Founding Members
Our founding members are creating impact through innovation, sustainability and design, and committed to advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Founding members are invited by the Leadership Council.
Leadership Council
An international Leadership Council provides overall guidance and support for hibiscus.
Dr. Michael Bruno
Provost
University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
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Michael S. Bruno is the Provost at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.
Prior to his appointment, he was the Vice Chancellor for Research at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Before joining the University of Hawaiʻi, Dr. Bruno was the Dean of the School of Engineering and Science, and Professor of Ocean Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey. He was also the Director of the Center for Maritime Security, a Department of Homeland Security National Center of Excellence. Dr. Bruno is an Honorary Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering at University College London.
His research and teaching interests include ocean observation systems, climate change, and community resilience. He is the author of more than 100 technical publications in various aspects of these fields, including the book, The Urban Ocean, published by Cambridge University Press in 2018.
He has served on numerous advisory committees and boards, including Chairing the Marine Board of the National Academies; the Ocean Research Advisory Panel; and the Naval Research Advisory Committee. A Fulbright Scholar (1996 appointment at the Aristotle University, Greece), Dr. Bruno is also a Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers.
He received the Denny Medal from the Institute of Marine Engineering in 2007, the Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Award in 1991, and the Outstanding Service Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers in 1988.
Dr. Bruno holds a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, a M.S. degree in Civil Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley, and a PhD degree in Civil and Ocean Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program in Oceanography/Applied Ocean Science & Engineering.
Mike Peng
Chief Creative Officer
Moon Creative Lab
Palo Alto & Tokyo
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Mike Peng is the Chief Creative Officer at Moon Creative Lab, a design-led venture studio that powers the creation of new businesses for Mitsui & Co. He oversees all design aspects of the organization and its work. Specifically, he ensures that the new ventures created within Moon are elevated by human-centered design and creativity.
Prior to joining Moon, Mike was a Partner at IDEO where he co-founded and ran its Tokyo office since its inception in 2011. He also co-founded D4V (Design for Ventures), Japan’s first-of-its-kind venture capital firm that invests in early-stage Japanese ventures and co-creates human-centered products and services to deliver positive impact to the world. Mike continues to sit on the board for IDEO.org, a non-profit design studio committed to creating a more just and inclusive world.
Mike graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Neuroscience. He has taught at Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design (CIID), NYU, The University of Tokyo, Keio University, and also has a course on IDEO U. In addition to being a competitive tennis player, Mike is also an avid hip hop dancer who finds solace in British baking shows!
Peter Shaindlin
Chief Operating Officer
Halekulani Corporation
Honolulu
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Peter Shaindlin, Chief Operating Officer of Halekulani Corporation, is an internationally recognized hospitality executive. Originally from New York, Mr. Shaindlin is a highly seasoned industry leader specializing in the leadership of iconic chain and independent brands and institutions. Following his tenure in New York overseeing food and beverage operations at the United Nations World Headquarters, he advanced to executive positions at Rockresorts under the guidance of Lawrence S. Rockefeller, followed by an eight-year tenure as Vice-president of operations for Rosewood Hotels & Resorts. Mr. Shaindlin is completing his twentieth year with Halekulani Corporation, offering ongoing support to Halekulani Okinawa in addition to Halekulani Waikiki, and Halepuna by Halekulani. He is a board member of Leading Hotels of the World and the International Luxury Hotel Association.
Educated at Mannes College and New York University and a postgraduate alumnus of the University of Oxford in global business, he has also been a visiting fellow and research scholar at Oxford on the leadership and sustainability of iconic institutions.
Mr. Shaindlin has been a prominent leader in Hawaii spanning two decades in a broad variety of philanthropic, business, and community initiatives and activities, working closely across the public and private sectors to enrich and strengthen the quality of life in local society, while simultaneously leveraging his considerable international relationships and resources to forge harmonious, meaningful relationships between Hawaii and foreign nations, governments, and citizens.
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When he was a kid, YC dreamed of becoming a LEGO master builder. Now, he brings that inventiveness and exploratory spirit to building and launching world-class products and experiences. YC leads a multi-million dollar portfolio in digital health and emerging technologies at IDEO, a globally acclaimed design and innovation firm. He collaborates with startups and Fortune 500 companies to create human-centered products that empower personal wellbeing and unite a fragmented healthcare system. He leads in health and wellbeing with an innovative and inclusive vision with an aim to impact generations to come - from how we conduct clinical trials to how we understand Parkinson's and Alzheimers.
YC advises executive leaders to define realistic product strategy, navigate the creative process, and enable the right conditions for digital transformation. Embracing the mindset of a player-coach, YC also shares his expertise as a sought-after conference speaker, workshop facilitator, and startup advisory board member.
