We magnify our impact by working with and educating organizations and individuals that share our vision of implementing genuine sustainability. NCS’ unique structure as a 501(c)3 non-profit offers us the opportunity to develop collaborations, tools, and solutions that drive sustainability.

Hunter Lovins – President and Founder of NCS

L. Hunter Lovins is the President and Founder of Natural Capitalism Solutions (NCS), a non-profit formed in 2002 in Longmont, CO. A renowned author and champion of sustainable development for over 35 years, Hunter has consulted on business, economic development, sustainable agriculture, energy, water, security, and climate policies for scores of governments, communities, and companies worldwide. Within the United States, she has consulted for heads of state, departments of defense, energy agencies and hundreds of state and local agencies.

Hunter believes that citizens, communities and companies, working together within the market context, are the most dynamic problem-solving force on the planet.  She has devoted herself to building teams that can create and implement practical and affordable solutions to the problems facing us in creating a sustainable future.

Find out more about Hunter here!

Walter Link – Senior Vice President

Walter Link is Natural Capitalism Solution’s Senior Vice President. As NOW Partners’ founding CEO and Chairman of the Future Economy Forum, Walter is a former co-owner of Euro-Asian industrial group and co-founder & leader of first sustainable business networks across Europe and the Americas. He is an advisor and coach to senior leaders in business and other sectors and passionately committed to co-creating a regenerative economy within a regenerative civilization.

Evolving Walter’s companies: Walter Link was a personally liable partner of B. Grimm, a now 140-year-old Euro-Asian industrial group of companies operating in the fields of healthcare, telecommunications, engineering, energy, construction, infrastructure development, and consumer goods in partnerships and joint ventures with global corporations such as Carrier, Merck, and Siemens. 30 years ago, when Walter wanted B. Grimm to become more regenerative, he realized this depended significantly on the products B. Grimm was importing from and producing with global brands that did not yet want to align themselves with sustainability. Walter understood that to implement his vision – global markets and public policy and through them, corporations would have to fundamentally evolve.

Sustainable business movement: Walter, therefore, decided to fully dedicate himself to the co-creation of an international movement that would inspire and support companies and economies to integrate economic success with regenerating people and planet. He left B. Grimm to be led by his brother, Harald, who developed it into a successful model for more sustainable business with Buddhist compassion as its core value, and business initiatives like creating South-East Asia’s largest solar power station and protecting endangered species. Meanwhile, Walter co-founded and co-led the first regional sustainable business networks: in the early 90s, the Social Venture Network across Western and Eastern Europe; a few years later Empresa, which eventually included 25 business networks across the Americas; in the 2000s the New Voice of Business that played a major role in realizing the ‘million solar roofs’ program, California’s largest alternative energy and green jobs initiative. Today, Walter supports the expansion of the B Corp and other economic innovation movements.

Helmy Abouleish – Senior Regenerative Economy Fellow

Helmy Abouleish, Nat Cap Solutions’ Senior Regenerative Economy Fellow, is CEO of the SEKEM Initiative in Egypt, founded by his father Ibrahim Abouleish in 1977. SEKEM promotes sustainable development in ecology, economy, societal and cultural life. The SEKEM Holding produces, processes and markets organic and biodynamic foodstuff, textiles and herbal medicine in Egypt, Arabia and internationally. SEKEM also operate educational facilities and is regarded as the Egyptian pioneer in Organic farming. 2003 SEKEM was awarded the Right Livelihood Award (‘Alternative Nobel Prize’) under the leadership of Helmy Abouleish.

Helmy Abouleish is deeply involved in SEKEM since it was founded. He studied economics and marketing in Cairo and was for a long time campaigning in national and international politics to promote responsible competitiveness, social entrepreneurship and tackling the greatest challenges of the 21st century, such as climate change and food security. He is member of a number of international organizations and councils, such as Cradle-2-Cradle, the World Economic Forum, the World Goetheanum Association or the World Future Council. He became a NAP-Champion for adapting to climate change and was appointed president of Demeter International in 2018.

