Elisa Tupuola

**Elisa Megha Tupuola** (born 9 March 1980) is a Hawaiian politician who has served as minister of agriculture, fisheries, and food in the Kanazawa ministry since 2018. She had also previously served as minister of defense in the Chang ministry from 2014 until 2018, becoming the first woman to serve in the position, and has represented Oahu in the House of Representatives since 2010. She is a member of the Hawaii National Party.

Born in Kapaa, Kauai to a Samoan father and white mother, Tupuola graduated from Kapaa High School in 1998. Afterwards, she moved to Honolulu to enroll in Hawaii Pacific University, receiving a bachelor's degree in Hawaiian and Pacific Islands studies in 2002. Afterwards, Tupuola enlisted as an officer in the Royal Hawaiian Army, serving until being honorably discharged in 2012. Tupuola entered politics in 2010, when she was included on the party list in Oahu for the Hawaiian National Party. After the party won enough seats in the 2010 election, Tupuola was elected to the House of Representatives. Upon taking her seat in parliament, Tupuola focused her legislating on issues regarding national defense. Following the 2014 election, Tupuola was nominated by David Chang to serve as minister of defense in his cabinet, becoming the first woman to serve in the position. As defense minister, Tupuola supported increased funding to the Royal Hawaiian Armed Forces, in order to maintain Hawaii's position as the most powerful nation in the Pacific, and one of the most powerful influences in nearby Asia.

In the aftermath of the 2018 election, Tupuola was expected to declare a candidacy in the Hawaii National Party leadership election, but ultimately opted not to, and instead broke with the incumbent government in order to endorse the candidacy of Kenzie Kanazawa. After Kanazawa won the election and negotiated a coalition agreement with Hui Pū ʻAna, and later nominated Tupuola as minister of agriculture, fisheries, and food in her cabinet, making Tupuola the only Chang cabinet minister to also be nominated to the Kanazawa ministry.

Identified as a "rising star" within the Hawaii National Party, Tupuola has been cited as a potential future party chairperson and prime minister by the Hawaiian media. She identifies politically as a "moderate liberal," supporting socially liberal policies and economic policies that preserve "individual responsibility."

## Early life and education

Tupuola was born on 9 March 1980 in Kapaa, on the island of Kauai, to parents Michael Tupuola (born 1953) and Carrie Ann Wilson (born 1955). Her father is Samoan, having emigrated from Pago Pago to Hawaii in 1973, while her mother was born in Hawaii to a family of English, German, and Irish descent, originating in California. Michael and Carrie Ann both worked in tourism, running a surf shop in Kauai, and working as surfing instructors. At the time of her birth, her parents were both Hindus, although her mother converted back to Roman Catholicisim in 1981, and Tupuola was raised in the religion. She is the second of four daughters; her sisters include Darby (born 1979), Petra (born 1984), and Leila (born 1990).

Tupuola began her education in 1985, attending a local, public elementary school in Kapaa. While in school, Tupuola was an athlete, who played softball and soccer. She enrolled in Kapaa High School in 1994, where she played on the varsity softball and girls soccer teams, captaining the former in her senior year, and also was the president of the school's surf club. She graduated in 1998, and moved to Honolulu to enroll in Hawaii Pacific University, graduating with a degree in Hawaiian and Pacific Islands studies in 2002.

## Military career

After graduating with her bachelor's degree in 2002, Tupuola enlisted in the Royal Hawaiian Army as an officer candidate. She enrolled in an officer training school, and completed the program in September 2002. Following her completion of officer training, Tupuola received the rank of second lieutenant and became an army officer. For most of her time in the military, Abe was stationed out of the Hawaiian base in Pearl Harbor, near Pearl City, Oahu.

Tupuola was promoted to first lieutenant in 2004, her first army promotion. She later became a captain in 2006, and a major in 2011. After the beginning of her political career in 2010, Tupuola took on a smaller role in the military, working part-time instead of full-time in her officer position. After lightening her military workload, she was honorably discharged in May 2012.

## Political career

### Early politics

Tupuola began her political career in 2010, when she was included on the party list in Oahu for the Hawaii National Party in the 2010 election. Tupuola was ultimately elected to the House of Representatives, and took her seat in parliament on 19 July 2010. Upon her election to parliament, Tupuola focused her legislating on national defense and veterans affairs.

### Defense minister

Following the 2014 election, Tupuola was invited by David Chang to interview for a ministerial appointment. The Hawaiian media reported that Tupuola was being considered for both minister of defense and minister of the interior. She ultimately was nominated by Chang to serve as defense minister in his cabinet, and was appointed by Queen Keʻalohilani. Upon her appointment, she became the first woman to serve as defense minister in Hawaiian history.

As defense minister, Tupuola was responsible for overseeing Hawaiian defense policy and the Royal Hawaiian Armed Forces. She opposed the lowering of the military budget, in order to preserve Hawaii's position as the dominant state in the Pacific, and as a major influence in Asia. However, she also supported a noninterventionist foreign policy, intending to focus military efforts on defense of Hawaii, rather than operations abroad.

### Agriculture minister

Following the 2018 election, the Hawaii National Party lost their parliamentary majority, and David Chang tendered his resignation as party chairperson. Despite being widely expected to run in the subsequent leadership election, Tupuola ultimately opted not to, but at first declined to endorse any other candidate. As the election continued, Tupuola decided to endorse Kenzie Kanazawa, snubbing former Chang cabinet ministers Peter Sutherland and Jack Mori. The move was considered a shock by the Hawaiian media, and analysts hypothesized it was a calculated move intended to distance herself from the unpopular Chang government, and instead associate herself with the emerging faction led by Kanazawa.

Kanazawa went on to narrowly win the election, and negotiated a coalition agreement with the Hui Pū ʻAna political party. Tupuola was nominated by Kanazawa to serve as minister of agriculture, fisheries, and food in her cabinet, and was appointed by Queen Keʻalohilani. The nomination was considered to be a demotion from her previous ministerial post, but was still considered to be a successful move for Tupuola's political future. She was the only member of the Chang government to also be included in the Kanazawa government. In the position, Tupuola is responsible for overseeing agricultural policy, farm and fishery regulations, agricultural research, and food production, security, and quality.

## Personal life

Tupuola was in a relationship with Hawaiian photographer and surf instructor Chase Hansen from 2006 until 2013. They became engaged in 2011, but ended their relationship two years afterwards. She began a relationship with Hawaiian artist Marcus Greene in 2013, and they later married in 2016.

Tupuola and Greene have no children together, but reside in an apartment in the Kakaako neighborhood of Honolulu. Tupuola identifies as a Roman Catholic, but is non-practicing. She only speaks English fluently, but is "proficient" in Samoan and Hawaiian.