Governor appoints Amemiya, Laderta to UH Board of Regents

Two Honolulu County seats on the University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents will go to Keith Amemiya and Marie Laderta, putting two governor-appointed voices into the board that controls the university system’s internal structure, management and operation. Their five-year terms are set to begin July 1, 2026, if the Hawaiʻi State Senate confirms them.

The appointments matter far beyond Oʻahu because the 11-member board oversees the entire 10-campus University of Hawaiʻi system and also serves as the State Board for Career and Technical Education. Regents serve without compensation, but their decisions shape finances, long-range planning and the priorities that reach campuses, students and employers statewide, including Hawaiʻi Island.

Amemiya is no stranger to the board. He previously served as executive administrator and secretary to the Board of Regents, giving him direct experience with how the system’s top governing body works. Laderta has worked across multiple state agencies, bringing a broader government background to a board that will continue weighing systemwide policy under pressure from student needs, workforce demands and capital planning.

Gov. Josh Green said Amemiya and Laderta are “exactly the kinds of leaders” needed to guide the future of the UH system. Green announced the appointments on April 14, 2026, and the picks now move to the Senate for confirmation before the July 1 start date.

The Regents Candidate Advisory Council helped generate the final slate after accepting applications and soliciting nominations from government, business and community leaders beginning in early fall. The council is statewide in its makeup, with five members from the City and County of Honolulu, two from Hawaiʻi County, two from Maui County, one from Kauaʻi County and one UH student. That structure gives the Big Island a seat at the table in screening candidates, even though the two openings filled this round were Honolulu County seats.

For Hawaiʻi Island, the real question is what kind of oversight these regents will bring when UH is deciding how to spend money, strengthen career training and prioritize campuses across the state. The board’s next chapter will be judged not by ceremony, but by whether its members help meet the needs of students and employers from Hilo to Kona and beyond.