Two Native Hawaiians appointed to the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders

President Biden has announced his intent to appoint two Native Hawaiians to the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. Kamana‘opono M. Crabbe and Krystal Ka‘ai were selected as commissioners of the advisory commission.

Dr. Kamana‘opono M. Crabbe serves as a seasoned spokesperson and representative for the Native Hawaiian community on Native Hawaiian rights, social inequities, community health and resilience, and current social, cultural, educational, economic, and political issues affecting Native Hawaiians, Hawai‘i, and the Pacific. He sits on several high-level policy and governing boards, including the Hawai‘i Executive Collaborative Leadership Committee and the Asian American Foundation Advisory Council.

In 2010, he joined the Office of Hawaiian Affairs as its Research Director, and was appointed as Chief Executive Officer in March 2012. As OHA’s Ka Pouhana, he grounded the organization in Kūkulu Hou – his vision to reestablish and rebuild the mana of kānaka maoli, Native Hawaiians. He later served as the Ka Pouhana-CEO for the Kohala Institute at ‘Iole, where he led the organization on a new vision to “be a world leader in sustainable thinking through a model 21st century ahupua‘a, where land is chief, and man is steward.”

Currently, Crabbe serves as the Executive Counselor for the Asian Pacific Islander Health Forum, a national health policy advocacy organization based out of Washington, D.C. and San Francisco, Calif. He also serves as a Senior Executive for the Hawai‘i Executive Collaborative and is the Project Lead-Executive for the Rediscovering Hawai‘i’s Soul initiative.

Crabbe has received numerous cultural distinctions and formal awards recognizing his executive leadership and accomplishments. He serves his community as a ho‘oponopono practitioner, skilled chanter and orator, and ‘aha ‘awa ceremony and protocol expert. In 2006, he established the non-profit organization, ‘Aha Kāne: Foundation for the Advancement of Native Hawaiian Males. He earned his doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and served countless families, youth, and communities as a licensed clinical psychologist for over 12 years.

Krystal Ka‘ai is described as a dedicated public servant with over 14 years of experience working to advance equity for underserved communities. In 2021, she was appointed by President Biden as the first Native Hawaiian in history to serve as the Executive Director of the White House Initiative and the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.

In this role, she oversees the Biden-Harris Administration’s whole-of-government strategy to advance equity, justice, and opportunity for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) communities, including coordinating interagency policy development and external outreach to local, state, and federal stakeholders across the country.

Prior to joining the administration, she served as the executive director of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, a bicameral caucus comprised of over 80 members of Congress who advocate for the needs and concerns of AA and NHPI communities at the federal level. Her public service career also includes prior roles with the US Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, the State of Hawai‘i Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and the National Japanese American Memorial Foundation.

Kūhiō Lewis, CEO of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, released a statement on the appointments saying:

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“Mahalo to President Biden for his thoughtful appointment of Kamana‘opono M. Crabbe and Krystal Ka‘ai to the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. Their appointments are more than just recognition of their individual achievements but also a meaningful acknowledgment of our Native Hawaiian community’s ongoing struggle for recognition on the federal level. This is a step toward addressing a history of injustice that has continued to impact our people for generations.

“Kamana‘opono and Krystal are deeply rooted in the values of our culture and have long been champions of our community. Their voices on this commission will ensure that the needs and concerns of the lāhui are heard in the White House and throughout Washington, D.C. They will be a strong presence, advocating for our people’s right to be seen, heard, and respected. We are confident that they will represent us with the integrity and passion that our community deserves, bringing forward the issues that matter most to our ʻohana and for the future of our lāhui.

“We are grateful to President Biden for this opportunity and we stand behind Kamana‘opono and Krystal as they bring our stories, our struggles, and our hopes to the forefront of national conversations.”