About Us

Rafael is passionate about the opportunities ahead of us to recreate a more sustainable world. He grew up with a family deeply connected to a sense of responsibility for protecting the natural world. Some of his earliest inspirations were weekends with his parents wandering the banks of the American River in Sacramento, CA where he would have the opportunity to interact with wildlife, ecological systems, and rattle snakes. Rafael is a graduate of University of Hawai‘i's Natural Resources and Environmental Management Masters of Science Program and served as the O‘ahu Chapter Coordinator for the Surfrider Foundation for 5 years before becoming the Executive Director of Sustainable Coastlines Hawai‘i in 2019. Rafael completed his BA in Communications with minors in Political Science and History at the University of California San Diego. He has also served as a Team Leader for the Hawaiian Youth Conservation Corps, founded the civic engagement workshop "Civics is Sexy", and has served on multiple plastic waste reduction committees at the State and County level. These collective experiences inspire his love for Hawai‘i, its people, its natural beauty.

Rafael is also an avid photographer, aspiring writer, and former professional baseball player (a pitcher in the Atlantic League and Israel Baseball League). His favorite things are a morning bodysurf at Makapu‘u, a wander on a jungle stream with his fiancé, or finding the time to read an inspiring book on a beach anywhere. Rafael continues to be inspired by the concepts of pilina, reciprocity, and knowing that we are perfectly imperfect.

Paul’s love story with Hawaii began in 2018, when the silhouette of O’ahu appeared on the horizon after a 6-month expedition in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Paul and a crew of adventurers departed from Japan 165 days earlier to escort his uncle, long-distance swimmer Ben Lecomte, while completing the first trans-pacific dataset on plastic pollution. As they witnessed first-hand the destructive impact of our throwaway culture on the ocean and its wildlife, they engaged over 8 million people through the web-series and feature film, The Swim. After a second adventure through the North Pacific plastic vortex and an education tour around the world, he has arrived back to the island and the SCH’Ohana he fell in love with, determined to activate our collective power and reconnect our community with our lands and oceans.

Hideki Kimukai has been a core volunteer for Sustainable Coastlines Hawai'i since he joined in 2013. He has coordinated and completed dozens of international collaborative beach cleanups on O’ahu. He joined Sustainable Coastlines Hawai'i Education and Outreach team in 2018. Not only has he successfully educated local audiences, he has also excelled in outreach and education to international students, including Japan, Australia, and European countries. Hideki was born in Japan and lived in Japan until he began high school studies abroad in the US continent. He holds a B.S. degree in Secondary Education and holds a M.S. degree in Computer Information System from Florida Institute of Technology.

Rebecca Mattos is the Inspiration Coordinator for Youth Education at Sustainable Coastlines Hawai’i and has over 20 years of experience working as an educator, community organizer, and youth leader. She joined the SCH Ohana in 2016 after volunteering at a cleanup at Ka’ehu Beach, Maui- experiencing both the plastic pollution crisis and the energy driving real solutions firsthand. Rebecca grew up in the San Francisco Bay area (Ohlone). Before moving to Hawaiʻi, she taught Restorative Justice Education to students in grades 7-12 and adult workshops on poverty, diversity, and compassionate care in the S.F. Tenderloin neighborhood. Her work and passion have centered around social justice, ocean conservation, human rights issues, photography, and film. As part of Sustainable Coastlines Hawai’i, Rebecca has taken on many roles, including Director of Education & Outreach, and Operations Manager, as she transitioned the organization from co-founder Kahi Pacarro to current ED Rafael Bergstrom. Rebecca has led and coordinated over 500 educational workshops for K-12 students throughout Oahu and the Hawaiian Islands about marine debris, plastic pollution, advocacy, and sustainability practices. Rebecca began at SCH as an intern with the IVHQ volunteer program, where she helped manage weekly volunteer programs with International guests. As a lead research assistant to Dr. Sarah-Jeanne Royer, Rebecca’s work has improved the quality of scientific and data collection around plastic pollution in Hawai’i. She is a contributing photographer to the International Pacific Research Center at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and a long-time contributor to SCH’s social media. Her most significant accomplishments at SCH include growing the Education program to reach over 10,000 students per year, including public, private, and Hawaiian Immersion schools, including international students and partnerships from over 50 countries. In 2018 she represented SCH at a 2-day marine debris cleanup on Kaho’olawe island with Greenpeace, PKO, and KIRC. She is also a core member of Hui Aloha ‘Aina Ka Lei ‘Aina Ali’i to work on 'Āina protection, restoration, and preservation and projects across Hawai’i. Rebecca holds her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Southern California (USC). Fun fact: In 2016, Rebecca completed the 1.8-mile swim from Alcatraz Island to San Francisco’s Aquatic Park!

Whether it be backpacking, farming, hunting, or surfing Steffi’s many outdoor passions have led her to live a lifestyle that serves the environment. She is involved in waste diversion team which has inspired her and her partner to turn waste into a resource at their farm. For example, they collect fish carcasses from local fish restaurants to make natural fertilizer and use ghost nets to build trellises for their vegetables.

Shaina Duran is the Action Coordinator at Sustainable Coastlines Hawai’i. This coordinator position relates to the Cleanups and Restoration Events Program, which includes Event Planning, Volunteer Coordination, and Office Operations. Shaina was born and raised on the West Side of O'ahu, in Mākaha. She attended Northern Arizona University where she got her B.S. in Environmental Science with an Emphasis in Management. In her free time, she enjoys drinking copious amounts of coffee, reading, spending time with her friends and family, and freediving for shells.

