HONOLULU — The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation Board of Directors has approved a new, multi-year contract for HART executive director and CEO Lori Kahikina, HART announced on Friday. 

What You Need To Know

  • The three-year contract goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2025 and includes two two-year options for extension. It raises Kahikina’s annual salary to 336,000 from $275,000
  • Kahikina joined HART in January 2021 as the interim executive director and CEO and was appointed to a regular three-year term a year later
  • Kahikina was broadly praised early on for helping to get the rail project moving forward again after repeated delays and funding issues prompted the Federal Transit Authority to halt federal funding for five years. More recently, however, Kahikina has found herself at odds with certain members of the board, whom she’s claimed have bullied and harassed her over her day-to-day management of the authority
  • Also on Friday, the HART board announced it has selected former HART staffer Lisa Baker to fill the vacant seat formerly held by voting member Edwin Young, who retired earlier this year for health reasons

The three-year contract goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2025 and includes two two-year options for extension. It raises Kahikina’s annual salary to 336,000 from $275,000.

“I want to thank the members of the HART Board’s Permitted Interaction Group for working with me to develop the terms of this contract, as well as the board for approving this contract and placing their continued trust in me to lead HART,” Kahikina said. “As I’ve said before, I’m very passionate about this project and am so pleased we’ve come to this agreement. Many thanks to our stakeholders, the HART ‘ohana, and the general public for their patience and support during this process. I’m extremely proud of all the accomplishments and good work that we, as a team, have achieved together and I look forward to many more momentous milestones.”

Kahikina joined HART in January 2021 as the interim executive director and CEO and was appointed to a regular three-year term a year later.

Kahikina was broadly praised early on for helping to get the rail project moving forward again after repeated delays and funding issues prompted the Federal Transit Authority to halt federal funding for five years.

More recently, however, Kahikina has found herself at odds with certain members of the board, whom she’s claimed have bullied and harassed her over her day-to-day management of the authority. In her most recent performance evaluation, the board identified concerns over staffing, transparency with the board and other issues.

Still, the board was in favor of retaining Kahikina and had been in negotiations over a new pact since the summer.

“Lori Kahikina has excelled in leading this complex transit project over the past few years, demonstrating her leadership through a collaborative, hands-on, and proactive approach,” said state transportation director Roger Morton, a member of the board and chair of the Permitted Interaction Group that negotiated Kahikina’s contract. “Her contributions have been significant for the City and County of Honolulu and its taxpayers. I’m pleased that we have reached this agreement, allowing us to continue our joint effort to complete the Skyline system to downtown and beyond.”

Also on Friday, the HART board announced it has selected former HART staffer Lisa Baker to fill the vacant seat formerly held by voting member Edwin Young, who retired earlier this year for health reasons.

Baker will serve the remainder of the Young’s term, which expires on June 30, 2028.

Established by the Revised Charter of Honolulu in 2011, the volunteer board is responsible for policy making and oversight of HART.

In a release issued on Friday, the board stated Baker was selected “based on her expertise, character and commitment to the responsibilities of the board.”

Baker, who has 45 years of experience in project and program management, spent 10 years in specialist positions with HART before retiring in 2023.

Michael Tsai covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at michael.tsai@charter.com.