Dawn Chang to retire as director of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources

Dawn Chang will retire as chairperson and director of the Department of Land and Natural Resources, effective July 1, Gov. Josh Green announced Monday.

Green appointed Ryan Kanakaʻole to serve as chairperson and director of the department. He has also tapped David Day to serve as first deputy, effective July 7.

“Dawn Chang has dedicated her career to protecting Hawaiʻi’s natural resources and serving the people of our state with integrity, compassion and unwavering commitment,” Green said. “Her leadership helped guide DLNR through some of the most challenging and consequential moments in recent history, from wildfire recovery efforts to strengthening stewardship of our lands, waters and cultural resources.”

Kanakaʻole has served as acting chairperson and director of DLNR since December 2025 and has worked closely with department leadership, stakeholders and communities across the state.

“Ryan and David are exceptional public servants who understand both the responsibility and the privilege of caring for Hawaiʻi’s natural and cultural resources,” Green said. “Both are accomplished attorneys who have served the people of Hawaiʻi through the Department of the Attorney General, bringing a deep understanding of state government, public trust responsibilities and the complex legal issues that shape the management of natural resources. Ryan brings a strong connection to culture, community and place, while David offers sound legal judgment and a track record of environmental protection in over a decade of public service. Their combined leadership will strengthen DLNR’s ability to navigate challenges, advance critical initiatives and ensure these resources are protected for future generations.”

Kanaka‘ole has served as first deputy of DLNR and has recently served as acting chairperson. Kanaka‘ole serves on the Advisory Committee for Military Leased Lands to provide guidance and advise the governor on cultural, natural and economic strategies regarding military leases. He has represented DLNR on the Mauna Kea Stewardship Oversight Authority, Board of Agriculture and Biosecurity, the Agribusiness Development Corporation Board and the Commission on Water Resource Management. 

Before joining DLNR, Kanaka‘ole served as a deputy in the Hawaiʻi Department of the Attorney General, as an attorney for the Hawai‘i Housing Finance and Development Corp. and the Mauna Kea Stewardship Oversight Authority. From 2017 to 2023, he was a deputy attorney general for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.

In the state Office of the Auditor, he led and participated in performance audits of some of the state’s largest agencies, including DLNR.

Kanakaʻole is from Waiʻōhinu in the moku of Kaʻū on Hawaiʻi Island. He is a graduate of Kamehameha Schools Kapālama, earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo and a Juris Doctor, along with a certificate in Native Hawaiian Law, from the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

“I am humbled and grateful for the trust Governor Green has placed in me,” Kanakaʻole said. “Serving the people of Hawaiʻi as Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources is an enormous responsibility, one I take very seriously. Our public trust duty to protect the cultural, historical and life-giving resources of these islands is the legacy we pass on to our children. I remain committed to leaving this place better than we found it.”

David Day has served as the special assistant to the attorney general, where he has implemented numerous special projects from the ground up and acted as the department’s chief liaison to the Legislature. He represents the state as counsel in federal cases to protect the rights of immigrants in Hawaiʻi and the state against federal funding cuts to important state programs such as Solar For All, which provides solar systems for low-income households and disadvantaged communities and the Disaster Case Management Program, which provides case management services to survivors of the 2023 Maui wildfires.

With over 10 years of experience with the state, Day served as the hearings officer in the emergency contested case regarding the November 2021 release of tens of thousands of gallons of fuel from the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility in the matter of Department of Health v. US Department of the Navy. Following a marathon 13-hour evidentiary hearing, Day’s December 2021 decision recommending the defueling of the facility was a crucial milestone toward the eventual closure of the facility. 

Day also served as a deputy solicitor general and as a deputy attorney general representing the Board of Land and Natural Resources, the Department of Land and Natural Resources, the Commission on Water Resource Management and the Land Use Commission.

A proud son of a Japanese immigrant, Day is a graduate of Dartmouth College and Emory University School of Law.

“I am deeply grateful to Governor Green for entrusting me with this position and its weighty responsibilities,” Day said. “Public lands, pure water, Hawaiʻi’s native flora and fauna, a clean and healthful environment and Native Hawaiian traditional and customary practices must be preserved and protected for the people of Hawaiʻi today and for future generations. I look forward to advancing this paramount objective.”