Mark M. Nakashima (born March 27, 1963) is a Democratic member of the

Hawaii House of Representatives The Hawaii House of Representatives is the lower house of the Hawaii State Legislature. Pursuant to Article III, Section 3 of the Constitution of Hawaii, amended during the 1978 constitutional convention, the House of Representatives consis ...

. He was first elected in 2008, and represents the first district, including

Hamakua Hāmākua is a district on the northeast coast of Hawaii (island), Hawaii's Big Island, administered by the Hawaii County, Hawaii, County of Hawaii in the state of Hawaii, Hawaii. It is also the name given for the coastline in the region, the "Hā ...

, North

Hilo Hilo () is a census-designated place (CDP) and the largest settlement in Hawaii County, Hawaii, Hawaii County, Hawaii, United States, which encompasses the Hawaii (island), Island of Hawaii. The population was 44,186 according to the 2020 United ...

, and South Hilo. After obtaining a bachelor's degree in education from the

University of Hawaii at Manoa A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...

in 1988, he taught at Castle High School and Olomana School's Alder Street Detention Home before transferring back to his alma mater,

Honokaa High & Intermediate School Honokaa High & Intermediate School is a public, co-educational high school and middle school of the Hawaii State Department of Education. It serves grades seven through twelve and was established in 1889. It was added to the Hawaiʻi Register of ...

. From 1993 until his election to the state legislature, he worked for the Hawaii State Teachers Association, the state affiliate of the

National Education Association The National Education Association (NEA) is the largest labor union in the United States. It represents public school teachers and other support personnel, faculty and staffers at colleges and universities, retired educators, and college stude ...

. While in office, Nakashima has helped to raise the

minimum wage A minimum wage is the lowest remuneration that employers can legally pay their employees—the price floor below which employees may not sell their labor. Most countries had introduced minimum wage legislation by the end of the 20th century. Bec ...

References

External links

Legislative homepagePersonal blog
Democratic Party members of the Hawaii House of Representatives University of Hawaiʻi alumni People from Hilo, Hawaii American Buddhists Living people 1963 births 21st-century American politicians Hawaii politicians of Japanese descent {{Hawaii-politician-stub