The Mayor and the Presiding Officer of the Council shall appoint a Charter Commission consisting of thirteen members to study and review the operation of the government of the city under this Charter. The Mayor shall appoint six members. The Presiding Officer of the Council, with the approval of the Council, shall appoint six members. The thirteenth member shall be appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Council.
David Rae, Chair
Appointed by the Council in Resolution 14-290 FD1
David Rae has a long, distinguished career in land use planning and development, both locally and nationally. From working as a development consultant, to acting as a policy advisor to government, to working with one of Hawaii's largest private landowners to develop the City of Kapolei, David has successfully worked on issues ranging from infrastructure and transportation plans, entitlements and zoning, environmental and economic impacts, and public affairs and issues management.
David's extensive background in land use and public policy includes earning three masters degrees, including a Masters Degree in Urban and Regional Planning, and a Masters Degree in Public Health, Environmental Planning and Administration. David also has a long history of community involvement and support of Hawaii's non-profit community including the Historic Hawaii Foundation, the Neighborhood Justice Center, being a founding member of the Kapolei Chamber of Commerce and past president of the Land Use Research Foundation
Kevin Mulligan, Vice-Chair
Appointed by the Mayor in Mayor's Message 11
Worked at Hawaii Government Employees Association as Union Agent and Legislative Specialist for more than 20 years. Served as a staff to members of the Hawaii State Legislature and California Assembly. Former member of McCully-Moililii Neighborhood Board. Master of Social Work from UH Manoa.
Judge Michael F. Broderick (Ret.), Member
Appointed by the Mayor in Mayor's Message 11
Judge Michael F. Broderick (Ret.) is the CEO of the YMCA of Honolulu, overseeing 1,400 employees and a $27 million budget. Previously, he was a Family Court Judge, the Administrative Director of the Hawaii State Judiciary, and the Director of the Judiciary's Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution. Broderick has served in leadership roles on a number of boards, councils, and commissions. He has received numerous awards, all related to strengthening the foundation of Hawaii’s community. Broderick received his undergraduate degree from Stanford University (Phi Beta Kapa) and his law degree from UCLA (Highest Honors).
Reginald V. Castanares, Jr., Member
Appointed by the Council in Resolution 14-290 FD1
Reginald V. Castanares, Jr. is the Business Manager/Financial Secretary of the Plumbers & Fitters UA Local Union 675 and President of the Hawaii Building & Construction Trades Council, AFL-CIO. He serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Union, the Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee, and the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO), Hawaii Chapter.
Castanares serves on committees such as the Task Force on Reinventing Government, Labor Education Advisory Council (LEAC), Next Generation Coalition, 21st Century Schools Initiative, Hawaii Healthcare Transformation Initiative, and HCC Chancellor's Executive Advisory Committee. He was the Hawaii Delegate to the National Platform Committee at the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Detroit, Michigan.
Guy K. Fujimura, Member
Appointed by the Mayor and Confirmed by the Council in Resolution 15-6 CD1
Guy Fujimura became a member of the ILWU Local 142 when he went to work for Love’s Bakery in 1974. In 1978 he was asked by the then Officers of the Union to work full-time for the ILWU as a staff member. In 1985 he became Secretary-Treasurer of the ILWU Local 142, a position he has held to present.
Donna Ikeda, Member
Appointed by the Council in Resolution 14-290 FD1
Although retired, Donna Ikeda currently serves on the Board of the Research Corporation of the University of Hawaii (RCUH). Prior to that, she served as a member of the State Board of Education beginning in 2000. While on the Board, she was instrumental in cutting the budget for the Department of Education by $80 million, while ensuring that no employee lost his or her job.
Born in Honolulu, and raised in Kalihi, she has lived in Hawaii Kai since 1970 and represented that area in the Hawaii State Senate from 1986 to 1996 and in the Hawaii State House of Representatives from 1975 to 1985. While in the Senate, she chaired the Ways and Means Committee from 1993 to 1996 and also chaired the Committees on Agriculture and Environment (1988-1990) and Consumer Protection and Commerce (1990-1993). In addition to her government positions, she has also worked for Grand Pacific Life Insurance Company as an Assistant Vice-President in charge of Tax Sheltered Annuities, being promoted to Senior VP of Sales and Marketing.