YC is an adjunct professor at Stanford Design School. He teaches "Design for Healthy Behaviors,” a graduate-level course where students apply design thinking alongside patient-volunteers with chronic conditions to improve their long term health. He also teaches "Design for Extended Realities," where students explore and experiment with state-of-the-art technologies like VR, AR, XR, and the metaverse in a critical, intentional, and human-centered way.
YC holds an electrical engineering degree from Princeton, where he developed his creativity through tinkering and breathing in healthy doses of solder. In his free time, he loves running absurdly long distances.
Hao Tran
Founder and CEO
Vietcetera Media
Ho Chi Minh City
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Hao Tran currently serves as the CEO of Vietcetera Media, a digital media network that he co-founded in 2016.
Vietcetera is Vietnam's online town square. Today, it reaches millions of Vietnamese delivering content as a leading voice for the new Vietnam.
Vietcetera's mission from day one has been to bring Vietnam to the world, and the world to Vietnam.
Hao has shared on trends in Vietnam and greater Southeast Asia including and not limited to venture capital, technology startups, food and beverage, tourism, retail and trade. His insights and those from Vietcetera have been featured on media outlets such as Monocle, CNBC, CNN, the Washington Post, the New York Times, the LA Times, and Bloomberg.
Aside from Vietcetera, he advises a number of SMEs, family offices, and Fortune 500 companies seeking expertise in Vietnam and Southeast Asia, helping strategize key decisions including long-term growth, delivery models and business expansion.
Honolulu Advisory Board
A community of Honolulu-based business, cultural, educational and government leaders serves as the Advisory Board for the annual hibiscus summit.
Jason Cutinella
Founder and CEO
NMG Network
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Jason Cutinella is Founder and CEO of Nella Media Group (now known as NMG Network). After launching his career at McCann Erickson Worldwide as a media buyer for the Sony Pictures account and then transitioning to working on the client side of Sony Music International in New York City, Jason relocated to Hawai‘i in 2004 to pursue a master’s degree in communications from Hawaii Pacific University.
With a vision to transform the way that content is created and distributed in Hawai‘i and beyond, Jason founded NMG in 2009 in order to connect travelers and sophisticated urbanites to authentic experiences. To expand from print into digital content and reach new markets, Jason spearheaded the acquisition of Visitor Video Inc., Hawai‘i’s leading visitor industry video distribution company, to create NMG Network and enrich the company’s diverse storytelling capabilities.
In addition to his role leading NMG, Jason has served as Fundraising Chair of the Executive Board of Directors for the American Advertising Federation (AAF Hawaii) and currently sits on the Board of Directors of the Honolulu International Film Festival (HIFF), ‘Ohina Short Film Festival, and serves on the American Heart Association fundraising committee.
Following his passions for entrepreneurship and building transformative brands, Jason also co-founded consumer wellness startup O2TODAY, designer of the world’s first total protection air pollution and travel mask, with the goal of helping millions breathe better and live longer. In his spare time, Jason focuses on building his DJK wine business with his childhood friends.
When Jason is not driving his business pursuits, he can be found rooting for the US National team at World Cup outings with friends, searching to find the best park bench to relax, catching his thoughts and dreaming big! And exploring his newfound love for snowboarding!
Cristina Moon
Zen Monk and Priest
Daihonzan Chozen-ji
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Cristina Moon is a Buddhist priest, writer, and strategist who lives at Daihonzan Chozen-ji Zen center, a monastery in Honolulu known for its rigorous training in zazen (meditation), Kendo (Way of the Sword), Chado (Way of Tea), and ceramics. After a career in human rights and social change organizing, she graduated from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business and now works with individuals and organizations to develop the sensitivity and spiritual strength needed to lead in today's challenging world.
Staff
Raj George
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
As Executive Director, Raj George oversees strategy, business development, and partnerships for hibiscus.
Raj has advised innovative Asia Pacific companies and brands throughout his career, including Tiger Beer (Singapore), Bintang Beer (Indonesia), The Andaman, a Luxury Collection Resort, Langkawi (Malaysia), and ThaiBev (Thailand).
Raj currently serves as president of the Penn Alumni Club of Hawaiʻi, council leader for the U. S.-Japan Council, advisory board member for the Liljestrand Foundation, and judge for the annual University of Hawaiʻi Pacific Asian Center for Entrepreneurship Venture Competition.
Raj grew up in Long Beach, CA and graduated from Harvard-Westlake School. He received his B.A. in International Relations from the University of Pennsylvania and MBA in Brand Strategy from Columbia Business School.
Karen Ng
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
As Director of Operations, Karen Ng channels her experience and passion to support mission-driven organizations focused on creating lasting social impact.
Karen founded the nation’s only lupus support program for Asian Americans and their families, LANtern® (Lupus Asian Network) at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, and helped launch international efforts to improve the lives of children in Sri Lanka and Vietnam. Over the past 20 years she has created programs that enhance health and wellness, build community, and benefit populations.
Karen received her B.A. from Cornell University and a Masters of Public Health degree from Columbia University.