Everett Ohta has been named Office of Hawaiian Affairs General Counsel. In this capa-city, Ohta will continue to lead OHA’s Corporate Counsel office which provides legal advice, guidance, and assistance to OHA staff on compliance with federal, state, and county laws and regulations, as well as compliance with policies and procedures adopted by the OHA board of trustees and administration.
Corporate Counsel is also responsible for risk management across the agency and navigating complex legal and governance matters for the agency.
Ohta started at OHA in 2010 as a compliance specialist and has steadily risen through the ranks, from lead compliance specialist to counsel for environmental law and native rights, legal counsel, senior legal counsel, and most recently as interim general counsel, a kuleana he assumed in December 2021. He also stepped up to simultaneously serve as OHA’s interim director of human resources from July 2023 to February 2024.
“What sets Everett apart is not just his legal brilliance, but his ability to lead with quiet strength and deep integrity,” said OHA CEO/Ka Pouhana Stacy Kealohalani Ferreira.
“During his interim tenure, he navigated complex legal and governance matters, including litigation updates, Hawaiian Kingdom Crown and Government Lands (PLT) revenue negotiations, trustee succession processes, external audits, and board bylaw revisions. He has shown a unique ability to operate under shifting leadership and evolving priorities, having served under four board of trustee chairs and five administrators.”
Ohta’s first order of business will be to rebuild and strengthen the Corporate Counsel Office, ensuring that it is fully staffed, strategically aligned, and equipped to meet the legal, regulatory, and ethical needs of the entire organization. This will include fortifying OHA’s internal counsel capacity, improving turnaround time and service delivery, and ensuring that the organization’s legal infrastructure supports its mission and vision.
“We are fortunate to have someone with Everett’s experience, values, and institutional knowledge assume this critical role. His leadership will help guide our legal strategies, ensure compliance across our organization, and uphold the standards of trust and excellence that our beneficiaries deserve,” Ferreira said.
A graduate of the University Laboratory School, Ohta holds bachelor’s degrees in global environmental science and economics from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and a juris doctorate with an environmental law certificate from the William S. Richardson School of Law at UH Mānoa.
“I am honored to continue to serve OHA as its General Counsel and for the opportunity to lead a top-notch legal team that supports the evolving and innovative work of the agency,” Ohta said.
