Connie Chen

**Connie Chen** (born 13 August 1951) is a Hawaiian politician and physician who has served as minister of public health in the Kanazawa ministry since 2018. Additionally, Chen has represented Oahu in the House of Representatives since 2006, and was the Honolulu city councillor from the 8th precinct from 2000 until 2006. She is a member of the Hawaii National Party.

Born to Taiwanese-Hawaiian parents in Honolulu, Chen graduated from Punahou School in 1969. She afterwards received a bachelor's degree in biology from the University of Hawaii, Manoa in 1973, and later a medical degree from the University of Hawaii School of Medicine in 1977. Chen subsequently completed her medical residency and internship in family medicine, beginning her career as a physician in 1980. In 1992, Chen opened her own private practice in Honolulu, and began working out of there.

Chen entered politics in 2000, when she was elected to the Honolulu City Council for the 8th precinct on behalf of the Hawaii National Party. While a city councillor, Chen focused on issues regarding economics and public health. She later was included as a Hawaii National Party candidate in Oahu for the 2006 general election, and was elected to the House of Representatives. Upon taking her seat in parliament, Chen continued to focus on the same issues she focused on as a city councillor. Following the 2014 general election, she was a finalist for the position of minister of public health in the Chang ministry, but was ultimately passed on. Four years later, she was nominated by Kenzie Kanazawa to serve as minister of public health in her cabinet, and was appointed by Queen Keʻalohilani.

## Early life and education

Chen was born on 13 August 1951 in Honolulu to parents Dave (1918–2004) and Elisa Chen (née *Chao*; 1919–2010). Her father was born in Taipei and came to Hawaii as a toddler, while her mother was born in Hawaii to Taiwanese parents. Dave worked as a pediatrician, while Elisa was a homemaker who eventually began her own successful business designing toddler clothing. Chen grew up in the affluent Kahala neighborhood of Honolulu. The family was wealthy, residing in a six-bedroom home, now valued at $6.5 million. She is the third of four children; her siblings include Isabel (born 1947), Anthony (born 1949), and Beth (born 1960).

Chen began her education in 1956, attending Punahou School, a coeducational, independent preparatory school. While at Punahou School, Chen was gifted and popular student. She began high school in 1965, later graduating as her class's salutatorian in 1969. After graduating, Chen enrolled in the University of Hawaii, Manoa to study biology, graduating with her degree in 1973. She subsequently enrolled in the University of Hawaii School of Medicine, and received her medical degree in 1977.

## Medical career

After graduating with her medical degree in 1977, Chen began a residency program at a family medicine private practice in Honolulu. The residency lasted three years, and Chen successfully completed the program in 1980. Afterwards, she became licensed to practice medicine as a family physician. Chen was hired at the private practice she completed her residency at, before leaving to work at a different Honolulu private practice in 1982.

In 1988, Chen briefly left the private practice and became a medical professor at the University of Hawaii School of Medicine, but left her teaching career the following year in order to return to working as a practicing physician. In 1992, she founded her own private practice in Honolulu as the lead physician. Chen continued working as a physician at her private practice until 2006, when she took an indefinite leave of absence due to her election to parliament.

## Political career

### Early politics

Chen began her political career in 1999, when she was selected to serve as the Hawaii National Party candidate for the 8th precinct in the 2000 Honolulu local elections. The 8th precinct is located in southeastern Honolulu, incorporating parts of the wealthy neighborhoods of Kahala and Waialae. Considered a safe seat for the party, she was ultimately elected and took her seat on the Honolulu City Council on 2 March 2000.

After becoming a city councillor, Chen focused on issues regarding taxation, supporting lower citywide taxes for residents, and also public health issues. While working as a city councillor, Chen continued to be a practicing physician at her private practice. She was reelected in the 2002, 2004, and 2006 elections, before vacating her seat to enter parliament on 10 July 2006.

### Parliamentary career

Chen was selected by the Hawaii National Party to be a candidate on their party list in Oahu for the 2006 general election. She was ultimately elected to the House of Representatives, and took her seat on 10 July 2006. Upon taking her seat in parliament, Chen continued to focus on the same issues she focused on as a city councillor. She was later reelected in the 2010 election. Upon entering parliament, Chen positioned herself in the centrist bloc of HNP politicians. She endorsed Judy Carpenter in the 2006 Hawaii National Party leadership election, and Cristine Hyodo Larson in the 2010 leadership election.

Following the 2014 election, Chen was interviewed by David Chang regarding a possible ministerial appointment to the Chang ministry. The Hawaiian media later reported that Chen had been selected as one of the finalists for minister of public health. However, she was later passed up in favor of Jimmy Kagami. Despite not receiving the nomination, Chen was appointed as chairperson of the standing committee on health.

### Public health minister

In the aftermath of the 2018 election, the Hawaii National Party lost their parliamentary majority. Due to the loss, David Chang resigned as party leader and a leadership election was called. Chen did not run in the election, but endorsed the candidacy of Kenzie Kanazawa, who went on to win the election.

Following the conclusion of the leadership election, Kanazawa negotiated a coalition agreement with the Hui Pū ʻAna political party. The Hawaiian media reported that Chen was the frontrunner to be nominated as minister of public health, with Kanazawa later nominating her to the position in the Kanazawa ministry. She was appointed by Queen Keʻalohilani on 18 September 2018. As public health minister, Chen is responsible for overseeing the Hawaiian public healthcare system and public health guidelines.

## Personal life

Chen began a relationship with Hawaiian neurosurgeon Patrick Lee in 1981. They became engaged in 1983, and married the following year. Chen and Lee have two sons together: Austin (born 1987) and Dylan (born 1990). The family resides in the Kahala neighborhood of Honolulu, where they own a seven-bedroom home, valued at $7.5 million.

Chen is fluent in Mandarin, Taiwanese Hokkien, and English. She was raised irreligiously, and has stated that she is irreligious, despite having interest in Buddhism and Taoism.