Team

Feed The Hunger Fund feeds your capacity to accomplish what matters most to you. Our team works hand-in-hand with entrepreneurs and funders in Hawaii and California, to create a world where access to loans and opportunity catalyze positive changes in food equity, security and sustainability.

CAREERS:

Feed The Hunger Fund endeavors to make our website and job application process accessible to any and all users. If you require assistance at any stage of the job application process due to an accessibility issue or with matters related to Section 504 compliance, please contact us at info@feed-hunger.com or call Mike Canale, by phone at (773) 480-9226. Information can be provided in an alternative format or language upon request.

Meet our Board of Directors

Mark Murakami

Board Chair

Mark's Bio

Mark Murakami

Mark is a partner in Carlsmith Ball LLP’s Honolulu office and is a member of the Real Estate, Land Use & Hospitality Practice Group. He also serves as a board member of the Better Business Bureau Foundation of Hawai‘i, and is a member of the Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section of the American Bar Association.

Maria Soledad Teh

Vice Chair

Maria's Bio

Maria Soledad Teh

Maria is Vice President and Senior Relationship Manager for Wells Fargo’s Inland Empire Regional Commercial Banking Office in Ontario, CA. Sol managed a credit underwriting team for the Community Banking Real Estate Group of Wells Fargo. She is also Co-Chair of the Women on the Move network.

Eunice Azzani

Board Member

Eunice's Bio

Eunice Azzani

Eunice is the Founder and Partner of Azzani Search Consultants. She serves on the boards of City College Foundation, SFWorks, and YMCA of San Francisco. She received the “Women Who Make a Difference Award” from the San Francisco Commission on the Status of Women.

Philip Bacchus

Board Member

Philip's Bio

Philip Bacchus

Phil is the Chief Financial Officer of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Topeka, a privately owned federally chartered wholesale bank that promotes housing and homeownership." Phil has a Bachelor of Science in Finance and International Business from New York University’s Stern School of Business, an MBA from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business and a Global Executive Masters from ESADE Business School in Barcelona, Spain. He enjoys SCUBA diving, hiking, sailing, skiing, basketball, and island life.

Avary Maunakea

Board Member

Avary's Bio

Avary Maunakea

Avary proudly serves as the Executive Director of Kahumana (Alternative Structures
International), a non-profit organization deeply rooted in Waianae, Hawaii. As a Native Hawaiian she brings a profound cultural perspective to her leadership role.
Her vision centers on integrating culturally based services that emphasize compassion and draw upon lived experiences. Her approach is to honor her kūpunaʻs (eldersʻ) values while addressing contemporary community needs.

Leticia Corona

Board Member

Leticia's Bio

Leticia Corona

Leticia Corona is driven by pride in her family and Mexican culture alongside her embrace of innovation and sustainability. In her current position, as the Central California Regional Lead Advisor for the Office of the Small Business Advocate within the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, Leticia leads strategy development for the state of California’s small business ecosystem. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley and her master’s degree in International Relations from the University of San Diego.

Brett Melone

Board Member

Brett's Bio

Brett Melone

Brett is Director of Lending with California FarmLink, making loans to farmers across California. His passion for a more sustainable food ecosystem comes alive in his role teaching sustainable agriculture at the Monterey Institute. He served as Executive Director of Friends of MarViva Foundation and Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALABA).

Vivian Pham

Treasurer

Vivian's Bio

Vivian Pham

Vivian is a Community Health Benefits Manager focused on economic opportunities for Kaiser Permanente in Hawaii. Previously, Vivian was the Small Business and Finance Program Manager at the City and County of Honolulu’s Office of Economic Revitalization where she managed small business relief
& recovery funds and a Small Business Resource Network that was developed out of the COVID-19 pandemic federal funding. Vivian has over 13 years of banking background in a variety of roles with the
majority of experience in Government & Community Relations for community development efforts. She helped launch CIELO: Communities for Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Leadership and Opportunities located in Orange County, CA. She is Treasurer and Loan Committee Chair for Feed the Hunger Fund, a Community Development Financial Institution that provides microloans to small businesses in
sustainable agriculture and food industries located in Hawaii and California. Vivian received her BA and MA in Political Science at California State University, Fullerton and University of California, Riverside, respectively. She also attained her Project Management Professional certification established by the Project Management Institute.

Puanani Burgess

In Memoriam

Puanani's Bio

Puanani Burgess

Puanani was named one of Hawaii’s Living Treasures in 2009. She was noted for family and values-based economic development, mediation and storytelling processes as part of conflict transformation. She was a lead facilitator and trainer for The Center for Pacific American Women’s Leadership since 1997.