Merijn Dols – Regenerative Economy Fellow

An activist for a Regenerative Future by facilitating the paradigmatic shift that reconnects Economy and Ecology, a Circular Economy for Food activists, a system thinker, and innovator (with two decades of experience in systemic experimentation and innovation in the food industry).
Merijn is a Managing Partner at NOW Partners, a Co-Convener at the Future Economy Forum, a Lecturer at HEC Paris, and a former head of Open Innovation and Circular Economy at Danone. He also serves on several boards, like the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the UN Decade, XPRIZE, and Thought for Food.

“I made it my mission to be a driving force in a (food) revolution, a paradigmatic shift, as the source of a new socio-ecological system. I believe in a future of food as a force for regeneration. I want to leave a world, in which ecological, economical, and social interests are aligned. Food can nourish this system level shift through innovation, the adaptive power of the system, towards a resilient food system with a regenerative ecological, economic and social impact, by intent.”

Merijn holds a Bachelor’s in Design Engineering from The Hague University and an MBA in Circular Economy, Innovation, and Intrapreneurship from Bradford School of Management.

Catherine Greener – Sustainability/Continuous Improvement Fellow

Ms. Greener, founder of Greener Solutions, Inc has significant experience in the implementation of sustainability, lean manufacturing, and industrial quality management systems. She has led sustainability and resource efficiency projects for companies and clients, from entrepreneurial start-ups to the industrial facilities of multinational corporations and Fortune 500 companies. Her industry experience includes hospitality, food and beverage processing, automotive, chemical, semi-conductor, facility automation (robotics), and construction. She combines her sustainability, quality management, and lean manufacturing experience with acute problem solving skills and an exceptional ability to uncover process waste. Ms. Greener has given numerous talks, facilitated visioning sessions and conducted training classes in sustainability, continuous quality improvement and other disciplines, developed waste reduction programs, and led problem-solving groups for manufacturing strategy. Additionally, she has experience in ISO 9000, ISO 14000 and Six-Sigma.

Catherine Greener’s experience includes Vice President of Environmental Affairs and Sustainability for Xanterra Travel Collection, VP of Sustainability Consulting at Saatchi & Saatchi S, Team Leader Commercial and Industrial Team, Rocky Mountain Institute and Director of Quality and Customer Focus for ABB Flexible Automation.  She is regularly invited to speak on various sustainability topics including strategy, employee engagement and integrating sustainability into marketing messages. Greener holds a BS in Industrial Engineering from Northwestern University & a MBA from the University of Michigan.

Robert Noiles – CFO

Rob is Natural Capitalism Solutions’ Chief Financial Officer. He has worked with Hunter Lovins since 1992 at Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and since 2002 at NCS. He has served as Information Technology Officer, Director of Operations, and currently as Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Noiles has also taught college-level computer programming. When not staring at spreadsheets Rob enjoys time on the ranch, riding and shoeing horses.

Kathleen Ryan-Woodcock – Office Manager / Accountant

Kathleen Ryan-Woodcock

Mark Williams – Regenerative Economy Fellow

(USAF, Retired) Mark has experience in both the private and public sectors, serving at VP and Director levels in the data/technology industry and in the operations and intelligence communities of the U.S. Air Force and other government agencies. His operational experience includes more than 200 combat hours in the F-15C as a veteran of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. His intelligence experience ranged from the tactical to the strategic level, including as expert advisor to several law enforcement agencies within the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security. Mark also served as the Operations Officer of the Pacific Air Intelligence Squadron, supporting and reporting directly to the Commander in Chief, Pacific Air Forces.

Mark is currently heading up Black Lab Sports’ Cognitive Performance Institute. Previously, he was CEO at Dynamic Human Solutions (DHS), where his team combined mindfulness-based skills with operational military experience to provide tools for developing and maintaining resilience, situational awareness and peak performance. DHS trained fighter pilots, special operators, helicopter pilots, Olympic and other world-class athletes, and elite fire fighting and law enforcement units. Mark’s long-time experience in the martial arts led him to mental fitness and mindfulness training, which he has been practicing for almost 25 years now. Mark has an M.A. from Naropa University in Religious Studies. In 2018, he was a candidate for US Congress in Colorado’s 2nd District. He is also co-adaptor of the critically acclaimed Off-Broadway productions, The Man Himself (2006) and Conviction (2010).

David Takahashi – Regenerative Economy Fellow

David is pursuing long term self-funding initiatives for the Denver/Boulder Hub that explore membership models, the engagement of local, small to mid-sized businesses and social media micro-funding. He will also nurture outreach to local governance. Currently, David is working with communities of faith in the Denver/Boulder area for disaster preparedness.

