My Story
Home, Family, & Commmunity
I have lived and worked in Senate District 13 for over 30 years. This is where I grew up, built my career, and am now raising my own family. My family’s roots here span five generations of Chinese, Japanese, and Okinawan heritage, shaped by hard work, perseverance, and a deep respect for community.
For the past 20 years, I have dedicated my career to public service. I began as a Deputy Corporation Counsel, went on to serve for 13 years as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, and now work as a Deputy Attorney General. Along the way, I have worked through complex legal questions, brought together stakeholders to address important community issues, and strived to write legislative policy that directly benefits the people of Hawai‘i.
This experience has taught me that policy is never just words on paper. The laws that the Legislature passes shape the safety of our neighborhoods, the stability of our families, and the opportunities available to the next generation. Long-term thinking matters. Careful, thoughtful decision-making matters. Open lines of communication and collaboration matter.
At home, I am first and foremost a mother. Raising two children in today’s complicated world has further strengthened my sense of responsibility for the future. Like all parents, I want my children to grow up in a Hawai‘i that is safe, affordable, and filled with opportunity. I want them to know they can build meaningful lives here, in the same community that raised me.
My life in public service and my life as a working mother are not separate paths. They inform one another. Both have deepened my commitment to steady leadership, thoughtful, collaborative problem-solving, and building a stronger future for all families who call this district home.
Experience
Deputy Attorney General (2024–Present)
Criminal Justice Division
Trial Attorney & Legislative Liaison
Deputy Prosecuting Attorney (2010–2024)
Trial Attorney & Legislative Liaison
Deputy Corporation Counsel (2006–2010)
Liquor Commission Prosecutor
Workers’ Compensation Litigation
Assistant Advisor to Honolulu Public Safety Departments
Service
Punaluu Yin Sit Sha Society
President, 2024 to present
Vice President, 2010 - 2023
Japanese Culture Center of Hawaii
Member, 2025 to present
Hawaii Women's Legal Foundation
President, 2024 - 2025
Vice President, 2022 - 2023
Director, 2016 - present
Hawaii Women Lawyers
President, 2015 - 2016
Vice President, 2014 - 2015
Director, 2004 - present
Hawaii Women in Filmmaking
Founding Board / Secretary, 2013 - 2017
Education
University of Hawaiʻi
William S. Richardson School of Law
Claremont McKenna College
Punahou School
Pearl Harbor Kai Elementary