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Home My WebLink AboutRD.3 - The Frew Group Suzanne Frew The Frew Group 3221 Sylvan Avenue Oakland, CA 94602 January 15, 2025 Kīhei Seto CO: chresdev@hawaiicounty.gov County of Hawaiʻi Office of Sustainability, Climate, Equity, and Resilience (OSCER) Subject: The Frew Group Response for Request for Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) Thank you for the invitation to submit a Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) for consultant to conduct participatory storytelling training to build community voice and root work in place-based knowledge. The focus of this project is to conduct a pilot train-the-trainer project to train county staff and partner Community Based Organizations (CBOs) in participatory storytelling around relationship to place and what sustainability and climate action means to the County of Hawaii community. As the principal and lead consultant for The Frew Group (TFG), a certified Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB) currently based in California (previously on Maui), We are excited to offer our talents, resources and qualifications to support this critically important initiative. We deeply appreciate and understand the importance of this project to ensure the understanding of one’s place/home and the unique role of climate in building disaster resilience in the Hawaiian Islands to ensure equitable physical and mental health and safety of all Hawaii’s community, and most particularly, those who are often most vulnerable during a time of crisis. Our team is prepared and available to work with OSCER in the timeframe indicated on the request. The TFG business model is to approach is to carefully approach each project with a team of seasoned associates who are deeply steeped in the role of indigenous practices, island culture, the role cultural competency plays in storytelling and training, as well as state and national emergency management subject matter experts that deeply understand the intersectionality of climate change and social vulnerability. For the purposes of this Qualifications Statement, one associate who is likeminded and a long-time partner has been identified. Once details of the project are more fully understood, and if appropriate, then additional team will be selected tailored to the project objective initiative. We are committed to work closely with the OSCER team to provide services and products of outstanding quality and total customer satisfaction. Name: Suzanne L. Frew, Principle/Founder, The Frew Group, 3221 Sylvan Avenue, Oakland, CA 94602, 510-289-1448 Age of Firm: 25 years Employees: Business model is built on crafting team uniquely assembled of associates based on client needs. Projects have varied regarding number of associates on a project, usually ranging from 1 – 3 highly vetted experts in the field. Descriptive literature: https://thefrewgroup.com/ Experience and Professional Qualifications: The Frew Group offers the County a proven team with an unparalleled track record of successfully developing locally focused, culturally competent trainings based on best practices in participatory engagement that honors human-focused traditions, particularly storytelling traditions and practices, to address issues of climate change, vulnerable populations and capacity building for community resilience. Our service focus is based on goals and processes that bring community healing, social and economic equity, and radical inclusivity. We have a passion for innovative engagement approaches that drive cultural inclusion, including the use of design thinking, serious games, storytelling, and interactive exchanges that “levels the playing field.” Suzanne Frew has over 30 years working with communities in the State of Hawaii on training and exercises, risk resilience capacity building initiatives, and disaster response. Mary Schoenfeldt, the TFG Associate selected for this project, specializes in engagement and a is nationally known expert on disaster trauma and community healing. Frew and Schoenfeldt, individually and collaborative, have conducted hundreds of workshops, training events and exercises throughout the U.S. and Hawaii. They have partnered multiple times to deliver University of Hawaii classes on Community Resilience and Climate Adaptation to diverse communities to indigenous community and diverse populations across the United States. Frew has worked on Federal, State and local projects in the State of Hawaiʻi for over 30 years, facilitating planning meetings and coordinating closely with stakeholders from multiple agencies and diverse community groups Education/Training/Qualifications: See attached resumes of Suzanne Frew and proposed TFG associate Mary Schoenfeldt. Recent Projects of similar scope • Climate Adaptation for Emergency Management training class (AWR-347), National Disaster Preparedness Center, University of Hawaii, 2024. Frew and Schoenfeldt partnered as co- instructors to teach the Blue Lake Rancheria, a federally recognized tribe of Wiyot, Yurok, and Hupa Indians in Northern California, and members of other tribal nations. Teaching emphasized effective storytelling and facilitating conversation about climate change, impacts to communities, and vulnerable populations, particularly focused on cultural competency, respect for first nation populations and the land. • U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Maui Small Business Recovery Grant Program, 2024. Frew co-developed and conducted two coaching and training sessions to assist 100 businesses selected for the program in their recovery from the Maui Wildfires of 2023. A Talk Story focus was a critical element to the success of this program. The training engaged participants using a variety of training methodologies (e.g., interactive sessions, case studies, reading materials, presentations, group exercises, subject matter expert guest speakers, Q&A, etc.) • FEMA National Emergency Management Advanced Academy, “Hawaii cohort”, 2024. Schoenfeldt served as the Deputy Lead Instructor. Project focus included gathering indigenous responders’ stories in order to gather data for a study on tribal responder risk and protective factors in the work they do. Project through National Tribal Emergency Management Council, NIOSH National Institute of Occupational, Safety and Health and CDC. • Post disaster Reconstruction Guidelines and Protocols for the Conservation of Coastal Resources and Protection of Coastal Communities in the County of Maui, Hawaii, County of Maui Planning Department, 2015. Frew served as Community Outreach and Engagement Lead to ensure the guidance reflected community values and built a broad community support. An integrated approach was used to create interactive community sessions, reflect culturally specific practices and priorities, communicate with local community members (especially high- risk populations), and reflect local traditions and culture (e.g., workshops offered pule, interactive community gaming, talk story sessions, exchange over food, inclusion of keiki, and honoring of kupuna). • CNMI Major Siting Certification Program Training Program, Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality (BECQ), Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Island (CNMI), 2017 Frew served as Training Program Lead for the development of a training program for residents, government officials and building professionals regarding planning guidance for major land development projects to assist project proponents in navigating multiple approvals required in the application process. The objective was to educate and engage individuals to reduce adverse impacts to the community and environment early in project development stages. Innovative training methods were used focused on serious games to “level the playing field” of power dynamics of the politically charged, small island social structure. Client Contacts: • Jim Buika, Lead Coastal Planner, Maui Department of Planning, Buikaj001@hawaii.rr.com, 808- 283-8636 (Post disaster Reconstruction Guidelines and Protocols) • Erin Derrington, Global Energy & Water Communities of Practice Coordinator, Local2030 Islands Network, erin@islands2030.org, 206-427-3640 (CNMI Major Siting Certification Program) • Jon Shear, Ready ZoneHQ, jshear@readyzonehq.com, 443-690-5604 (Maui Small Business Recovery Grant Program) I look forward to being considered for this project. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at suzanne@thefrewgroup or at 510-289-1448. Thank you again for this opportunity. Sincerely, Suzanne L. Frew President & Founder Attachment: Resumes of Suzanne Frew and Mary Schoenfeldt