, she was CEO and co-founder of cdots development LLC, which works to build resilient infrastructure systems and services in vulnerable communities. Celeste previously served as the Director for Environment and Climate Change at the National Security Council and National Economic Council in the White House where she helped shape the Administration's climate and energy policies, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Prior to joining the White House, Celeste served as a diplomat in Saudi Arabia, Greece, and Germany. She also held positions at the U.S. Mission to the UN, served as the Climate and Energy Advisor to the Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, and worked for City of New York.
Celeste is a Senior Adjunct Fellow at the East-West Center, Affiliate Faculty at the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, and was a faculty member at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in the Energy, Resources and Environment Program. She holds an MSc in Development Studies from the University of London's School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and a BA in International Relations from Tufts University. Celeste has served on numerous boards including her current service on Hawaiian Electric Industries, the Global Island Partnership (GLISPA), the Institute for Sustainability and Resilience at the University of Hawaii and Icebreaker One. She previously served on the Board of America's Service Commissions, the IUCN World Conservation Congress National Host Committee, and was a Term Member on the Council on Foreign Relations. Celeste grew up in Kailua, O‘ahu.
Dylan Senkiw supports the Sustainability Business Forum as an AmeriCorps VISTA. A graduate of Macaulay Honors College at John Jay, he holds a BA in Political Science and a BS in Computer Science and Information Security. During college, he studied in the Baltics and Russia, focusing on transitioning economic and political systems. He also interned with the Department of State at the US Mission to the United Nations in the Economic and Social Affairs Section, specifically focusing on economic and technology policy. Prior to relocating to Hawai'i, Dylan interned with the New York State Unified Court System in the Office for Justice Initiatives working to increase equitable access to the court system for all New Yorkers.
Born and raised on O‘ahu, Jadie is a recent returnee to Hawai‘i after graduating from Waseda University with a bachelor's degree in International Liberal Studies. As an undergraduate, she worked as a science communications research assistant at the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science. Upon returning to Hawai‘i, she worked to enhance non-profit outreach and community engagement as an employee of Crystal Clear Communications and volunteer for the houseless advocacy organization Hui Aloha. Her experiences with Hui Aloha have been particularly influential in shaping her understanding of culturally grounded and radically inclusive paths toward a sustainable future.
Jillian Cristobal supports the Aloha+ Challenge Dashboard through program development, capacity building, outreach, and project legacy. Local to Oʻahu, Jillian graduated from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa with a B.S. in Natural Resource Environmental Management and a B.A. in Geography and Environment concentrating on the social, economic, and environmental aspects to the field of sustainability. She has prior experience as a research fellow with the UH Office of Sustainability, leading the project on calculating UH Mānoa's institutional carbon & nitrogen footprint and at HGG Local2030 Hub's as their Sustainability Dashboard AmeriCorps VISTA. This has strengthened her passion for systems-based solutions to sustainability issues, sustainable development, urban and regional planning, and political ecology.
Josh Sawislak is an internationally recognized expert on sustainability and climate resilience and is a managing director of Deloitte Consulting LLP. He holds concurrent appointments as a Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Global Resilience Institute at Northeastern University and a professional affiliate of the Center Urban and Environmental Solutions (CUES) at Florida Atlantic University. Josh served on President Biden's transition team and in the Obama White House as the Associate Director for Climate Preparedness at the Council on Environmental Quality, where he helped craft and implement US climate policy. He also served as a senior advisor to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), on President Obama's Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force, and on the White House response coordination team for the H1N1 influenza pandemic (2009-2010). Josh practiced as an environmental and transportation planner for over 25 years and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners. He earned a degree in political science from The George Washington University and completed a program in infrastructure development at the Harvard Kennedy School.
Job Titles:
- Global Fellow With Hawaiʻi Green Growth 's Sustainability Dashboard
Julius Fischer is a Global Fellow with Hawaiʻi Green Growth's Sustainability Dashboard and the Sustainability Business Forum. Before joining HGG, he worked for the Hawaiʻi State Senate Transportation and Energy Committee. Previously, he was a Fellow for the Global Island Partnership (GLISPA), a voluntary partnership of islands across the globe that catalyzes action on resilient and sustainable island communities by mobilizing high-level political leadership. Born and raised in Germany, he has lived in New Zealand, Japan, and Micronesia. Julius holds a BA in International Relations and BS in Earth Systems from Stanford University and a Master in Environmental Management from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.