David’s late father-in-law was Charles David Keeling who recorded the concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere starting in the 1950s. He shared science’s predictions on the effects of persistent Greenhouse Gasses. The predictions included mean temperature rise, disrupted weather patterns, wildfires, floods, strengthening tropical storms, ocean acidification, sea level rise, melting of glaciers and other effects. David lost his home in the Fourmile Canyon wildfire of 2010. He experienced the wildfire’s utter chaos. Post-fire debris flows buried his neighbors.

David has taken a 60-year-old home and worked to make it energy efficient. He has converted the home from using natural gas to using renewable electricity: the natural gas line has been removed from the property. He has created a suburban micro-grid: he uses the energy from the sun to charge batteries, the batteries are used to power the household, and surplus energy is shared with the grid. He sees that beyond blocking harmful actions, we also need to turn the dial back and reclaim lost ground. David views agriculture as one of the few endeavors that actually can begin repairing the damages already done.

Jock Gilchrist – Regenerative Economy Fellow (research)

Jock Gilchrist’s career has focused on implementing impactful social programs that improve communities’ health, resilience, and sustainability. After studying Neuroscience, Eastern Religions, and Economics as an undergraduate, Jock worked in the public health field through AmeriCorps, health centers, and a hospital. His work helped hundreds of disadvantaged clients and patients access medical, mental health, and social services. He then transitioned to the climate change field, where he promoted renewable energy and led community-based advocacy programs. Jock is currently pursuing an MS in Environmental Science and Policy. He is passionate about bringing together government, business, and community for innovative sustainability solutions with NCS.

AJ Grant – Natural Capitalism Fellow

Ms. Grant has been a pioneering force in communicating environmental and complex issues to the public for over 30 years. Her thought leadership and expertise in strategic communications, marketing, crisis/risk communications, brand and reputation management draws from her diverse background in marketing and environmental science. AJ brings her specialty in change management and future planning with an emphasis on language and narrative impact. Clients include: Honda North America, BHP Billiton, Lockheed Martin, Roche, British Columbia Ministry of Environment Lands and Parks, Rocky Mountain National Park, US Green Building Council (designed launch strategy for the LEED building certification), Hearst, FEMA, US ARMY, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, the Vatican.

She also has written highly acclaimed curricula on environment and society for Universities, and elementary, middle and high schools. She believes strongly in expanding the attitudes and values of today’s youth through multimedia communications and entertainment platforms. For example, Ms. Grant co-founded the Big Green Rabbit, a multimedia brand that packaged health, environment and sustainability concepts for children and families. This 4X-Emmy award-winning children’s show garnered over 85 million hits on YouTube and performed at the White House for numerous years.

Ms. Grant’s Board service includes: National Parks Foundation, Western Resource Advocates, Alaska Conservation Foundation, Impact Finance Center Steering Committee, National Parks Conservation Association (SW Region), University of Michigan-Dean’s Advisory Board School for Environment and Sustainability; University of Colorado-Advisory Board Masters in Environment Program, National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS)

She attended The University of Colorado, Rocky Mountain College of Art, Hobart and William Smith College, National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS)

AJ is an avid sea kayaker, hiker, musician and hot sauce collector. On any given day, you may find her on a mountain, gardening, playing the banjo, boarding an airplane for a far-flung adventure, on the tennis court, or on her horse riding the range.

Bill Becker – Senior Fellow

Bill has been Executive Director of the Presidential Climate Action Project (PCAP), an initiative of Natural Capitalism Solutions to help past Presidents of the United States take decisive action on global warming and energy security. Prior to that he was the Central Regional Director for the U.S. Department of Energy, where he spent 15 years administering programs to accelerate the use of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. He is a national expert on sustainable community development and on public policy related to clean energy and global climate change.

Brandon Welch – Colorado Carbon Fund Managing Director

Brandon is originally from a small town in Massachusetts. As he grew older he discovered that the Boston suburb lifestyle was not aligned with his interests and goals. This prompted him to study hundreds of miles north at the University of Vermont. Here, a seed was planted and given time to grow. In Vermont, he fostered a passion for the sacred planet we live on, leading him to graduate with a degree in Environmental Science. Now, he is hoping to learn more about using economic tools to drive people’s decisions in a regenerative manner that benefits people, the planet, and profits. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, photography, riding his bike, backpacking, catching up with friends, and reading.