Meet our Staff

We are a small but mighty team who are ready to roll up our sleeves and jump into the kitchen or get down in the dirt with you! Meet our California and Hawaii teams.

Chief Excutive Officer

Patti Chang

Chief Executive Officer

Patti's Bio

Patti Chang

Patti has worked on behalf of disenfranchised communities her entire career. Patti is the founder and CEO of Feed The Hunger Fund which in California and Hawaii, provides small-scale entrepreneurs locked outside of the financial mainstream, with the tools and access to capital that allow them to participate fully in their community’s food economy.

As the former President and CEO of the Women’s Foundation of California, Patti Chang was responsible for the Foundation’s vision and for setting the tenor and momentum of furthering women’s philanthropy within the state, nationally and internationally. Patti helped launch the Women’s Policy Institute, S.F.’s adoption of the Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and La Cocina (San Francisco’s leading community kitchen).

Patti has served as the President of the San Francisco Commission on the Status of Women, chairing task forces on Adult Sexual Assault, Sexual Harassment and CEDAW.
She served as a Commissioner on SF’s Commission on the Environment and was appointed by Congresswoman Pelosi to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom. Patti has served on dozens of boards of directors.

Patti is a graduate of Stanford University where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts and Doctor of Jurisprudence. Her strong roots lie both in Hawaii where she was born and
raised, and in California which has been her home for the last 40 years.

Hawaii Team

Aaron Ellis

Director of Programs and Lending
Oahu, Hawaii

Aaron's Bio

Aaron Ellis

Aaron’s experience spans impact investing and business development in agriculture, aquaculture, marine sciences, and conversation and restoration. He brings his unique knowledge of finance, people, and the land to his work on the ground in Hawaii.

aaronellis@feed-hunger.com

Eric Bowman

Loan Officer
Hawaii Island, Hawaii

Eric's Bio

Eric Bowman

Eric brings a diverse background in rural economic development to support small businesses on the neighbor islands. He is passionate about coaching owner-operators on financing, leadership, and growth.

ericbowman@feed-hunger.com

Lama Chang

Business Development Specialist/ Lending Officer
Oahu, Hawaii

Lama's Bio

Lama Chang

Lama, grounded in her family motto, “I Maikaʻi I Ke Kalo I Ka ʻOhā” translates to the goodness of the kalo is judged by the young plant it produces. The kaona, hidden meaning loosely translates to the parents are judged by the behavior of their children. Therefore, I strive to always make my makua (parents) and kupuna (grandparents) proud through the work I do. I am on a mission to help Hawaiiʻs small businesses' dreams into reality, one loan at a time.

lamachang@feed-hunger.com

Natalie Aczon

Business Development Specialist/ Marketing Specialist
Oahu, Hawaii

Natalie's' Bio

Natalie Aczon

Natalie Aczon, a seasoned entrepreneur within Hawaii's food industry, boasts a rich history—from owning her restaurant to contributing to the startup teams of renowned names like Starbucks Coffee, Jamba Juice, Whole Foods Market, and Town Hospitality Group. Natalie's profound ties with Hawaii industry leaders bring forth a treasure trove of knowledge and connections, promising substantial benefits for FTHF in its upcoming partnerships.

natalieaczon@feed-hunger.com

California Team

Meche Sansores

Senior Loan Officer
Bay Area, California

Meche's Bio

Meche Sansores

As loan officer, Meche assists our small business owners with business incubation, coaching, consulting and training in both English and Spanish. Meche is recognized for innovative programs empowering low-income immigrant Latinx throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.

meche@feed-hunger.com

Juan Santiago

Loan Officer
Central Valley, California

Juan's Bio

Juan Santiago

Juan is an indigenous Zapotec Dreamer in the Central Valley. He strives to ensure equitable access to loan capital for undeserved entrepreneurs by providing bilingual business development assistance and financial literacy. His experiences as a restaurant owner prior to joining Fund allow him to understand the needs of our target market borrowers. Juan enjoys visiting our food-trucks vendors to try their street-food.

santiago@feed-hunger.com

Administrative Team

Shanti Narasimham

Chief Financial Officer

Shanti's Bio

Shanti Narasimham

Shanti has been FTHF’s chief financial officer for the last 6 years. She designs, implements, and manages financial systems, reports and strategic analysis, while working hand in hand to support the board and the loan officers. She holds a CPA in the State of New York.

Mike Canale

Portfolio Manager

Mike's Bio

Mike Canale

Mike comes to FTHF with years of experience working in different capacities for CDFIs in Detroit, Michigan. Prior to that, he worked with small businesses in both Chicago and Los Angeles. Mike is passionate about helping entrepreneurs realize their dreams and works tirelessly on their behalf.

mikecanale@feed-hunger.com