Gov. Green appoints Makai Freitas to UH Board of Regents

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Hawaii Gov. Josh Green announced his appointment of Makai Freitas to the University of Hawaii Board of Regents.

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The board is responsible for the management and oversight of the whole University of Hawaii system.

“I am honored to be appointed to the University of Hawaii Board of Regents and grateful for the opportunity to serve our students, faculty, staff, and communities,” Freitas said. “Higher education plays a vital role in Hawaii’s future.”

According to Green, Freitas has a background as a labor leader for the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, with more than 20 years of experience in organizational leadership and workforce advocacy.

“These appointments reflect our administration’s commitment to bringing together leaders with diverse expertise and a shared dedication to serving Hawaii,” Green said.

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Green says Freitas’s history of cross-sector experience can help build pipelines from the classroom to the workforce.

Freitas also serves as the West Hawaii representative on the Hawaiian Homes Commission within the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, where he advocates for Native Hawaiian beneficiaries, affordable housing, community development, and education.

“I look forward to strengthening the university’s mission of teaching, learning, and community service,” Freitas said.

The University of Arizona graduate lives in Waimea with his wife, Aulani, and their two daughters, Wailea and Mahina.

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