Biography | Rowena Akana

Education:

Yale School of Management, The Endowment Institute – Level II (2012), Certificate of Completion
Yale School of Management, The Endowment Institute – Level I (2011), Certificate of Completion
University of Hawaii,
Kapi’olani Community College,
New York University,
Roosevelt High School

Political Experience:

Professional Experience and Community Service:

American Indian Alaska Native Tourism
Association (AIANTA), Pacific Region Representative – 2012 to Present
Governors’ Interstate Indian Council (GIIC) National Board,
Board of Directors, Member since 1999 to Present,
First State Sovereignty Chair,
Past President of the State Culture & Arts Program–Bishop Museum,
Federal Grants Reviewer,
Niu Valley Fee Simple Committee Chair,
East Oahu Rotary, Honolulu Press Club,
Niu Valley Community Association,
Society of Hawaii’s Entertainers,
Musicians Association of Hawaii,
Hawaii Kai Bobby Sox Softball League,
Past President of the Federal Aviation Administration Women’s Club,
Department of Education, Substitute Teacher,
Abuse Counselor,
Radio Newscaster.

Personal Initiatives:

Programs in the areas of housing, education, health, jobs and business opportunities that greatly impact the Hawaiian people.
Kupuna Health Task Force – researching ways to improve Kupuna health.
Partnership between the office of Hawaiian Affairs, Fannie-Mae, and the two largest banks in Hawaii to provide lower interest loans to ALL Hawaiians.
Spearheaded campaign to exempt Kuleana Lands from property taxes for all Counties in the State of Hawaii for Hawaiians who have remain on their ancestral lands since the Great Mahele. The maximum property tax for all Kuleana Lands is now $100 a year.
I am very proud to have helped Hawaiian soldiers from the Hawaii National Guard who came home wounded or suffering from PTSD. Under a Bush policy, Guardsmen who returned home wounded had one year to heal from their injuries. If they were made whole within the 12 month period they were sent back to their units in Afghanistan or Iraq. If they were not fully recovered they were rotated out of the Guard with a limited disability benefit and sent to the Department of Veterans Affairs for medical treatment. The problem was that too many of these soldiers had serious injuries and could not wait a year or two to get the medical care they needed. After intervening on their behalf with our Congressional delegation, the National Guard, and Tripler Army Hospital, the Bush Administration changed their policy and created the Warrior Transition Program.

Honors: