Our Team
Keith DeMello
Senior Vice President, Communications & External Affairs
It’s a privilege to work for a truly mission-driven organization that invests its resources, knowledge and people in making Hawaii a more self-sufficient, resilient home in which our communities can thrive. What especially drew me to Ulupono Initiative is its systems approach to sustainable progress.”
Keith oversees Ulupono’s communications and policy teams in support of the firm's mission to improve the quality of life for the people of Hawaii by working toward solutions that create more locally grown food, renewable energy, clean transportation, and better management of freshwater resources.
Born and raised on Oahu, Keith brings to the Ulupono team more than two decades of experience in public relations, communications and policy across a wide range of sectors, including corporate, government, nonprofit and information technology. His career includes more than 13 years at Anthology Marketing Group, Hawaii’s largest integrated marketing firm, most recently as vice president of public and government affairs. He also served as deputy communications director for Gov. Neil Abercrombie, collaborating with public information officers across various departments.
Keith earned his Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He is a past-president of the Hawaii chapters of the Public Relations Society of America and the American Marketing Association, as well as a current member of the Portuguese Chamber of Commerce. In 2022, he was appointed by to the State of Hawaii Workforce Development Council. He resides in Makiki, Honolulu.
Outside the Office
Keith and his fellow Maryknoll High School classmates in 1990 won 1st Prize in the annual “Brown Bags to Stardom” Hawaii high school competition in the non-audio category. Thankfully, the video tape is never to be found.