Representative Kirstin Kahaloa is a second-term member of the Hawaiʻi House of Representatives, representing the district of Kona on Hawaiʻi 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 Hawaiʻi'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 Hawaiʻi, and jumped into advocacy work to improve Hawaiʻi 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 ʻOihana Hawaiʻi 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 Hawaiʻi by bridging gaps between agricultural tenants and institutional customers, and helping farmers and producers grow their operations through the Mahiʻai Scale-Up program. At the ʻIole 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 Hawaiʻi to grow their social entrepreneurship skills, empowering them to solve Hawaiʻi’s challenges.
Rep. Kahaloa is a Native Hawaiian, born and raised on Oʻahu and a graduate of the Kamehameha Schools. She has strong ties to Hawaiʻi Island as both of her parents are from Hilo, with genealogical ties stretching from Waipiʻo to Puna and Kaʻū. Rep. Kahaloa's daughter is a student of Hawaiʻi’s public schools, her partner works in public affairs, and the ʻohana cares for Rep. Kahaloa's father-in-law, who is a Vietnam veteran.