GOVERNOR IGE APPOINTS TWO TO HAWAI’I PAROLING AUTHORITY

News Release from HPA, Mar 31, 2021

HONOLULU – Gov. David Ige has appointed Milton Kotsubo and Carol Matayoshi to the Hawai‘i Paroling Authority board.

Milton Kotsubo began his career with the Department of Public Safety (PSD) nearly 30 years ago, working in various capacities as a pre-trial officer at the Oʻahu Community Correctional Center, and case manager and unit manager at the Halawa  Correctional Facility (HCF). While at HCF, Kotsubo was also assigned to the Mainland Contract Unit, monitoring inmates and private facilities in Arizona. In addition, he temporarily served as warden at the Women’s Community Correctional Center (WCCC) before he became Offender Services administrator at WCCC. He ended his PSD career as administrator of the Intake Service Center Division, overseeing pretrial services statewide. He retired from PSD in 2014.

Kotsubo was born in Honolulu and grew up in Wahiawa. He is a graduate of Leilehua High School and the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, where he earned both a bachelor’s degree in psychology and master’s in social work.

Carol Matayoshi is currently the chair of the Hawaiʻi Service Area Board on Mental Health and Substance Abuse and is the Hawaiʻi County representative to the State Council on Mental Health. She has worked in the non-profit sector for more than 24 years, dealing with issues of chronic homelessness, serious mental illness, substance use disorders, justice-involved populations, and generational poverty. Matayoshi helped develop the private nonprofit organization Going Home Hawaiʻi (GHH), which helps justice-involved individuals reintegrate into the community. In addition, her “In-Reach and Reintegration” program responds to specific needs of the chronically homeless.

Matayoshi is a life-long resident of Hawaiʻi Island and a graduate of the University of Hilo, where she earned her bachelor’s in psychology with a minor in English. She also earned a master’s degree in forensic psychology from Argosy University.

The appointments are subject to Senate confirmation.

Gov. Ige made his appointments from a list of nominees submitted by a panel composed of: the chief justice of the Hawai‘i Supreme Court or designee, the director of PSD or designee, the president of the Hawai‘i State Bar Association or designee, a representative designated by the head of the Interfaith Alliance Hawai‘i, a member from the general public appointed by the governor, and the president of the Hawai‘i Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers or designee.

The five-member Hawai‘i Paroling Authority is an independent quasi-judicial body, which is attached to PSD for administrative purposes only.

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