Lauren Akitake named first Executive Director of County Board of Ethics

Following a unanimous vote on June 18, 2025, the County of Maui Board of Ethics appointed Lauren Akitake as its first Executive Director/Legal Counsel.

Akitake, a private practice attorney, per diem 2^nd Circuit District Court judge and University of Hawaiʻi regent, brings more than 18 years of diverse legal experience to the role.

Her selection follows a charter amendment approved by voters in November allowing the board to hire full-time staff, including a director who is a licensed attorney.

“Lauren brings a strong sense of integrity, insight and leadership to this important role,” said Mayor Richard Bissen. “Her dedication to public service and thoughtful, principled approach will strengthen community trust and guide the Board of Ethics forward with confidence.”

Board of Ethics Vice Chair Michael Lilly praised Akitake’s qualifications. “She is an outstanding lawyer with impeccable ethical standards and the best person to launch the board’s first full-time staff,” he said. “Her experience and temperament make her ideal for this demanding role.”

As executive director, Akitake will help expand the board’s capabilities, including ethics training for County employees, faster response to ethics inquiries, and enhanced investigation and enforcement efforts.

A Maui native, Akitake has practiced in state and federal courts and served nearly four years as a per diem District Court judge in Maui County. She is a past instructor in Business Law at the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College, served as a law clerk for 2^nd Circuit Judge Shackley Raffetto and interned with the office of the late US Sen. Daniel K. Inouye.

She is a 2020 Ka Ipu Kukui Fellow, 2020 Hawaiʻi State Bar Association Leadership Institute Fellow and 2016 Hawaiʻi Emerging Legal Practitioners Access to Justice Fellow. She is a board member of Women Helping Women and co-president of the American Association of University Women – Maui Branch. She was appointed in 2023 to a five-year term on the University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents.

Akitake earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of Kansas School of Law. She obtained a master’s degree in Applied Social Research from the University of Stirling, Scotland, while on a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship, and a bachelor’s degree in Public Policy Analysis/Politics from Pomona College in California.

The Board of Ethics investigates ethics complaints, advises on potential conflicts of interest, and promotes accountability among County officers and employees. For more information, visit www.mauicounty.gov/boardofethics.