Nathan Tetsuo Okubo, Member
Appointed by the Council in Resolution 14-290 FD1
Mr. Okubo is a partner at the law firm of Cades Schutte LLP, where he specializes in real estate law, banking and finance, and land use, zoning and entitlements. He is an honors graduate of Santa Clara University and the William S. Richardson School of Law. While in law school, Mr. Okubo was Editor-in-Chief of the University of Hawaii Law Review.
Paul T. Oshiro, Member
Appointed by the Council in Resolution 14-290 FD1
Paul Oshiro served in the State House of Representatives from 1984 to 1999 representing the Ewa Beach and Waipahu districts. Following his service in public office, Paul was employed as the Director of Government Affairs at Verizon Hawaii from 1999 to 2005. He is presently the Manager of Government Relations with Alexander & Baldwin.
Cheryl D. Soon, Member
Appointed by the Mayor in Mayor's Message 11
Cheryl D. Soon is a certified City Planner and a Fellow in the American Institute of City Planning. She has over thirty years of experience in government including senior management positions with the City Department of Transportation Services, Department of Planning, the State Department of Transportation, and the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization. She also has private consulting experience with leading engineering and transportation firms, including her present employment at SSFM International where she is manager of their planning group. She is a board member of Seagull Schools and the LAI International Society for Land Economics.
Edlyn S. Taniguchi, Member
Appointed by the Council in Resolution 14-290 FD1
Recently retired as the Chief of Treasury for the City and County of Honolulu. Responsibilities included the City's financings, investments, cash management, debt management and accounts receivable programs including real property taxes. Managed the City's bond ratings process affording a comprehensive knowledge of the operations and finances of the City as well as Oahu's economy.
R. Brian Tsujimura, Member
Appointed by the Mayor in Mayor's Message 11
R. Brian Tsujimura practices in the area of governmental relations and provides strategic business advice to companies seeking to enter and improve their business operations in Hawaii. He has worked in government as a supervising deputy attorney general, in business as assistant general counsel for AMFAC, Inc., and as president of AMFAC Property Development Corp. He was a principal in Mills Dowling Tsujimura, a residential development company. Active in the community, Tsujimura is currently the chair of the Board of Governors of the East West Center, and serves as the chair of the U.S. Board of Global Hope Network International and on the advisory board and leadership of the Geneva Institute for Leadership and Public Policy, both based in Geneva, Switzerland. He also serves on the board, subsidiaries, and committees of the Queen’s Health Systems.
Governor John D. Waihee III, Member
Appointed by the Mayor in Mayor's Message 11
Governor John D. Waihee III was born in Honokaa, Hawaii. He received his bachelor's degree in history and business from Andrews University in Michigan and his law degree from the University of Hawaii in 1976. His political career began with his election to the Constitutional Convention of 1978. In 1980 he was elected to the Hawaii House of Representatives, and in 1982 he was elected lieutenant governor of Hawaii. In 1986 he became Hawaii's fourth elected governor and the first elected governor of Hawaiian ancestry.
Pamela Witty-Oakland, Member
Pamela A. Witty-Oakland is the administrator of Honolulu Spine Center, an ambulatory surgery center specializing in neurosurgery, orthopedics and pain management. She has twelve years of experience in government policy and operations including serving as director to the City Department of Community Services. As Vice President of Asset Management for St. Francis Healthcare System, she led the Franciscan vision for development of a senior rental housing community financed with low-income housing tax credits and tax-exempt bonds. Witty-Oakland received her undergraduate degree and MBA from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She is a board member of Kunia Village Development Corporation.
Resigned November 10, 2015 - Jesse K. Souki
(see article Charter Panel Chairman Leaving for Rail Position )
Jesse K. Souki was born and raised in Wailuku, Maui. He currently lives with his wife and young son near Downtown Honolulu, where he practices law. Mr. Souki is the recent past director of the State Office of Planning and deputy director of the Department of Land and Natural Resources. During his service to the state, he led the development and passage of the Hawaii climate change adaptation policy; published the state's Increased Food Security and Self-Sufficiency Strategy; negotiated the agreement for Hawaii to host the World Conservation Congress in 2016; and worked on encouraging and supporting mixed-use, healthy communities built around the City's proposed rail transit project.
He previously served as a deputy corporation counsel for the County of Maui and City and County of Honolulu on matters related to public infrastructure, land use, and planning. Mr. Souki earned his B.A. (economics) and M.A. (political science) from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He earned his J.D. from the Seattle University School of Law. He volunteers his time to various community activities, including as a board member for The Filipino Community Center.