Project Leader: Michael Pearce
Michael most recently was a Summer Associate with Pacific Community Ventures, a hybrid non-profit and private equity fund ($65 million under management) focused on providing resources and capital to small businesses in undererved communities in California. Prior to attending Haas, Michael was an Associate Director in the Alternative Capital Group at UBS Investment Bank, acting as placement agent for companies seeking private equity/venture capital. At UBS, Michael worked on transactions raising over $1.5 billion for clients in the telecom, technology, biotech, medical device and business services sectors. Michael is the VP, Development for the Global Social Venture Competition; a Good Capital Fellow, performing sector due diligence for an investment firm focused on social and financial return on investment; and a member of the SEIB, a student-led initiative to expand social entrepreneurship programming at UC Berkeley. Michael earned his undergraduate degree from Georgetown University, with a concentration in Finance.
Other Team Member(s) Info:
Jason Kibbey, MBA 2008
Jason Kibbey came to Haas after running Defense of Place, a non-profit land conservation organization that works to assure parks, open space, and wildlife refuges stay protected in perpetuity. Additionally, in the environmental world Jason worked for Union of Concerned Scientists on successful passage of new vehicle emissions standards and at the Resource Renewal Institute promoting comprehensive environmental planning in the United States. Jason returned to environmental work after working as an Associate Consultant at Bain & Company, where he worked on turnaround and product strategies for high-tech companies. Additionally, he has started his own computer consulting company, worked abroad for a Spanish technology firm, and managed cooperative housing in Berkeley. Jason graduated with Highest Honors from UC Berkeley with degrees in Environmental Economics and Policy (B.S.) and Religious Studies.
Matt Evans, MBA 2008
Matt Evans is a 1st year student at the Haas School of Business focusing on nonprofit management, marketing, and entrepreneurship. Matt has worked with Ashoka, providing nonprofit entrepreneurs with the support and tools they need to grow their organizations. He has also worked with the Nonprofit Enterprise and Self Sustainability Team (NESsT) assisting businesses run by nonprofit organizations to increase social impact and financial returns. Matt founded a service-learning program in Peru for Where There Be Dragons. After graduating from Stanford in 2001, Matt conducted research linking food security to El Nino events as a Research Fellow at the Stanford Center for Environmental Science and Policy. Matt enjoys backcountry skiing, photography, and golden retrievers.
Luke Dunnington, MBA 2008
Luke is a first year MBA at Haas focused on Alternative Energy and Global Business. As a former consultant with an international development firm and having served as a Peace Corps volunteer, he brings a solid understanding of the challenges, common pitfalls, and opportunities of working with rural agricultural communities. His technical expertise is in coffee production, processing, and marketing with cooperatives, which has allowed him to broker relationships between MFI’s and producers. For the last year and half he was on a long-term position with a USAID-financed natural resource management project in Honduras, which worked on micro-hydro, carbon sequestration brokering, and mini-methane capture with stakeholders. He is currently engaged with micro finance industry leaders and faculty at Haas through the Micro Finance Seminar. He is a fluent Spanish speaker having lived in Central America for 4 years.
