Hawai‘i Investment Ready supports the people and organizations addressing Hawai‘i’s social and environmental issues by accelerating social enterprise impact and access to investment.
HIR Accelerator
HIR Team
Keoni Lee
CEO
Keoni Lee brings a wealth of experience to HIR as a successful social entrepreneur and participant in HIR’s inaugural cohort.
He co-founded ʻŌiwi TV – a media production company that leverages the power of media to reshape the narratives of the modern Hawaiian experience. He also co-founded Waiwai Collective, a contemporary Hawaiian gathering space growing a community and movement grounded in collective values and shared responsibilities to mobilize systemic change in Hawaiʻi.
Keoni has a MBA from the Shidler College of Business at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. His leadership accomplishments garnered his selection for the Omidyar Fellows program, the First Nations Futures Program, 2021 HVCA Investor of the Year, and RSF Social Finance Just Economy Institute Fellow, Integrated Capital Institute Fellowship. He is a member of Toniic, the global action community for impact investing, and serves on numerous nonprofit boards with a focus on education and local food production.
Keoni lives in the ʻili of Pālolo, Oʻahu.
Lisa Kleissner
CO-FOUNDER, BOARD CHAIR
Lisa Kleissner is co-founder and President of the KL Felicitas Foundation, a family foundation dedicated to empowering impact entrepreneurs worldwide and investing 100% of the foundation corpus into impact across asset classes.
The foundation was cited by the World Economic Forum for its impact portfolio investment leadership. The foundation is the recipient of the BNP Paribas Grand Prix in Philanthropy and the Magis Award for Social Entrepreneurship from Santa Clara University. Lisa was cited as one of 35 world-changing women in conscious business in 2019 by the Conscious Company.
Lisa is co-founder and Chair of Toniic Institute, and Hawaiʻi Investment Ready. She sits on several impact investment committees and has held the position of Treasurer/CFO for several impact organizations.
Lisa splits her time between Big Sur, California and the ʻili of Kapāpala, Moku o Keawe.
Neil Hannahs
CO-FOUNDER, DIRECTOR
Neil J. Kahoʻokele Hannahs is Founder and CEO of Hoʻokele Strategies LLC, a consulting enterprise to support the emergence and growth of values-driven leaders and enterprises that forge a thriving environment, a robust economy and social equity.
From 2000 to 2015, Hannahs directed the Land Assets Division of Kamehameha Schools and was responsible for a portfolio of 358,000 acres of agriculture and conservation lands in Hawai`i and also co-founded the First Nations Futures Program and Hawaiʻi Investment Ready Program. The work of this division earned the Innovation and Outstanding Leadership Awards of the Hawaiʻi Conservation Alliance. In addition, Hannahs’ impact has been acknowledged with the Kamaʻāina of the Year Award from the Historic Hawaiʻi Foundation, I Ulu I Ke Kumu recognition from the UH Hawaiʻinuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge and Kalanianaʻole Scholarship Honor of Prince Kuhiō Hawaiian Civic Club.
Hannahs is a graduate of Kamehameha Schools and received BA and MA degrees from Stanford University. He is active in community affairs, serving on the boards of the Polynesian Voyaging Society, Hawaiian Islands Land Trust, Aloha Kuamoʻo ʻĀina and Awaiaulu.
Neil lives in the ʻili of Pālolo, Oʻahu.
Margaret Peebles
ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR, PROGRAM MANAGER
Margaret Peebles’ early career was devoted to managing operations at the family medical business. She went on to support the growth of her husband’s global photography practice.
For the last six years, she has covered several roles at HIR instrumental to keeping the ship sailing. Participating with the last two cohorts was deeply inspiring for her and encouraged her to play a bigger role in helping HIR move from a program to an incorporated nonprofit enterprise. This led her to apply for the Administrative Director role which she has held since March 2017.
Margaret lives in the ʻili of Kāneʻohe, Oʻahu.
Miwa Tamanaha
IMPACT RESIDENCE, COMMUNITY BUILDING
Miwa Tamanaha’s ancestors first came to Hawaiʻi from Okinawa in the late 1800s to work sugar plantations; she is the fifth generation of her family to call Hawaiʻi home. Miwa considers herself a “recovering economist” — holding undergraduate and graduate degrees in economics from the University of Southern California. Miwa has studied in facilitation with revered elder Aunty Puanani Burgess, and also draws from training in Facilitative Leadership. She also credits Eric Enos, Kamuela Enos, the late Uncle Henry Chang Wo, Jr., Aunty Kekuhi Kealiʻikanakaʻole and Halau ʻŌhiʻa, Aunty Lynette Paglinawan, Kealoha Pisciotta, Dr. Debbie Gowensmith, and Wally Ito (among many others) as important teachers. She is an experienced community organizer, network weaver, and organization builder.
Miwa is co-founder local non-profit Kua‘āina Ulu ‘Auamo (KUA) and continues to serve as an advisor, and member of KUA’s Limu Hui, a network of native seaweed practitioners which she helped to establish. Miwa also served as the Executive Director of KAHEA: The Hawaiian-Environmental Alliance. Miwa has worked in environmental policy and environmental justice advocacy in communities and ecologies from Baja California to Tanzania. She is a proud partner, māmā, friend, descendant, and aunty.
Miwa joins HIR as HIR’s first-ever impact resident, as we expand and deepen community-building in our core work.
Miwa lives in the ʻili of Waipiʻo, Oʻahu.
Chloe Hartwell
NETWORK COORDINATOR
Born and raised in Hawaiʻi, Chloe Seto Hartwell is committed to serving Hawaiʻi’s communities by shifting resources and power to build pathways towards equity, justice, and liberation.
Before joining HIR in 2020, she was with Hawai’i Public Radio in nonprofit development, and helped launch community resourcing platform Kūkulu Switchboard before serving as its first Operator.
Chloe manages HIR’s community programs and networks and consults with enterprises on mission-driven marketing strategy and fundraising. She brings a decade of experience in nonprofit development, business strategy, marketing, and community-driven philanthropy.
She serves on nonprofit and philanthropic committees, boards, and fellowships focused on reduced inequalities, health equity, and building just, peaceful and inclusive societies.
Chloe lives between the ʻili of Wailupe, Oʻahu.
Tyler Takahashi
INVESTMENT ANALYST
Tyler Takahashi joins Hawaiʻi Investment Ready as an Investment Analyst. Tyler is a graduate of Punahou School and Cornell University, where he studied Finance. He previously interned for HIR, supporting social enterprises with strategic planning, and is excited to continue working with folks committed to aligning economic sustainability with aloha ‘aina sensibilities. His professional journey extends to roles at GE Vernova and American Savings Bank, where he developed his financial analysis skills.
For guidance and inspiration in his work on community issues and the local economy, Tyler draws upon the wisdom and support of his family and friends and his core experiences living in Hawaiʻi, including going to the beach, working in the lo‘i, and playing music.
Tyler lives in the ʻili of Nuʻuanu, Oʻahu.
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