Draft:Kalei Akaka

Kaleihikina Akaka is an American politician. In 2018, she was elected to the Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA), representing Oʻahu. She was re-elected to the seat in 2022.

Early years
Akaka grew up in Kona, Hawaii and Honolulu. She is the granddaughter of former U.S. Senator Daniel Akaka.

She attended Chaminade University of Honolulu, graduating in 2004.

Career
Before serving as an OHA Trustee, Akaka worked at Kamehameha Schools at the middle school staff administration. She had previously worked at the Hawaii State Legislature as a legislative aide and researcher, the Hawaii Agricultural Foundation, the ʻŌhiʻa Foundation, and the Daniel Kahikina Akaka Family Foundation.

Legislative races
In 2012 and 2014, Akaka unsuccessfully challenged Nicole Lowen to represent District 6 in the Hawaii House of Representatives. She filed a lawsuit in 2012 citing irregularities during the election primaries, where she lost by 45 votes.

OHA Board of Trustees
In 2018, Akaka campaigned on restoring public trust in OHA after criticisms from the state auditor. She also supported the Thirty Meter Telescope. She won the election to the Oahu seat in 2018 and 2022.

As a Trustee, Akaka worked to build relationships with the state legislature and successfully advocated for Public Land Trust legislation to raise annual revenue payments to OHA, as well as forming a working group to discuss receiving revenues from ceded lands.