S. Haunani Apoliona, MSW
Chairperson, Board of Trustees
Office of Hawaiian Affairs

For more than 30 years, Haunani Apoliona has dedicated her life mission to working with and on behalf of the Native Hawaiian community. She is approaching year twelve in her work at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA). She served the Native Hawaiian community statewide for nineteen years at ALU LIKE, Inc. and continues to serve through a variety of civic activities and her music. After earning her master's degree in social work from the University of Hawaiʻi in 1976, she worked briefly in the Third Circuit Court on the island of Hawaiʻi. From 1978 she worked at ALU LIKE as an Employment and Training Counselor, Community Specialist, Oʻahu Island Center Administrator, Health and Services Program Planner, Director of Programs and eventually serving from 1991-1997 as President and Chief Executive Officer.

Haunani's employment served as a medium for her civic and broad-based community work. She resigned her ALU LIKE position after her 1996 election as a Trustee of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, on the day of her swearing in January 10, 1997. In 2000 and in 2004, Haunani was elected to her second and third four-year terms as an OHA Trustee. She has served OHA in various leadership positions and has served as Chairperson of the Board of Trustees since 2000. In that capacity, she leads the OHA Board's pursuit of Federal Recognition for Native Hawaiians, formation of a Native Hawaiian governing entity, defense against lawsuits aimed at diminishing Native Hawaiian entitlements, resolution of long-standing ceded land revenue disputes and a vast array of advocacy initiatives for Native Hawaiians and programs and services which benefit OHA's Native Hawaiian beneficiaries.

Haunani has served on nearly three dozen boards, committees and commissions, including President's Advisory Commission on Asian American and Pacific Islanders, Queen Liliʻuokalani Children's Center Advisory Board, Queen Emma Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, Bank of Hawaiʻi Corporation, the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum Board and U.S. Bureau of the Census Race Ethnic Advisory Council (REAC).

Finally, Apoliona is a master slack-key guitarist who has won several Nā Hōkū Hanohano awards and composed many songs, including the Hōkū Award winning ALU LIKE song. She has been a professional entertainer since 1977 and since May 1982 performs as a member of Olomana.

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