OHA Board Moves to Re-Organize Leadership

OHA Board of Trustees meeting, Maui 5/15/14. File photo by Wendy Osher.

At-Large Trustee Leinaʻala Ahu Isa, Ph.D., became the acting chair of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs today after trustees voted to re-organize board leadership.

Trustee Ahu Isa was named acting OHA chair after a majority of trustees approved a motion to remove At-Large Trustee Rowena Akana as the OHA chair during a special board meeting, OHA announced.

“My main goal is to bring stability to the OHA Board and our agency,” said Trustee Ahu Isa. “OHA’s greatest asset is our employees, and we need to provide a healthy work environment for them so they can continue to meet the needs of our beneficiaries.”

OHA Bylaws specify that the vice chair shall succeed as chair upon the removal or vacancy of the chair. Trustee Ahu Isa was the vice chair.

The five trustees who voted to remove Akana were: Ahu Isa, Kauaʻi Trustee Dan Ahuna, At-Large Trustee Peter Apo, Hawaiʻi Island Trustee Robert K. Lindsey, Jr., and Molokaʻi Trustee Colette Y. Machado. Trustee Akana voted against the motion, and At-Large Trustee Keliʻi Akina, Ph.D., Maui Trustee Carmen “Hulu” Lindsey and At-Large Trustee John D. Waiheʻe IV voted to abstain.

Ahu Isa will serve as the acting chair until the next board meeting when trustees will elect a new chair. The agenda for the next OHA board meeting has yet to be filed.