Aloha Fertilizer
Helping Hawaii Grow
ABOUT US
WHO WE ARE
Simonpietri Enterprises LLC is a Hawai’i-based, woman and veteran-owned small business focused on developing and building innovative technologies to develop renewable fuels, fertilizer and recycled building material through sustainable solutions, while addressing waste management challenges.
Our approach as a company is to focus on the future, aligning innovations in technology across supply chains, building systems that solve big problems, contributing to better business results — and a better world.
Processing invasive guinea grass cleared after the 2023 Lahaina Wildfires
Harvesting Pak Choy from our first crop trials held at the Urban Garden Center
ABOUT ALOHA FERTILIZER
Aloha Fertilizer is a new brand of fertilizers and soil amendments being developed in Hawai’i – for Hawai’i – from 100% locally generated wastes. What started as a project to create fuel and power from construction & demolition debris, expanded to include recycling some of Hawai’i’s more challenging waste streams with little or no reuse options like invasive plants and pest-infested green waste, poultry manure and other solid wastes.
During early outreach and engagement efforts with the community to present on our proposed Aloha Carbon project and innovative gasification process, we were asked if the technology could be applied towards invasive plant biomass. After running a gasification trial on real-world mixed tropical green waste, we not only confirmed it could be used as a supplemental feedstock to produce energy and fuel, but found we were also producing a quality biochar as a byproduct of the process.
Soon after, we realized we could combine the biochar with other locally available waste streams to create our own low emission organic and potash fertilizers to reduce dependence on fossil-fuel derived imports and support a growing need for a local supply of soil amendments. From there, the idea grew!
COMPANY MISSION & IDENTITY
What we Do
Our Mission
Striving for sustainability and circularity with care and passion in all we do. We believe in doing something better with waste than simply burying it.
Waste Diversion
Similar to recycling in that materials are reused to make new products, but focuses on diverting wastes that are bound for the landfill and are not currently recyclable.
Gasification
Is a low-oxygen, non-combustive thermal process that takes place in an enclosed vessel to convert waste into energy. Unlike incineration, this enclosed process allows for higher emission controls to reduce green house gas (GHG) emissions.
Invasive Species Destruction
The gasification process guarantees complete destruction of invasive and pest infested biomass waste, to help prevent further proliferation of either in Hawai’i’s delicate and diverse ecosystem.
Reduce Dependence on fossil imports
Hawai’i currently relies heavily on fossil imports like oil used to generate electricity and synthetic fertilizers which are primarily derived from fossil fuels. Utilizing locally available waste, we are able to produce fertilizer – and our own power to run our production facility – to work towards reducing our dependence on fossil fuels.
Meet Our Team
Joelle Simonpietri
Owner/President
Joelle Simonpietri is the Owner and President of Simonpietri Enterprises LLC and the founder, inventor, and developer of Aloha Fertilizer and other Hawai’i-focused innovation companies to divert waste from landfills and recycle it into renewable fuel, hydrogen, fertilizer, and building materials. Her gasification and refining process for converting C&D waste into renewable fuel received a U.S. patent, with four additional U.S. and international patents pending. Before launching Aloha Fertilizer in 2024, she spent over a decade in renewable fuels and waste-to-energy leadership, including as Program Manager for Energy & Contingency Basing at U.S. Pacific Command and as a founding member of Waste Management, Inc.’s $250 million corporate venture capital fund. She currently serves as Chair of the Board of the Hawai’i Bioeconomy Trade Organization and an industry representative to the Hawai’i Clean Energy Sector Partnership and the Hawai’i State Renewable Fuels Working Group. Joelle holds an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College and a B.S. in Biology/Neuroscience from Duke University. In her free time she can be found hanging out with her kids and going for long swims and paddles in the bays around O’ahu.
Aaron Ellis
Director of Finance
Aaron brings financial management, planning, modeling, and accounting with fifteen years of experience in the sustainable agriculture and renewable energy sector. He has served as the Chief Financial Officer of the Kalona Brand cacao farm, Director of Lending at Feed the Hunger Fund, due diligence consultant for Kamehameha Schools, Director of Business Development at landscaping and agriculture firm Pono Pacific; and Financial Analyst at impact investment fund Ulupono Initiative.
