Jeanne Schultz Afuvai

Project Director

Hawaii Institute for Public Affairs

Jeanne Schultz Afuvai is the Project Director for the Hawaii Institute for Public Affairs (HIPA) and has been with the organization since 2006. Most recently as President and CEO, Jeanne’s invaluable experience and institutional knowledge has ensured HIPA’s longstanding success in leading crucial research projects to help inform policymakers as they create policy for the state of Hawaii.

Prior to joining HIPA, she served in Governor John D. Waihee III’s cabinet as deputy director of the State of Hawaii Department of Transportation, where she was involved in infrastructure needs of Highways, Harbors and Airports. Among other things, she led the team that successfully lobbied Washington, D.C. for more international flights between Japan and Hawaii and worked on the effort that is now known as “visa waiver.” In business, she played a key role in the development of Kapolei as Oahu’s second city, having served as marketing manager at the James Campbell Estate. Earlier, she worked for the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii where she established the Military Affairs Council, Alexander and Baldwin Agribusiness as senior vice president of marketing, and Xerox Corporation as branch sales manager in San Francisco.

Jeanne has been honored with the “Citation for Exceptional Service in Support of National Defense” by the Association of the United States Army. She earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.