Brett has been a conservationist since his youth in coastal California, inspired by the spirit of Dr. Seuss’s Lorax—“speaking for the trees” so people and nature thrive. With 20+ years of experience bridging conservation and business, he brings pragmatic leadership across non-profit management, philanthropy, and ecosystem restoration. He founded Howell Conservation Fund to drive long-term, venture philanthropy–focused change in conservation.
David is a Vice President Financial Advisor at Wealth Enhancement Group in the San Francisco Bay Area. Inspired early by family backpacking trips in Yosemite National Park, his passion for the outdoors fuels his drive for protecting our world’s most valuable resources and supporting sustainable solutions that promote a better tomorrow.
Benjamin is a seasoned entrepreneur and adventure seeker. One of his early ventures was Out Dare Adventures, an online travel magazine with contributing journalists from around the world and over 100,000 unique monthly readers. He is currently an investor and management consultant for businesses focused on the UN SDGs.
David Madden has been working in sustainability for more than 25 years supporting private industry, non-profits, and government agencies. He was part of a team that won the Governor’s Award for Sustainability in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and he continues to support conservation and sustainability efforts across the planet through his work.
Meggie is a dynamic advocate for improving environmental health. She leverages her transdisciplinary expertise to help communities and companies develop and deploy innovative, scientifically-grounded environmental solutions. A relentless optimist, Meggie believes we have the capacity to make transformational change.
Mike Van Bruinisse has been an entrepreneur for close to 30 years. He has been on the senior management team for two IPO’s and 5 acquisitions. Along with personally seeing the impact of climate change in places across the globe, having lived in an area impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Mike has recently been spending his time studying solutions on how corporations could be responsible for managing their own waste, instead of putting the burden on the consumer.
Melisa is HCF's accountant, through her role as Partner in the Non-Profit and Education group at Impact Accounting Partners. She is passionate about what’s next for the tax-exempt entities she serves and strongly believes non-profit organizations have the power to positively change their communities.
Rhett Godfrey is Co-Founder of the Regenerative Economy & Ecosystem Fund (REEF) Bahamas. He has over a decade of experience in impact finance and creating integrated conservation outcomes through private sector coalition building. Rhett is also a nature educator, published author and public speaker.