HONOLULU – Gov. David Ige has appointed Tyler Iokepa Gomes as deputy to the chairman of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, effective today.
Gomes most recently served as the partnership manager at Elemental Excelerator, where he oversaw the Elemental Hui – a partnership network of local business, non-profit, educational, and philanthropic institutions.
Previously, Gomes served as deputy public defender in the Office of the Public Defender, and co-authored and co-edited legal pleadings in Waters v. Nago, which successfully overturned the 2018 election results in the District IV Honolulu City Council race.
A resident of Maunawili, O‘ahu, Gomes is a graduate of the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, having earned a bachelor’s degree in Hawaiian Language and a J.D. and certificate in Native Hawaiian Law from the William S. Richardson School of Law.
Gomes’ appointment is subject to Senate confirmation.