Public Policy Center > Legislator in Residence
2009 Legislator in Residence Program
The Public Policy Center of the College of Social Sciences is delighted to announce the appointment of Senator Will Espero and Representative Cynthia Thielen to the 2009 Legislator in Residence Program (LIR).
Senator Will Espero represents the 20th Senatorial District of Lower Waipahu through Ewa Beach. He is the Chair of the Public Safety and Military Affairs committee, a member of the Joint Task Force reviewing the State Highway Fund, and a member of the committees on Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs, Health, and Commerce and Consumer Protection. In addition, Senator Espero is the Chair of the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization, which coordinates federally funded transportation projects for Oahu. He is a Board member of the West Oahu Economic Development Association, Workforce Development Council, Interstate Commission for Adult Offender Supervision, Corrections Population Management Commission, Re-entry Collaborative Steering Committee, and Operation Homefront of Hawaii.
Representative Cynthia Thielen represents the 50th House District of Kailua/Kaneohe Bay Drive. She is a member of the Women’s Legislative Caucus 2009 and a member of many committees including Consumer Protections and Commerce, Energy and Environmental Protection, Housing, the Joint Senate-House Investigative Committee on the Bureau of Conveyances, Judiciary, and Water, Land, and Ocean Resources. Representative Thielen is interested in stimulating a green industry in Hawai‘i through renewable energy and is involved in initiatives on children and education, taxes and the economy, and women and families.
The LIR Program was initiated by the Public Policy Center of the College of Social Sciences to further the collaboration between policy makers and the academic community—faculty, staff, and students. The program provides a learning environment for policy makers to work with faculty and students to explore significant issues that face the community. In exchange, faculty and students benefit by working with legislators to learn how these issues can be transformed into policy.
Legislators in Residence are nominated by CSS Departments. For information, contact LIR Coordinator Sharon Miyashiro at 956-7070.
2008 Legislator in Residence Program
The Public Policy Center of the College of Social Sciences is delighted to announce the appointment of Senator Russell Kokubun (D) and Representative Ryan Yamane (D) to the 2008 Legislator in Residence Program (LIR).
Senator Russell Kokubun represents the 2nd Senatorial District of Waiakea Uka, Kalapana, Volcano, and Kahuku on the Big Island. He is currently the Chair of the Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Affordable Housing committee, as well as Vice-Chair of the Water and Land committee. In addition, he is a member of the Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs, Energy and Environment, and Judiciary and Labor committees. Senator Kokubun is also the Chair of the Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Task Force. This semester, he will be working with the Public Policy Center on the Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Plan and other initiatives of joint and mutual interest.
Representative Ryan Yamane, Majority Whip, represents the 37th House District of Waipahu/Mililani. He is currently the Chair of the Tourism and Culture Committee, and a member of the Agriculture, Consumer Protection and Commerce, Economic Development and Business Concerns, and Judiciary committees. Representative Yamane is serving on the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization (OMPO) Policy Committee, which plans Oahu transportation issues, and on the Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Task Force. This semester, he will be working with the Public Policy Center on the Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Plan and issues related to tourism, economic development and culture.
The LIR Program was initiated by the Public Policy Center of the College of Social Sciences to further the collaboration between policy makers and the academic community—faculty, staff, and students. The program provides a learning environment for policy makers to work with faculty and students to explore significant issues that face the community. In exchange, faculty and students benefit by working with legislators to learn how these issues can be transformed into policy.
Legislators in Residence are nominated by CSS Departments. For information, contact LIR Coordinator Sharon Miyashiro at 956-7070.
2007 Legislator in Residence Program
The Public Policy Center of the College of Social Sciences is delighted to announce the appointment of Senator Gary Hooser (D) and Senator Jill Tokuda (D) to the 2007 Legislator in Residence Program (LIR).
Senator Gary Hooser is currently the Majority Leader of the Senate, Vice-Chair of the Energy and Environment Committee, and a member of the committees on Human Services & Public Housing, Transportation & International Affairs, and Ways & Means. Senator Hooser 's focus this semester will be on developing further his work on the protocols for effective public advocacy and also in promoting world peace. He has met with the Spark Matsunaga Institute for Peace and Public Policy Center faculty to explore a project during the semester. He will be working with the SMIP on a panel presentation for the International Day of Peace in September.
Senator Jill Tokuda, representing the 24th Senatorial District (Kaneohe, Kailua, & Enchanted Lake), is Chair of the committee on Agriculture & Hawaiian Affairs; Vice-Chair of the committees on Water & Land and Education; and is a member of the Ways and Means Committee. She will be exploring issues and policies for sustaining and promoting agriculture as a viable part of Hawaii’s sustainable economy, including but not limited to, how to ensure the active use of agricultural lands; the role of traditional practices in land and natural resource management; and "growing" a skilled workforce for our diverse agricultural industry.
The LIR Program was initiated by the Public Policy Center of the College of Social Sciences to further the collaboration between policy makers and the academic community—faculty, staff, and students. The program provides a learning environment for policy makers to work with faculty and students to explore significant issues that face the community. In exchange, faculty and students benefit by working with legislators to learn how these issues can be transformed into policy.
Legislators in Residence are nominated by CSS Departments. For information, contact LIR Coordinator Sharon Miyashiro at 956-7070.
2006 Legislator in Residence Program
The Public Policy Center of the College of Social Sciences is delighted to announce the appointment of Senator Suzanne Chun Oakland (D) and Representative Barbara C. Marumoto (R) to the 2006 Legislator in Residence Program (LIR).
Senator Suzanne Chun Oakland was elected to the State Senate in 1996 and is the Chair of the Human Services Committee and Vice Chair of the Health Committee. She is also a member on the Committees of Education & Military Affairs; Higher Education; and Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs. Senator Chun Oakland also served in the House of Representatives from 1990-1996.
Representative Barbara C. Marumoto was elected to the State House of Representatives in 1978. She is currently a member of the Committees on Consumer Protection & Commerce; Economic Development & Business Concerns; and Judiciary, Tourism & Culture.
The LIR Program was initiated by the Public Policy Center of the College of Social Sciences to further the collaboration between policy makers and the academic community—faculty, staff, and students. The program provides a learning environment for policy makers to work with faculty and students to explore significant issues that face the community. In exchange, faculty and students benefit by working with legislators to learn how these issues can be transformed into policy.
2005 Legislator in Residence Program
Representative Lyla Berg is the owner of Lyla Berg & Associates, has served for over 15 years with the State of Hawai‘i Department of Education, and is a moderator for "211," a talk show sponsored by Aloha United Way which airs weekly on Oceanic Cable Channel 16. She currently participates as a member of the Rotary Club of Honolulu, as a Board Member for the Civic Forum on Public Schools, and as a contributing member of Phi Delta Kappa, Delta Kappa Gamma women's educational sorority, the Institute of Noetic Sciences, the Hawai‘i Association for Arts in Education, and the Hawai‘i Opera Theater. She served as President of the Hawai‘i Association of Secondary School Principals during her tenure with the Department of Education. She is the founder and past President/CEO of Kids Voting Hawai‘i.
Representative Lynn Finnegan is a Senior Loan Originator and Primary Residential Mortgage. She has also been involved in Women In Government as a State Officer, National Foundation of Women Legislators,
and Education Commission of the States as a State Committee Member (Governor's Representative).
Legislators in Residence are nominated by CSS Departments. For information, contact LIR Coordinator Sharon Miyashiro at 956-7070.
Past Participants in the Legislator in Residence Program
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