Hear From the Interim HSBA Executive Director

Aloha kākou,

I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the Hawaiʻi State Bar Association, and I look forward to the next several months working alongside all of you. I stepped into this interim role two weeks ago, after just over a year as Interim CEO of the Domestic Violence Action Center. When I shared the news with my family, my daughters laughed and reminded me that many retired teachers become substitute teachers, so I am happy to serve as a substitute while the bar finds its next permanent leader. I take that responsibility seriously, knowing how important this organization is to the people of Hawaiʻi, and I approach it with humility and respect for the legacy that came before me.

I am deeply thankful to the Executive Committee and to bar leadership, particularly HSBA President Mark Murakami and President-Elect Kristin Izumi-Nitao, for their trust, guidance, and welcome. Their steady commitment to the bar makes this transition possible, and I am grateful to be able to lean on their wisdom.

In this interim period, my job is to build a bridge. The bar has been shaped by strong and courageous executive directors who led with vision and integrity. My task is to honor what they built, steady the organization, and prepare it well for the leader who comes next.

The search for the next executive director will begin soon. I encourage those of you who have the experience, the commitment, and the heart for this work to consider the role. The HSBA deserves a leader who understands both the organization and the community it serves.

I bring more than three decades of administrative and leadership experience. I served as Executive Director of EPIC ʻOhana for 13 years, served as Interim CEO of the Domestic Violence Action Center, and was Associate Dean of the William S. Richardson School of Law. Those roles taught me that strong organizations are built on relationships, clear purpose, and care for the people they serve.

The bar's role matters more than ever right now. Lawyers are among the guardians of the rule of law, the principle that no one stands above the law and that justice must be applied fairly. At the same time, many people in Hawaiʻi still struggle to get the legal help they need. The bar has a unique responsibility to help close that gap, and I am honored to support that work.
Mahalo for the warmth you have already shown me. I look forward to the next few months.

With aloha,
Laurie Arial Tochiki
Interim Executive Director, Hawaiʻi State Bar Association