Jody Allione
Director of Project Development
Jody has over 30 years of experience developing first-of-kind and commercial energy projects using solar, biomass, waste, and fossil fuel resources in Hawai’i and the continental U.S. for AES Solar, Innergex, NextEra Energy Resources, UPC Solar, Recurrent Energy, Ulupono, and others. She was an Executive Committee member of the Hawai’i Renewable Energy Alliance (HREA) for 10 years, where she helped develop the Feed-In and Community Based Renewable Energy tariffs.
Michael Turina
Senior Engineer
Mike is a licensed professional engineer in Hawai’i with over 40 years’ experience designing and executing capital projects in the energy industry for the Par Pacific, Tesoro, and BHP companies. He was the lead project engineer at Par Hawai’i Refinery for many major new units and upgrades since the 1990’s. Mike was the supervising engineer for the construction of the Distillate Hydrotreating (DHT) unit at Par Hawai’i Refinery, as well as the subsequent conversion of that unit to process fats, oils, and greases into Sustainable Aviation Fuel. In his free time, Mike can be found playing bass guitar.
Naomi Kukac
Communications/Community Engagement & Project Manager
Naomi serves as the lead for community engagement, outreach and education for Simonpietri Enterprises. She graduated from the University of Hawai’i at West Oahu where she obtained a BBA with a focus in management and interned with the company to support the Aloha Carbon project prior to graduation. Naomi brings with her over 20 years of work and management experience in the healthcare and service industries and also has a diverse background in patisserie. She enjoys spending her time on various crafts and reading.
Zachary Wadas
Lead Mechanical Engineer
Zachary is the lead for waste feedstock sampling, processing and characterization to aid in the design and development of the Aloha Sustainable Materials Recycling and Fertilizer Facility as well as the Aloha Carbon gasification plant. He has been the research project manager for two of the company’s gasification trials on real world construction & demolition waste. Zak is the company’s longest-serving employee, starting as an intern to support Aloha Carbon development in August of 2020. He graduated from University of Hawai’i at Manoa with a BS in Mechanical Engineering. In his free time Zak can be found refurbishing used cars.
Jennifer Chinen
Environmental Engineer & LEED Green Associate
Jennifer graduated from the University of Hawai’i at Manoa with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. Upon earning her degree in December 2022, she was hired as an Environmental Engineering Technician through Simonpietri’s internship and workforce development program. In this role, she prepares environmental assessments and leads a variety of environmental permitting and planning efforts for the company. In 2024, she earned her LEED Green Associate credential and looks forward to incorporating sustainable design practices into the development of all the company’s future projects.
Samantha Seligman
Biofuels Engineering Technician
Samantha graduated from UCLA with a BS in Biology and minor in Music History. She brings with her a diverse background from working Phase III cardiovascular research trials in Beverly Hills to being a cacao sommelier for Manoa Chocolate. She’s had an interest in sustainability since a young age, soldering solar cells together to create a homemade solar panel to power a flat iron. In her free time, she can be found selling artisanal bread at farmer’s markets, SCUBA diving, or riding her motorcycle.
Jonah Docterlero
Mechanical Engineer & Safety Lead
Jonah serves as safety lead for the company and helps to support project engineering for the Aloha SMRFF and Aloha Carbon projects. He graduated from the University of Portland with a BS in Mechanical Engineering. Jonah is also a licensed private pilot and helped his senior capstone team design, build, and flight-test a 15-foot-wingspan remote-controlled aircraft for the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Aero Design West Competition. Outside of work, Jonah enjoys traveling, attending music concerts and events, going to the beach, and working out.
Michael Wadas
Logistics Technician
Michael serves as the lead for equipment, landscaping, and logistics operations for Simonpietri Enterprises to support the site clearing for the Aloha Sustainable Materials Recycling and Fertilizer Facility and Aloha Carbon projects. He graduated from the University of Hawai’i at Manoa with a Master’s Degree in Marine Biology, and also holds a commercial vessel Mate’s license. In his free time Mike can be found captaining a sailing vessel ported in Waikiki.
Advisors
Matthew Schirman
President – Hui Ku Maoli Ola
Joshua Silva
Agricultural Extension Agent, University of Hawai’i – CTAHR
Mahalo to Our Partners
Aloha Fertilizer 2026