Mike den Haan

A planner and fundraiser, Mike den Haan has been managing nonprofits in the health and education sectors for more than 25 years. When friend and fellow Board member, Charles Holmes mentioned that EPI’s board was seeking members with his unique skills in Integrated Communications and Capacity Building, Mike saw an opportunity to align his values with an organization on a broader scale.

He finds it hard to hide from the fact that human-caused, ecological damage and the decline of biodiversity have had a catastrophic impact on the earth and all of life. The typical approach to nature, which is increasingly market-driven and commodifies animals, plants, fossils, and minerals, is a symptom of a more profound problem: that humans, especially North American humans, have dissociated themselves from nature and lost the value of living in harmony with all living things. He sees that EPI is working to renew the idea that direct involvement with our natural environment at a young age and in partnership with elders and knowledge keepers will help restore the balance of relationships between humans and nature. To Mike, this pursuit is critical.