Hawaiian Electric promotes Decker as director of community, government affairs on Maui

Hawaiian Electric announced the promotion of Shayna (Coleon) Decker to director of government and community affairs for Maui County.

She will be responsible for leading company efforts relating to community and government relations, consumer education and community service activities, and communications for Maui, Moloka‘i, and Lāna‘i. 

Decker joined the company as a communications specialist in 2013. Promoted to communications manager in 2016, she was responsible for external media and internal communication efforts, as well as community engagement and outreach on key projects, including renewable project development and future grid planning. She succeeds Mahina Martin, who was named Maui County chief of communications and public affairs by Mayor Richard Bissen.

“Shayna’s experience and ties within our communities are critical as she steps up during a major transition to powering our islands with renewable energy while also ensuring safe and reliable service,” said Jim Kelly, Hawaiian Electric vice president of government and community relations and corporate communications in a news release. “She comes to this job well prepared, having managed every kind of communications work along with many important community engagement activities in Maui County.”

Born and raised on Maui, Decker is a graduate of H.P. Baldwin High School in Wailuku and the University of San Francisco. She began her career as a reporter at The Honolulu Advertiser and also worked at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai‘i, Central Pacific Bank and The Queen’s Health Systems in communications and external relations.

She serves as treasurer on the board of directors for the nonprofit Maui Family YMCA in Kahului and is graduate member of the 2022 Ka Ipu Kukui Fellows, a leadership development program uniquely designed for community-identified current and future leaders of Maui Nui.

She lives with her family and husband, Silas, in Kahului.