Lani Kaaa is the Hawaii State Director for the Leadership Institute. Previously, she was Vice Chair of Coordinated Campaigns for the Hawaii Republican Party during the 2022 elections. She has held leadership roles in statewide Governor campaigns for Duke Aiona, Andria Tupola, Elwin Ahu, and Bud Stonebraker, serving in positions such as Communications Director and Campaign Manager.
At the Hawaii State Legislature, Lani worked for fifteen years for both parties, including as Chief of Staff for Senator Brian Taniguchi and House Minority Caucus Manager. She began her political career as a legislative and budget analyst for Honolulu Councilmember Mufi Hannemann. A former official Ambassador of the Aloha State, Lani has traveled to several countries and sister cities to promote the aloha spirit and the beauty of the islands. Lani holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Hawaii, majoring in Management Information Systems and minoring in Communications. She is married and has two sons, both collegiate volleyball athletes.
