Raised in Hawai‘i, Ms. Connors brings to the Board extensive risk management and national security experience from chairing highly complicated cross-department interagency processes as a double-hatted Director for Energy and Climate Change on both the National Economic Council and National Security Council in the White House. In this role, she advised the President, Vice President and Cabinet on energy, technology, and climate change strategies.
Ms. Connors also has foreign policy expertise and helps the Board address key geopolitical threats from her experience managing finance and counter terrorism risk while serving as a diplomat with the U.S. Department of State in Saudi Arabia, Greece and Germany.
Ms. Connors currently serves as President of the East West Center in Hawaii which is a national educational institution created to foster better relations and understanding among the people of the United States, Asia, and the Pacific islands through programs of cooperative study, training, and research.
As the former CEO of the Hawai‘i Green Growth Local2030 Hub, an APEC-derived and internationally recognized center of excellence, Ms. Connors developed strategies to scale policy and investment solutions to build community resilience. She convened business, government and non-profit partners to achieve Hawai‘i’s 2030 goals and deliver long-term value to diverse stakeholders. She has a background in resilient infrastructure project management and finance as the co- founder and CEO of c.dots development. She also co-chairs the Hawaii Sustainability Business Forum that brings together the CEOs of the stateʻs top public and private companies.
Ms. Connorsʻ 25 years of experience managing risk at the highest level of government, and extensive corporate governance background from serving on the boards of Americaʻs Service Commission, Icebreaker and GigaDAC, helps the Board deliver its strategy. Her energy, climate change and national security experience provides the Board with important insights into key risks and investment opportunities to help Hawaiʻi navigate the energy transition, as well as perspectives on energy and climate policy and practice globally.
Professional experience
- Chief Executive Officer, Hawai’i Local 2030 Hub (2021-2025)
- Executive Director of Hawai‘i Green Growth (network based organization focused on achieving Hawai‘i’s 2030 climate, energy and environmental sustainability goals (2015-2021)
- Visiting Scholar and Associate Practitioner in Residence (Energy, Resources and Environment Program), Johns Hopkins University (2012-2019)
- Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, c.dots development (builds partnerships to deliver resilient infrastructure (since 2012)
- Director (Environment and Climate Change), National Security Council, White House (2008-2012)
- Diplomat, U.S. Department of State (2000-2012)
- Foreign Policy Advisor (Office of the Mayor), City of New York (1999- 2000)
OTHER POSITIONS
- Affiliate Faculty, University of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Natural Energy Institute (HNEI) (since 2021)
- Advisory Board, U.S. Department of Defense, INDOPACOM, Climate Change Impact (CCI) Program (since 2021)
- Adjunct Senior Fellow, East West Center (education and research organization established by the U.S. Congress in 1960 to strengthen relations between Asia, the Pacific, and the United States) (since 2020)
- North America Regional Facilitator, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) (since 2020)
Education
- Master of Science (MSc), Development
- Studies, University of London, School of
- Oriental and African Studies (SOAS)
- Bachelor of Arts, International
- Relations, Tufts University