Job Titles:
- Data & Innovation Director
- Growth 's Aloha Dashboard and Partnerships Manager
Kaimana Bingham is Hawai'i Green Growth's Aloha + Dashboard and Partnerships Manager. Before joining Hawai'i Green Growth, Kaimana worked for the State of Hawai'i Enterprise Technology Services branch where she implemented the first State Executive Branch IT Roadmap and Dashboard. Her role at ETS transitioned to the State Portal Program Manager in which she provided guidance to the Access Hawai'i Committee Governing Board on digital government solutions. Kaimana also participated as a stakeholder for the State of Hawai'i IT Strategic Plan. She served as a panelist for the Hawai'i Virtual Digital Government Summit and as a sponsor for the ETS 2020 HACC program. Prior to working for the State, she was a consultant for CGI, administering the financial management system for State Exchanges under the Affordable Care Act in 2013.
Kaimana is a graduate from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University with a BS in Psychology and a double minor in Business Diversity and Business Leadership. She spent a semester abroad at Telecom ParisTech, where she specialized in Information Technology and participated in visits to the International Telecommunication Union and United Nations.
Job Titles:
- Communications Fellow With the HGG Local2030 Hub
Kiara Kealoha is a global outreach and communications fellow with the HGG Local2030 Hub, and completed a Master's degree at the University of London School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in 2018. She previously served at as the Communications Coordinator for HGG, as well as worked with KYA Sustainability and as an education project assistant for the Climate-KIC Switzerland. Kiara completed her undergraduate education at Harvard University, obtaining a degree in History and Science with a secondary field in Environmental Science and Public Policy. Kiara is a graduate of Kamehameha Schools, and was born and raised on the island of O‘ahu.
Laura Kam is the Local2030 Islands Network Coordinator. Laura previously served as HGG's Network Manager and program and strategic initiatives coordinator. She completed a year of service with Hawai‘i Green Growth through AmeriCorps VISTA in partnership with Kupu Hawai‘i and the AmeriCorps Program. Laura has her Bachelors in Political Science with a minor in Environmental Affairs from Colorado State University and studied Russian for a year before returning to Hawai‘i. Laura previously interned with Amnesty International USA, and has volunteered with the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, The Nature Conservancy at Kamakou and Mo‘omomi Preserves, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at Midway Atoll, and National Marine Fisheries Service Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program. Laura is from O‘ahu and graduated from Kalani High School.
Job Titles:
- Senior Advisor
- Investment Management Executive and Advisor
Lilian Wan is an investment management executive and advisor. She is Executive Vice President of Investor Relations and Development at America's Frontier Fund, the first frontier tech organization focused on securing technology leadership for the US and its partners by bridging governments and capital markets. Previously, she was a senior executive at BlackRock, a global investment management firm, where during her 25-year tenure she helped lead its Institutional Client Business in the US and Canada. She played a pivotal role in formulating the growth strategy of that business, was instrumental in shaping its culture and talent management initiatives, and was responsible for advising its institutional shareholder clients. These clients represented the industry's largest institutional investors across the federal government, corporate and public pension plans, and foundations and endowments. Lilian became aware of Hawai'i Green Growth and its mission through her work at BlackRock. HGG's approach to developing solutions to address sustainability challenges resonated with her, and she is excited by the opportunity to help HGG meet its goals. Using her experience in advising institutional investors in Hawai'i and across the mainland, she will help HGG Staff and Board understand how sustainability is viewed by institutional investors, and how HGG can continue to accelerate adoption of sustainability within the finance and investment world. Lilian holds a BA in Economics from the University of Michigan and is a CFA charterholder.
Job Titles:
- Sustainability Dashboard Fellow
Megan Hickinbotham is the Sustainability Dashboard Fellow, providing support to the Dashboard Hub. Previously, Megan was the Sustainability Dashboard and Data Lead at HGG through the AmeriCorps VISTA program. Originally from Wisconsin, Megan has worked in the sustainability and community outreach field for three years, including conducting climate research on lake sediment cores and organizing multiple student-led climate strikes. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse with a BS in Geography and Environmental Science.
