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Mark Kaniela Ing
Mark Kaniela Ing is currently a democratic candidate for the Hawaii House or Representatives District 11 seat.

Family

 * Kaniela was born in Maui Memorial Hospital to Annette Saito and Mark Kaulana Ing. His father was born to Ilene Rapozo and was hanai by his Native Hawaiian grandmother, Thelma Ing, shortly after birth.  Annette’s parents, Lourdes Fernandez and Daniel Saito, a Japanese WWII vet and a 35-year veteran dispatcher at MECO, met during the Hawai’i Statehood Celebration in 1959.  Mark Kaulana Ing died unexpectedly in 1999, leaving behind his wife and children Matthew, Kaniela, Sarah, and Micah.

School

 * Kaniela attended Makawao Elementary, and Kalama Intermediate. He had the opportunity to attend Kamehameha Schools, and was a part of the first graduating class from the Maui campus.  In high school, he lettered in Football, Paddling, and Track and Field.  Like many local boys, he spent his summers in the pineapple fields of Hali’imaile, where he developed calluses and a strong work ethic.

High Education and Experience

 * After transferring from Maui Community College, Kaniela earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.  Kaniela became the first Maui native in decades to serve as Student-Body President of the Associated Students of the University of Hawaii.   He advocated on behalf of approximately 12,000 students at the State Legislature, led a 32 person senate, and oversaw a $6 million portfolio.


 * During college, he was also involved in the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii and the Young Democrats of Hawaii. Kaniela also helped establish the Roots Rhythm Foundation (cite) He served as a music director, and lead a successful project to fund raise, gather volunteers, and teach ukulele to forth and fifth grade students.  Upon graduation, Kaniela worked in a Fortune-500 IT services and printer solutions company.  He created and managed hundreds of accounts as an business-to-business sales professional in Honolulu.


 * Kaniela served a full term as a Neighborhood Board At-Large Member while simultaneously pursuing his Master of Public Administration degree. He also worked as a legislative researcher for Honolulu City Council member Stanley Chang.  He then went on to gain federal experience as through his graduate practicum with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs as a Native Hawaiian advocate in Washington D.C.  He was nationally selected as a “New Leader” for the Center for Progressive Leadership, and completed Master’s courses in government and policy at American University in Washington, D.C. His capstone research project focused on achieving desirable outcomes in Hawaii’s public charter schools.


 * In November 2011, Kaniela was nominated to serve as the OHA Maui Trustee, and received 5 votes - just one short of the six needed for appointment. OHA, failing to reach a decision, gave the appointment over to governor Neil Abercrombie.

Policy

 * The current points of Kaniela’s political platform are:


 * Education and Opportunity: Collaboration, Charter Schools, & Reform of the DOE


 * Success in a Globalized Economy: Revisiting our Tax Code, Protecting Working Families, & Supporting Local Entrepreneurs


 * Affordable Housing: Responsible Development, Infrastructure, & Support for Families


 * Land, Water, and Energy: Watershed allocation, responsible adoption of renewable practices, and the environment


 * Fair and Responsive Government: Money in Politics, Responsiveness, & Clean Elections

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