Office of Hawaiian Affairs Hawaii Island Trustee Keola Lindsey has vacated his position.
OHA’s Board of Trustees said Tuesday it recently received a letter of resignation from Lindsey that stated that effective Feb. 1, which was Tuesday, he is leaving his position to focus on the well-being of his ohana.
Lindsey was elected to his first term in office in November 2020. He is a former OHA staff member who last served the agency as chief advocate before being elected trustee. He also served as OHA’s inaugural Papahanaumokuakea program manager and was elected to serve as chair by fellow co-trustees of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument Management Board.
During his time in office, Lindsey served as the vice chair of the OHA Board of Trustees’ Beneficiary Advocacy and Empowerment Committee. He also led the board’s Permitted Interaction Group, which dealt with audit reviews for the agency.
The Board of Trustees will fill the vacancy as outlined under state law, and has 60 days to appoint a new trustee for Hawaii Island. That trustee will serve in the position until the general election in November.
“My colleagues and I offer our heartfelt mahalo to Trustee Lindsey for his service to the lāhui and we wish nothing but the best for him and his ohana,” said OHA Board Chair Carmen “Hulu” Lindsey.