Job Titles:
- Professor Emerita, University of Hawai'I, School of Travel Industry Management
Pauline J. Sheldon is Professor Emerita, University of Hawai'i, School of Travel Industry Management where she also served as Dean. She holds a PhD in Economics, an MBA, and a BS in Mathematics. Her research areas include sustainable and regenerative tourism, social entrepreneurship in tourism, knowledge management, and wellness tourism. She has published seven books, and over 70 research articles. Her most recent books are Social Entrepreneurship and Tourism with Daniele, and Tourism Information Technology with Benckendorff and Xiang. She is the recipient of the UNWTO Ulysses prize, the TTRA Lifetime Achievement Award, and Hannes Werthner IFITT Lifetime Achievement Award. She was the first woman President of the International Academy for the Study of Tourism, and also co-founded TRINET and the Tourism Education Futures Initiative (TEFI). Pauline is a regular keynote speaker at tourism conferences around the world. She has consulted with World Bank, APEC, and UNWTO. She teaches with the Art of Living Foundation.
Randy is a retired business executive, middle school teacher, and Department of Education administrator. He remains active in a variety of community organizations. Born and raised in Honolulu, Moore graduated from Punahou School, Swarthmore College and the Stanford University Graduate School of Business. He completed his post-baccalaureate training at Chaminade University and was licensed to teach secondary mathematics in Hawaiʻi's public schools. After two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in a public administration project in Liberia, Moore returned home to begin a 35-year business career that included executive positions with Castle and Cooke, Molokaʻi Ranch, and Kāneʻohe Ranch. Retiring from Kāneʻohe Ranch, Moore taught mathematics for three years at Central Middle School next to downtown Honolulu, then transferred to the Department of Education's state office to assist for 15 months with the implementation of Act 51-the 2004 Legislature's Reinventing Education Act. He spent his final 6½ years at DOE as assistant superintendent for school facilities and support services.
Job Titles:
- Executive Advisor at the Oxford Artificial Intelligence Society
- Global Fellow
Rayne's work focuses on climate change, tech law, Indigenous innovation, youth advocacy, as well as nature-based solutions and social entrepreneurship in island communities. At PreCOP26, Rayne represented the United States at the UN's inaugural Youth4ClimateSummit in Milan.
Rayne serves as an executive advisor at the Oxford Artificial Intelligence Society (OxAI). At OxAI, he co-developed the initiative on diversity & inclusion, and managed industry relationships with Alphabet's X, QuantumBlack, and other leading firms. Through his research, he analyzed socially responsible AI development as a member of the Rhodes Artificial Intelligence Lab and conducted field research on national innovation strategies in Southeast Asia. Additionally, Rayne cofounded, Georgetown Diplomatic Strategies, a diplomacy non-profit that engaged with over fourteen embassies and launched a program to increase gender equality in foreign policy. Rayne is currently pursuing his J.D. at Stanford Law School. He holds a master's degree from the University of Oxford, where he researched emergent technology. He received his B.A. from Georgetown University. At Georgetown, he studied international relations and foreign investment, and led Georgetown's largest event on climate change and international security.
Job Titles:
- Software Developer
- Hawaii Local2030 Hub 's Software Developer
Russ Masuda is Hawaii Local2030 Hub's Software Developer. Prior to joining Hawaii Local2030 Hub, he was working as a Software Developer Intern at KBR where he developed programs to control USB cameras as well as developing user interfaces. Russ has also worked as a Student Programmer for the Research Corporation of the University of Hawaii where he developed neural networks in order to determine the duration and frequency of native bird songs. Russ is a graduate of the University of Hawaii at Hilo and holds a BA in Biology and Computer Science.
