Susan Kazama has been named the next Hawaii Community College chancellor, effective July 19.
Kazama has been serving as the interim chancellor at HCC since July 1, 2023.
“Susan Kazama is a home-grown chancellor who is dedicated to serving the diverse communities of the Hawaii Island,” said Erika Lacro, University of Hawaii vice president for community colleges, in a press release. “She brings her broad experience and commitment to the University of Hawaii to the position, and she will continue the work of this past year of reaching out to the local employers to ensure Hawaii Community College is training students for the local workforce needs.”
Kazama began her work in the UH system in 1987, starting as a librarian at UH Maui College and Honolulu Community College. She spent 12 years at UH Manoa’s Hamilton Library before accepting the library director position at Kapiolani Community College in 2001.
She served as interim vice chancellor for academic affairs at Kapiolani Community College and Honolulu Community College until 2021, when she became a program coordinator for continuing education at Kapiolani.
“I am so grateful to have this opportunity to return home and serve the kauhale (group of houses comprising a Hawaiian home) and the community that I grew up in,” Kazama said in the press release. “… I look forward to working with the dedicated faculty, staff, administrators and our community, to continue supporting our students and ensuring everyone who wants to pursue higher education has the opportunity to do so.”
Born and raised in Hilo, Kazama graduated from Waiakea High School and earned a master’s in library science and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from UH Manoa.