Areas of Expertise
Subnational Policy Implementation; Strategy Development; Energy Efficiency; Climate Philanthropy
About Kirsten
Kirsten has dedicated her career to solving the biggest challenges across climate, clean energy, and sustainability. She brings an extensive background in technical research and policy implementation to her role at Hua Nani Partners, where she partners with private, public, and philanthropic organizations to advance ambitious climate solutions.
Before joining Hua Nani Partners, Kirsten managed a portfolio of for-profit and nonprofit climate investments at High Tide Foundation. In close partnership with grantees and portfolio companies, she worked to accelerate the clean energy transition in the US and across Southeast Asia. She developed and implemented grantmaking strategies and built diverse coalitions to support the empowerment of nontraditional voices within these issues. Prior to climate philanthropy, Kirsten served as an earth science consultant at NASA’s Ames Research Center, where she studied the effects of climate change through the lens of remote sensing. Previously, she was a sustainability consultant at Innovative Workshop Consulting focusing on the design, construction, and operations of high-performance buildings to achieve USGBC LEED Certification.
Kirsten holds a Master’s in Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning and a BA in Urban Studies, both from the University of California, Berkeley.
Kirsten lives in Southern California with her two mischievous kittens. In her free time, she can be found metalsmithing jewelry, reading nonfiction, and hiking.