Maui Chapter Meeting - From Partnership to Legacy: The Evolving SR Partners Team
Jeanne Skog and Teena Rasmussen built SR Partners on decades of leadership across Maui’s business, government, and nonprofit sectors, work that has since supported dozens of institutions, mobilized hundreds through community engagement, and secured more than $2 billion in grants for organizations across Hawaiʻi and beyond. Today, the story continues as Jeanne’s daughter, Kimberly Thayer and niece, Melissa Hampe, join the firm, bringing their own experiences, insights, and sense of purpose.
Join SR Partners’ Jeanne Skog, Kim Thayer, and Melissa Unemori Hampe for a candid conversation about family, leadership, and the path that brought them into the same business. With decades of combined experience in economic development, community engagement, environmental stewardship, and national grant strategy, they have helped secure billions in funding and supported major initiatives across Hawaiʻi and the U.S. Join us to hear their family’s journey; why Kimberly and Melissa chose to join Jeanne in the business, what they’ve learned from working alongside both Jeanne and Teena, and how the three of them are shaping the work as the next chapter of SR Partners unfolds.
Learn more about our speakers:
Jeanne Skog, co-founder of SR Partners, brings more than 40 years of experience advancing Maui’s economic resilience and community well-being. The first Maui-born President and CEO of the Maui Economic Development Board, she spent three decades expanding high-tech industries, building major innovation infrastructure, and championing statewide STEM programs that now reach more than 50,000 students and teachers annually. After founding Skog Rasmussen (now SR Partners) with Teena Rasmussen in 2019, Jeanne has helped secure over $2 billion in grant funding and led community engagement efforts across Hawaiʻi. A lifelong community steward, she serves on the St. Anthony School board, supports the Ka Ipu Kukui Fellowship she helped establish, and continues to deepen her cultural roots through Japanese language studies.
Melissa Unemori Hampe leads government relations and grant services for SR Partners, where her work has helped secure more than $2 billion for clients across Hawaiʻi and the U.S.
Born and raised on Maui, she began her policy career in the offices of Congresswoman Patsy T. Mink and Senator Daniel Akaka before directing government relations for the national nonprofit MENTOR. She later joined McAllister & Quinn, launching its federal and foundation grant services and supporting organizations nationwide. Since joining SR Partners in 2019, Melissa has overseen major statewide and national initiatives—advancing funding for clean energy, environmental restoration, community development, and nonprofit capacity building. She remains active in education and community service, serving on several school and nonprofit boards, and is a proud performing arts parent to her four daughters.
Kim Thayer is a Maui-based community leader with deep experience in land-use planning, environmental stewardship, and public engagement. Before joining SR Partners in 2023, she worked with Munekiyo Hiraga and the Mauna Kahalawai Watershed Partnership, advancing projects that protect Maui’s ecosystems and strengthen local communities. At SR Partners, she helps lead statewide initiatives—engaging residents in the Hawaiʻi Digital Equity Plan and securing major federal grants, including a $20 million award for Kupu. Kim also chairs the Maui Planning Commission and remains an active volunteer in local conservation and education efforts.