Meet the Funga Team: Kimiko LaHaela

Get to know the Funga crew with this newest installment of our "Meet the Team" series. Come back monthly to meet more team members, hear about their journey to Funga, and understand their vital role in our community.

Kimiko snowshoeing around a lake.

We’re big fans of the “Today I get to….” mentality. So, what do you get to do every day at Funga?

Since February 2025, I have had the privilege of leading Funga’s Forest Carbon Program. Basically, I make sure the incredible work our team and partners do in the forest translates into real, measurable climate impact.

On any given day, I’m connecting the dots between fungi, forest science, forestry, and the big picture of global carbon standards. I lead collaborative projects that restore ecosystems, store carbon, and meet the highest standards of science and carbon accounting. I spend a lot of time thinking about how Funga can link arms with other forest carbon project developers to elevate the entire field—building trust, sharing insights, and scaling climate impact that benefits both people and the planet.

When I’m not buried in a methodology or building out our carbon projects and program, you’ll probably find me frolicking around the forests of the Pacific Northwest with my family foraging for and photographing mushrooms.

Kimiko on a backpacking trip in the Cascade Mountains.

If you had to explain what Funga does to a third grader, what would you say?

You know how your tummy has good bacteria that help you digest food and stay healthy? Forests have something like that too—but instead of living in your gut, these helpers live underground and are called fungi!

At Funga, we help forests get their “gut health” back. Sometimes, forests lose touch with the beneficial fungi that usually live in their soils. When we plant baby trees, we give back to them the special fungal friends that live on their roots. These fungi help trees find food, grow bigger and stronger, and also store more carbon—kind of like how your gut bacteria help you grow and stay healthy.

So really, Funga is giving the forest a probiotic—like kimchi, but for the forest!—helping it stay happy, healthy, and strong for the planet.

Tell us a little bit about your life. How did it lead you to Funga?

My journey into climate action started both in the rain-soaked forests of the Pacific Northwest and the lush tropical landscapes of Hawaiʻi, where I grew up surrounded by moss, mist, and ocean breezes—places so full of natural beauty and wonder that they inspired my early desire to protect our planet. I’ve always been fascinated by the intricate web of life that connects everything—and how much humanity depends on these natural systems.

That passion ultimately led me to pursue a Master’s degree in forest ecology where I studied forested ecosystems across North America, Europe, South Asia, and the Islands of Hawaiʻi before eventually returning home to the Cascade Mountains of Washington State. Over the years, I’ve focused on translating science into real-world conservation impact. Working across both the public and private sectors showed me how much potential the private sector has to scale Natural Climate Solutions—and how urgently we need it.

That realization eventually brought me to Funga. After years developing forest carbon projects with other climate tech startups, I was ready for a challenge that combined my expertise with my lifelong fascination with and passion for fungi. Forest microbiome restoration was the perfect fit—and truly, a match made in fungal heaven!

Kimiko and her daughter camping on Vancouver Island.

What is your favorite part of the job?

What I love most is working where ecology, forestry, and carbon markets meet. My role is about transforming the invisible—specifically, the vital power of mycorrhizal fungal networks—into a tangible asset the world can recognize and invest in. What makes this truly rewarding is doing it alongside Funga's brilliant, mission-driven team. It’s exhilarating to connect the dots between subtle biological processes and large-scale climate finance, knowing that every day, we are collaboratively using sophisticated tools and high-integrity standards to unlock measurable investment in the health and future of our forests.

What is one workflow/productivity tool or trick that you can’t live without?

My biggest productivity trick is intentional mental clarity. For me, real focus starts before I open my laptop. Rituals like a quiet moment in my cozy armchair with my morning mushroom coffee or forest walks with my dog help me think through complex problems offline. I calendar everything—even my non-negotiable breaks like a lunchtime hot yoga or meditation sesh—to protect space for deep thinking. Paired with tech tools like Asana for execution of my actual work, these habits help keep my work both efficient and intentional.

Kimiko hugging her favorite tree—the endemic to Hawaiʻi ʻŌhiʻa lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha)—in Kīlauea Iki crater on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi.

What trivia round would you know every answer to?

Every lyric to every song on every album that Lady Gaga has ever released. Paws up, little monsters!

Can you share a favorite memory of/with the Funga team?

The bat boat! During a company-wide offsite in Austin, we took an open-deck boat ride to watch the bat colony under the Congress Avenue Bridge take off at dusk. Concurrently, a massive lightning storm lit up the skyline beyond the skyscrapers—it was pure magic. Between the laughter, conversation, and Keep Austin Weird vibes, it was an unforgettable night with the team.