Jasmine Buerano, known to many as Jazzy, is an internationally grown storyteller. She grew up for most of her life in Hawai’i, splitting her time between Nu’uanu, O’ahu, and Waimea on Hawai’i Island, and lived in other places like Guam, Brunei Darussalam, and the Philippines. She began her journey with non-profit work at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in California through a student-run Surfrider Club Chapter where she served as the Director of Media. After graduating with a BA in Communication Studies and a concentration in Environmental Studies in 2021, Jazzy moved home to Hawai’i, working in Hilo as a photographer and social media manager for a global lab that seeks to create innovative solutions for communities who need them most. Now, as the Senior Storytelling Coordinator at SCH, she works on intentional storytelling through film and photography. When she isn’t taking photos or writing, Jazzy enjoys spending time outdoors with her family and friends, singing, and cooking for others.

Jocelyn just completed her MA in Geography and Environment at UH Mānoa, and now works as an educator at Sustainable Coastlines Hawaiʻi and researcher for the US Forest Service. Born and raised on Oʻahu, Jocelyn had an international childhood traveling to countries like Burkina Faso and Bangladesh with her parents' small non-profit. Being exposed to the economic disparities and environmental issues of these countries early in life, Jocelyn became driven to focus her future career addressing complex socioecological issues. She became passionate about conservation and mālama ʻāina after joining the UH Mālama I Nā Ahupuaʻa program, and later interning with Kupu, Lyon Arboretum, and Kauluakalana. All of these experiences have made her dedicated to sustainability, aloha ʻāina, and the importance of forging deep connections between land, ocean, and community.

Aloha, my name is Conrad Morgan. I'm born and raised in Kailua, Oahu and am an avid bodysurfer. I am attending Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California where I am double majoring in communications and Environmental Studies. The majority of my free time is spent in the water or picking up trash off of the shore. The ocean is what gives me joy and drive in life and I want to do everything I can protect it so that my children and grandchildren can experience it in the same way I have. Growing up in Hawaii I have seen how connected we are to our oceans and land, a connection that has been lost for most of humanity, and I aim to do my part in reconnecting humanity to our beautiful natural world.

I'm originally from Chicago and although there was a lack of environmental awareness in my schools, I was still able to grow a passion for animals and nature. The hard part for me has been trying to figure out my career path in the environmental movement world but thankfully SCH has taken me on and opened my eyes to the importance of community and education. In previous jobs, I've fallen into leadership positions which have taught me that I'm capable of learning and sharing knowledge in order for the team to succeed/accomplish goals.

Sydney Millerd was born and raised in Waipahu and is a proud graduate of Waipahu High School and the University of Hawaii - West Oahu (UHWO). She graduated from UHWO in 2021 and obtained Bachelor degrees in Applied Sciences with a concentration in Sustainable Community Food Systems and in Arts in Social Sciences with a concentration in Political Science. Upon graduating, Sydney served as a Youth Ambassador to the USA Pavilion at the World Expo in Dubai. With her passion for sustainability and the environment, Sydney has had various experiences in the field from hands-on, research, political, and social media angles. She’s excited to contribute these experiences & skills, especially her social media skills, to her intern role at SCH.

I'm a lifelong surfer with 15 years of experience in the ocean and 10 years of competing professionally. Growing up immersed in the ocean I understand the deep connection between ocean health and the communities that depend on it. Competing and spending countless hours in the water have shown me firsthand how vital it is to protect our coastlines. I strive to be steward of the ocean, ensuring that future generations can experience the same joy, freedom, and connection that surfing and the ocean has given me.

Aloha! My name is Autym Awo and I am from Kailua Kona on the Big Island! My prior experience in the environmental movement partly comes from my personal experience of always feeling a close connection to nature through my culture and education. When I first started college I was interested in learning more about our precious Earth as I was an Environmental Earth Science Major at first. I have since switched my major to Sustainability as it aligned more with what I wanted to do in my career. I am passionate about SCH’s mission because I have grown up learning a lot about how our actions have negatively impacted the environment from excessive greenhouse gas emissions, increased species extinction, deforestation, ocean pollution, etc. I feel that we all have a responsibility to work together and create solutions to combat these issues we have created regarding the environment, including our coastlines. With my drive, knowledge, passion, and optimistic view, I hope to apply these unique skills to the SCH’s mission.

I’m from Beaverton, Oregon, and I’m currently studying Sustainability at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. My passion for sustainability began during the COVID-19 pandemic when I discovered an interest in composting and “zero-waste” living. Since then, I’ve found a sense of community in the UH Environmental Justice Club and have had the opportunity to work on a petition advocating for the right to a "life-sustaining climate." I’m deeply inspired by SCH’s mission, and I share the hope that future generations won’t have to participate in beach clean-ups. My goal is to leave the planet better than I found it, and I’m eager to gain the skills to achieve that by working with SCH.

Hello! I'm Kathryn from Nor Cal. I am currently a fourth year at UH Manoa studying Sustainability! I cannot wait to help inspire our community to reinvent how we can access a more sustainable future.

Born and raised in Kelowna, BC, Canada, Tristan grew up surrounded by nature and developed a deep respect for animals and the environment. He is studying sustainability and law & society at UH Mānoa, and is passionate about endangered species and wildlife conservation. Tristan is thrilled to be a part of the SCH team and looking forward to making sustainability fun.

I grew up on a small farm in Waimanalo. I graduated from UH Manoa with a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies focusing on sustainability. I love to surf and take care of the environment.