PUBA News
Learn more about our Program, Faculty, students, and activities.
Former Director of Finance for the State of Hawai‘i, Laurel A. Johnston, Visits PUBA and Discusses State Executive Budget Processes
On April 17, 2025, Ms. Laurel A. Johnston, former Director and Deputy Director of Finance for the State of Hawai‘i, visited PUBA and delivered a guest lecture titled “State Executive Budget Basics from …
Public Affairs #82
U.S. News & World Report recently released the 2025 Best Graduate Schools rankings, and we are pleased to announce that the Public Administration Program (PUBA) at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa continues …
PASO Event Reflection – Speaker Series: Nonprofit Responses to Natural Disasters
Gathering nearly 60 attendees, PASO’s Spring 2025 Speaker Series on March 11 was a huge success, gaining much insight from six nonprofit organizations and their responses to natural disasters in Hawai‘i. Speakers included: …
Student Spotlight – Kamakani Konia Appointed as SFCA Art in Public Places Program Director
On February 18, 2025, current MPA student Kamakani Konia was appointed the Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (SFCA) Art in Public Places Program Director. As program director, Konia is also the …
Welcome to the Spring 2025 Semester from the Director, Dr. Helen H. Yu
Aloha kākou. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday break and is excited about the Spring 2025 semester. Before I begin, I want to (again) congratulate our Fall 2024 MPA and GCERT graduates …
PUBA Students Present Mock Testimony at the Capitol
Carrying on a long-standing PUBA tradition, on October 22, students in the Policy Analysis and Implementation (PUBA 609) class presented testimony at a mock legislative hearing at the State Capitol. Last year, PUBA …
2024 Hawai’i Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations (HANO) Conference
The first in-person (post-COVID) Hawai’i Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations Conference (HANOCON) was a success! It is the State’s largest annual gathering of nonprofit professionals. PUBA sent a delegation of three MPA students and two …
Dr. Kelly LeRoux Visits PUBA and Discusses Nonprofit Efforts to Increase Voter Participation
On September 25, 2024, Dr. Kelly LeRoux, Professor and Associate Dean in the College of Urban Planning & Public Affairs at the University of Illinois Chicago, visited PUBA and gave a guest lecture …
Alumni Spotlight – Daniel Koge
Our PUBA alumnus, Daniel Koge, is a Civil Engineer at the Honolulu Board of Water Supply. The Board of Water Supply manages Oahu’s municipal water resources and distribution system, providing residents with safe …
Welcome to the Fall 2024 Semester from the Director, Dr. Helen Yu
Aloha kākou. I hope everyone had a wonderful summer break and is excited about the Fall 2024 semester. The PUBA program has changed a lot over the summer in both curriculum and new …
Alumni Spotlight – Roy Takumi Appointed as Chair of the Hawai‘i State Board of Education
Former state representative Roy Takumi, a distinguished MPA graduate of the Public Administration program, has been appointed (and confirmed by the State Senate) as the new Chair of the Hawai‘i State Board of Education by …
2024 American Society of Public Administration (ASPA) Conference
The 2024 American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) Conference took place from April 12 to 16 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Dr. Helen H. Yu, our Interim Director and Graduate Chair, along with two MPA …
Former PUBA Faculty, Dr. David Lee, Speaks on the Role of Nonprofits in the Refugee Resettlement Process
On February 1, 2024, Dr. David Lee from Ewha Womans University returned to PUBA as part of our Speaker Series to provide students, faculty, and our community a presentation titled, “Let Refugees Learn: The Role …
Recent Highlights from PUBA Faculty, Winter 2024
Dr. Morgen Johansen Dr. Johansen most recently published an article on Advancing Social Equity in East Asia: Education and Health Care Policy in China, Korea, and Singapore in the Asia-Pacific Journal of Public …
Aloha, from the New Interim Program Director, Dr. Helen Yu
Hauʻoli makahiki hou. I hope everyone had a nice winter break and is excited about the Spring 2024 semester. I have been appointed as the Interim Director of PUBA effective January 1 through …