Job Titles:
- HGG 's Operations and Strategy Director
- Operations & Strategy Director
In her capacity as HGG's Operations and Strategy Director, Shelley oversees the organization's operations, development and finances, personnel, and strategy, working closely with all members of the Hawai'i Green Growth team. Shelley's prior experience includes outreach and capacity building as the Hawai'i Association of Watershed Partnerships' Outreach Specialist, in addition to four years of international experience in the Mekong Basin (Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar) as an analyst and writer to support a USAID climate change adaptation project; and subsequently as a Global Environmental Facility project design team leader on behalf of IUCN. She has a Bachelor's in Biology, a Master's in Water Resources and 20 years of professional experience working on environmental, climate change, and sustainability projects.
Job Titles:
- Dashboard and Measures Working Group Co - Chair / Chief Information Officer and Vice President, HEMIC
Prior to joining HEMIC, Todd Nacapuy most recently served in the public sector, as Chief Information Officer in the State of Hawai'i's Office of Enterprise Technology Services. Appointed by Governor David Ige, Todd led the state's technology team, putting systems and resources in place for a more effective, efficient and open government. He developed statewide initiatives to leverage economies of scale and reduce waste, including implementing a "paperless" environment and accelerating the State's move to a single communications platform to provide long-term budget sustainability, fortified security, expanded applications and services, and tools for collaboration. Prior to serving with the State, Todd had a successful career as an entrepreneur, then joined Microsoft as Senior Technical Account Manager tasked with the mission to "modernize Hawai'i". Todd is a graduate of Seattle University and Waialua High School.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director of the Nature Conservancy of Hawai‘I
Ulalia Woodside is the executive director of The Nature Conservancy of Hawai‘i, whose mission is to conserve the lands and waters upon which all depends. In Hawai'i, they do this through a network of 14 Hawai‘i preserves, partners with other public and private landowners to protect the state's key watershed forests, and works in over 20 coastal communities where they collaborate to protect the nearshore reefs and fisheries of the main Hawaiian Islands. Ulalia also oversees management of the Palmyra Atoll nature preserve and research station 1,000 miles south of Hawai‘i. Prior to coming to the Conservancy in 2016, Ulalia served as director of natural and cultural resources at Kamehameha Schools, where she was responsible for a portfolio of 200,000 acres of agricultural and conservation lands. She is a graduate of the University of Hawai‘i political science and Hawaiian studies programs and completed her graduate coursework at the University of Hawai‘i School of Urban and Regional Planning. Ulalia carries on her family's genealogical hula tradition as a Kumu Hula, having completed formal ʻuniki, or graduation rites under the direction of her maternal relatives.
Valerie LaFerney supports the Aloha+ Challenge Dashboard through research and community engagement as an AmeriCorps VISTA. She attended Harding University and earned her BBA in Business Management, concentrating in Entrepreneurship and Project Management. While in college she studied abroad in Vina del Mar, Chile, and also served as a director on the Campus Activities Board for two years. She interned at the Waldron Center for Entrepreneurship, studying small businesses in the region, as well as the Lighthouse Mission, working to break the cycle of homelessness in Whatcom County, Washington. After graduating Valerie worked with the North Shore Economic Vitality Partnership on the Oahu Safe Farms Initiative, sparking her excitement for sustainability through local food production. She also worked with Pono Pacific as a supervisor at Kuilima Farms, before coming to work at HGG.
Job Titles:
- Dashboard and Measures Working Group Co - Chair
- Vice President for Research and Innovation of the University of Hawai‘I System
As Vice President for Research and Innovation of the University of Hawai‘i System, Vassilis L. Syrmos is charged with providing critical leadership and coordination of systemwide research and innovation efforts, including management and direction of UH's research support, technology transfer and many compliance functions. Dr. Syrmos has previously served as the Associate Vice Chancellor for Research at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. In that capacity, he has worked on a range of projects including developing major research facilities such as the Daniel K. Inouye Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education (C-MORE Hale), the state's only laboratory to be rated LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Platinum. Since 1991, he has been with the department of electrical engineering at UH Mānoa, where he is a professor. He has also served as the Associate Dean of the College of Engineering. He spent a sabbatical leave at The Boeing Company as a research fellow. Dr. Syrmos is the author/coauthor of more than 100 journal and conference papers and the book Optimal Control, 2nd edition, John Wiley, 1995. He was an associate editor of Circuits, Systems and Signal Processing.