Representative Kirstin Kahaloa
State Representative, District 6 - Honolulu, HI
Representative Kirstin Kahaloa is a second-term member of the Hawaii House of Representatives, representing the district of Kona on Hawaii Island. Rep. Kahaloa is Chair of the Agriculture and Food Systems Committee, and sits on the committees on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, and Energy and Environmental Protection.
Rep. Kahaloa’s passion centers around transformation to improve Hawaii’s local food system, education, small business climate, and community well-being. She has worked locally in sustainability, local food production, entrepreneurship, and the research and education to support it.
After earning her undergraduate and graduate degrees in political science, public service administration, and leadership in the Continental U.S., Rep. Kahaloa worked for over a decade in International Education at several institutions of higher education, aiding in recruitment and retention efforts of international students.
Rep. Kahaloa came home to Hawaii, and jumped into advocacy work to improve Hawaii Island’s health and vibrancy. She worked to help local businesses succeed as leader of the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce and later as president of the Hui Oihana Hawaii Island Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce. With the Blue Zones Project, she connected with community members and organizations to advocate systems change around making the healthy choices the easy choices.
At the Kamehameha Schools, she focused on growing more food in Hawaii by bridging gaps between agricultural tenants and institutional customers, and helping farmers and producers grow their operations through the Mahiai Scale-Up program. At the Iole Global Resilience Hub in Kohala, she focused on sustainability efforts, local food production, research and education. At the Nalukai Foundation, she works with high school students across Hawaii to grow their social entrepreneurship skills, empowering them to solve Hawaiʻi’s challenges.
Representative Kirstin Kahaloa is a Native Hawaiian, born and raised on Oahu and a graduate of the Kamehameha Schools. She has strong ties to Hawaii Island as both of her parents are from Hilo, with genealogical ties stretching from Waipio to Puna and Kau. Rep. Kahaloa’s daughter is a student of Hawaii’s public schools, her partner works in public affairs, and the ohana cares for Rep. Kahaloa’s father-in-law, who is a Vietnam veteran.