Hunter Lovins

Board President

President and Founder, Natural Capitalism Solutions

Longmont, CO

Robert Noiles

Board Treasurer

Chief Financial Officer, Natural Capitalism Solutions

Longmont, CO

Janine Benyus

Board Member

Founder, Biomimicry Institute

Missoula, MT

David Orr

Board Member

Paul Sears Distinguished Professor, Oberlin College

Oberlin, OH

Norm Clasen

Board Member

Principal, Norm Clasen Photography

Basalt, CO

Craig Lewis

Board Member

Founder, The Clean Coalition

Palo Alto, CA

One of the things that distinguishes Natural Capitalism Solutions from other sustainability organizations is our vast associate network. Whatever the topic Natural Capitalism Solutions is just a phone call away from the best minds in the field. NCS is proud to collaborate with the following individuals and organizations.

Bernard Amadei (Engineers Without Borders)

Janine Benyus (Bimimicry 3.8)

Bob Dunham (Generative Leadership Program)

Richard Fedrizzi (International Well Being Institute)

Eban Goodstein (Bard College MBA in Sustainability)

Catherine Greener (Xanterra Travel Collection)

Gwendolyn Hallsmith (Montpelier, VT)

Marvin & Burt Klein (PortionPac)

Michael Pirson (Fordham University)

Andrew Smith (Entrepreneur)

Kevin Wilhelm (Sustainable Business Consulting)

Andrew Winston (Winston Eco-Strategies)

Partnerships

NCS is a member of a number of local and national groups focused on sustainability. Beyond our partnerships, we also donate time and resources to like-minded organizations.

Change Finance will meet the growing investor demand for publicly available, impact investment products that investors can buy directly from a stock exchange. We will make it easy and affordable for all people to invest with their values, by creating a family of exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Whether you are a financial adviser looking to meet the needs of clients, or a foundation looking to fulfill your commitment to divesting from fossil fuels, Change Finance will build the investment products you need and have been asking for.

The Alliance for Sustainable Colorado is a hub for sustainability, bringing together community and leadership to drive a new paradigm — one based on quality of life now and for the future.   We turn the short-term, short-sighted, business-as-usual approach to sustainable thinking in promoting a Colorado that values environmental, economic and social well being equally. The Alliance provides the connective links among organizations working on policies and practices of sustainability — making the collective efforts of nonprofit, business, government and education more effective in overcoming roadblocks to progress.

Carbonfund.org is leading the fight against global warming, making it easy and affordable for any individual, business or organization to reduce & offset their climate impact and hasten the transition to a clean energy future. Carbonfund.org achieves its goals through climate change education, carbon offsets and reductions, and public outreach.

10 for Change has engaged Boulder businesses in a friendly challenge to save money by integrating sustainability practices in their operations. Efforts to save energy and water, reduce waste, and travel wisely all contribute to Boulder’s community sustainability goals. We set a 10% target for the average business; some have achieved over 80% in some areas, so take the challenge and see how far you can go!

Envirolution™ is dedicated to developing and scaling dynamic K-12 education, job training, leadership academy, and community outreach programs centered around green industries and green energy. We aim to drive the growth of the green economy, thus increasing the number of jobs available in green industries. Our community-based green economy solutions prepare the future and current workforce for green jobs while simultaneously increasing the public demand for green products and services. Our initiatives empower all stakeholders involved to achieve triple bottom-line results that benefit local economies, local populations and local environments.

Unreasonable Impact, launched with Barclays Bank is the world’s first international network of accelerators focused on scaling entrepreneurial solutions that will help employ thousands worldwide while solving some of our most pressing societal challenges.

B-Lab Colorado is a regional office of B Lab, an international non-profit organization. B Lab Colorado’s mission is to serve and build the Colorado business community in creating a better way to do business and in making the State of Colorado the leader in responsible business practice.

Natural Capitalism Solutions has a well-established internship program. We are proud to have educated so many gifted individuals and look forward to working with them all as peers for years to come.

Read about our current interns below. If you are interested in learning about how you can join our intern program, click here.