2026 Trustee At-Large Candidate
- Age – n/a
- Occupation – Development/Asset Management Consultant
- Where did you grow up – Waimea, Kauaʻi
- Schooling – University of San Diego
- Current residence – Waimea, Kauaʻi
- Website – fixoha.com
Write-in Responses
Question 1Question 2Question 3
OHA’s mission is to improve conditions for Native Hawaiians. What unique skills and/or experiences do you bring to this kuleana to help OHA fulfill its mission?
What is your understanding of the role of an OHA trustee and their kuleana within the agency and to the lāhui?
Share your manaʻo on the military’s use of crown and government lands in Hawaiʻi given the impending expiration of multiple military land leases and the fact that OHA derives an annual pro rata revenue share from the military’s use of those lands.
- Before seeking office, I safeguarded the interests of others. For 40 years I served as a fiduciary protecting land, financial, and development assets, where every decision demanded integrity, judgment, accountability, and vision. These also define an OHA trustee. I earned dual degrees: international relations concentrating in diplomacy/ negotiation; and design, concentrating in construction management/planning. As a fiduciary and owner’s representative, I protected the interests to $500 million on a U.S. consulate project on behalf of the Office of the Emir of Qatar. I have negotiated complex agreements, managed capital investments, secured regulatory approvals, mitigated risk, evaluated consultants, and led major land, infrastructure, construction, and real estate initiatives. My experience enables me to strengthen governance, exercise disciplined fiduciary oversight, evaluate complex proposals, and ensure trust resources produce measurable benefits for OHA.
- Serving as an OHA trustee is not about holding office, it is about accepting a profound kuleana. Trustees are temporary kiaʻi of a legacy shaped by our aliʻi, preserved by our kūpuna, and entrusted to us for our moʻopuna. We do not own this trust, we strengthen it before passing it forward. Like the ahupuaʻa, where resources were stewarded from ma uka to ma kai so the whole could flourish, trustees must govern with pono, mālama, and aloha. The Board’s duty is to establish sound policy, safeguard trust assets, provide strategic oversight, and ensure accountability while respecting the distinct roles of governance and administration. Absolutely every dollar entrusted to OHA should advance its mission and produce measurable results for beneficiaries through responsible stewardship. My goal is to minimize waste, maximize the impact of every resource entrusted, and ensure decisions being made reflect the best interests of the lāhui today and for generations to come.
- The impending expiration of military leases is not merely the end of a contract, but the dawn of an extraordinary opportunity. Moments like this come rarely. They invite us to remember who we are, and boldly imagine what Hawaiʻi can become when we lead with courage, wisdom, and aloha. Crown and government lands are not only assets that generate revenue, they are the living soul of our lāhui, which felt the footsteps of our ancestors, and echoed the voices of our kūpuna. Our generation will soon be able to honor them with what they deserve. OHA must ensure if military use continues, it must be earned through meaningful consultation, fair compensation, environmental stewardship, cultural protection, and benefits for Native Hawaiians. We will be deciding the future of this land along with the legacy we will leave. May we meet this moment with humility, steadfast purpose, and an unwavering commitment to the ʻāina and our people. What an exciting time.
Yes/No Questions
Question 1Question 2Question 3Question 4Question 5
Do you support mandatory federal consultation with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs on all federal actions and processes concerning Native Hawaiian affairs?
In light of major cuts to Native Hawaiian-serving programs and OHA’s finite trust resources, do you believe OHA should play a role in helping address resulting Native Hawaiian community impacts through advocacy, partnerships, or other mitigation strategies?
Should telescope/observatory development on Maunakea and Haleakalā be stopped at least until mismanagement and legal claims to summit lands have been resolved?
In its role as an asset manager, OHA currently utilizes funds to purchase land with particular cultural, historical or ecological importance for their protection and preservation as needed.
Do you believe OHA should continue investing in these legacy land acquisitions when it determines those investments meaningfully advance its fiduciary obligations and long-term benefits to Native Hawaiian communities, even alongside other pressing beneficiary needs?
Do you believe OHA should continue investing in these legacy land acquisitions when it determines those investments meaningfully advance its fiduciary obligations and long-term benefits to Native Hawaiian communities, even alongside other pressing beneficiary needs?
Should the U.S. military be prevented from live-fire training in Hawaiʻi – both on land and in the surrounding ocean? Do you believe OHA should actively challenge or seek changes to military training activities in Hawaiʻi when those activities are perceived to negatively impact Native Hawaiian trust interests, cultural resources, environmental health, or access to culturally significant lands and waters?
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