Hawai‘i Nonprofit People in the News
Ho‘okele Awards honor Hawai‘i nonprofit leaders
The Hawaii Community Foundation in August announced its annual Hookele Award given to leaders of four nonprofits. Each winner, selected through community nominations, received $10,000 to be used for their personal professional development rather than to their organizations. The prize is aimed at encouraging the winners to remain in the nonprofit sector.
“This program is significant because it pays tribute to leaders in Hawai‘i’s nonprofit sector, many of whom share a commitment and passion for their jobs in spite of limited resources,” said Kelvin Taketa, foundation president and CEO. This year’s winners, who were honored at an awards ceremony this month, are:
- David Derauf, executive director and family physician of Kokua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services. The Honolulu-based nonprofit is a community health center that offers low-cost health services including dental, medical, nutritional and mental health services to Kalihi Valley residents.
- Marilyn Cristofori, CEO of the Hawaii Arts Alliance, which promotes the arts, runs educational programs and lobbies for arts-related legislation. The organization puts on the monthly First Friday downtown-Chinatown gallery walk in Honolulu.
- Charles “Chipper” Wichman, director and CEO of the National Tropical Botanical Garden on Kauai. The nonprofit, which also manages gardens on Maui, the Big Island and in Florida, preserves endangered tropical plants.
- Ku Kahakalau, co-founder and director of Kanu O Ka Aina Learning Ohana, which runs the New Century Public Charter School in Waimea on the Big Island. The organization says it runs educational programs to advance Hawaiian culture and promote sustainability.
For the awards, the Community Foundation joined with San Francisco-based Wallace Alexander Gerbode Foundation, which grants money to nonprofits in the Bay Area and Hawai‘i.
- Jeff Mikulina
Sierra Club director moves to Blue Planet Foundation
Jeff Mikulina has been named executive director of the Blue Planet Foundation, which was founded by Hawaii entrepreneur Henk Rogers with a mission is to “change our world’s energy culture, to raise global awareness … and to create a global response to our increasingly urgent climate crisis.” He was formerly director of the Hawaii chapter of the Sierra Club.
As executive director, Mikulina will oversee the day-to-day operations of the organization. On Aug. 22, the Sierra Club announced that Mikulina will step down on Sept. 27 after ten years as director. A search for a replacement is under way.
“Another opportunity came up, and after 10 years with the club it was time for fresh blood and fresh ideas,” Mikulina told PBN. “It was a tough decision, because I love this job and could have easily continued to do it.” He said an announcement would be made soon concerning his new employment.
Mikulina said his top accomplishments as Sierra Club director include enactment of a beverage container redemption law, passage of legislation making it easier to install solar panels, and capping the state’s greenhouse gas emissions. The Wisconsin native has a master’s degree in engineering from the University of Illinois.
