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OHA installs five trustees to four-year terms

MEDIA RELEASE

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs officially added one new face to its Board of Trustees and applauded the re-election of four incumbents Tuesday amid the splendor of an investiture ceremony attended by an estimated 500 guests.

Newly-elected Trustee Dan Ahuna, who represents Kauai on the nine-member policy-making board, took his oath of office for a four-year term along with Chairperson Colette Machado, who ran unopposed in the November general election for her seat to represent Molokai; at-large Trustee Haunani Apolonia, who was re-elected to a seat she has held since 1996; Robert Lindsey Jr., who won re-election to continue representing Hawaii Island; and Carmen Hulu Lindsey, who was elected to continue representing Maui.

Their swearing-in ceremony inside a conference room at OHA was presided over by Associate Judge Lisa Ginoza. The ceremony was followed by an investiture event at Central Union Church, where the long guest list included Gov. Neil Abercrombie and keynote speaker C. Nainoa Thompson, president of the Polynesian Voyaging Society.

In congratulating the five trustees who are beginning new four-year terms, OHA Chief Executive Officer Kamanao Crabbe highlighted their respective expertise in such areas as land use, education and social work.

“I look forward to continue developing an effective working relationship with the OHA Board of Trustees,” Crabbe said. “The knowledge and experiences of the trustees who are beginning new terms will be helpful to OHA’s efforts to contribute to the state’s vision for Kakaako as well as overall policy-making decisions that empower Hawaiians and strengthen Hawaii.”

OHA Trustees

Colette Y. Machado

OHA trustee since 1996. She represents Molokai and Lanai; she has also been chairperson since December 2010. In addition, she has been a Kahoolawe Island Reserve Commissioner; Hawaii State Land Use Commissioner and a Department of Hawaiian Homelands Commissioner.

Also, she is a founding member of the Hawaii Alliance for Community Based Economic Development.

Haunani Apoliona

OHA trustee at-large since 1996. She served as chairperson for a decade between December 2000 and December 2010.

Before becoming an OHA trustee, she was president and CEO of Alu Like. She is also a member of the Queen Liliuokalani Children’s Center Advisory Council as well as the board of directors for the Bank of Hawaii.

In addition, she is an award-winning recording artist.

Robert K. Lindsey Jr.

OHA trustee since 2007. He represents Hawaii Island. Retired from Kamehameha Schools, where he was the director of the Land Assets Division on Hawaii Island. He also worked for the National Park Service as a park ranger.

In addition, he is a member of various boards, including Habitat for Humanity West Hawaii; West Hawaii Mediation Center; and Kanu o Ka Aina Learning Ohana.

Carmen Hulu Lindsey

Appointed January 2012 by Gov. Neil Abercrombie to fill post vacated by retired Judge Boyd Mossman and elected in November 2012. She represents Maui.

For the past 20 years, she has owned Lindsey Realty as well as Kahulu Productions, a Hawaiian entertainment business. She is a recording artist as well as a former Administrator of the County of Maui’s Land Use and Codes Division. In addition, she is a former Properties Administrator of Maui Land & Pineapple.

She is also an 18-year member of the Ahahui Kaahumanu and an active member of the Central Maui Hawaiian Civic Club.

Dan Ahuna

Elected as an OHA trustee in November 2012. He represents Kauai and Niihau. He has been a teacher at Kauai High School. He is actively involved in youth sports as a coach. He is also actively involved in other community organizations.

He played football for the University of Hawaii from 1989 to 1991.

In addition, among his favorite outlets is spending time with his four sons and wife, Kanoe.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) is a unique, independent state agency established through the Hawaii State Constitution and statutes to advocate for the betterment of conditions of all Native Hawaiians, with a Board of Trustees elected by the voters of Hawaii.

OHA is guided by a vision and mission to ensure the perpetuation of the culture, to protect the entitlements of Native Hawaiians, and to build a strong and healthy Hawaiian people and nation.

— Find out more:
www.oha.org

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