The Office of Hawaiian Affairs announced on Monday three finalists for its next CEO.
The finalists are interim CEO Summer Sylva, former Honolulu City Councilmember Todd Kala Apo and former director of the Department of Hawaiian Homelands Kaulana Park.
The announcement came during an ongoing legal battle involving OHA’s former CEO Stacy Ferreira and the upcoming general elections — with more than half of the seats up for grabs on OHA’s Board of Trustees.
OHA will host a talk story session this month before the Board of Trustees announce their pick on October 22nd.
“Selecting OHA’s next Administrator is one of the most consequential decisions this Board will make, and we have approached this process with the seriousness and diligence it deserves,” OHA Board Chair Kai Kahele said in a news release. “Each of these finalists brings substantial leadership experience, and a demonstrated record of service. Just as importantly, we want our beneficiaries and communities to have an opportunity to learn more about the finalists, hear directly from them and participate in this important process.
Sylva has been OHA’s interim CEO since September 2025, overseeing more than 130 employees and annual budgets of about $70 million to $80 million. Previously, she was chief of staff to the Board of Trustees. She was also senior advisor for Native Hawaiian Affairs in the U.S. Department of the Interior, a senior FEMA advisor during the 2023 Maui wildfire and she was executive director of the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation.
Park is currently the vice president of Laulima Hawai‘i, leading a more than 500-acre master-planned community in Kapolei. He has leadership experience in Native Hawaiian trust administration, land development and construction, banking, community development and public service. He also chaired the Hawaiian Homes Commission. At OHA, he managed the Native Hawaiian revolving loan fund.
Apo was on the Honolulu City Council from 2005 to 2010, serving as chair, vice chair and budget committee chair. He has leadership experience in nonprofits, philanthropy, government, real estate, public affairs and law. He was CEO of the nonprofit ʻIole, stewarding 2,400 acres in North Kohala. His experience includes senior leadership roles with Hawaiʻi Community Foundation, Howard Hughes Corporation, The Walt Disney Company and The Resort Group at Ko Olina.
