MARCIA TAGAVILLA NAMED NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

News Release from Hawaii Republican Party

HONOLULU (August 26, 2015) - Marcia Tagavilla has been appointed Executive Director of the Republican Party of Hawaii.  “Marcia joins us with an outstanding record of service and leadership in the Party,” said State Party Chair Fritz Rohlfing. “She will move us forward in electing more Republicans to state and federal offices in 2016.”

During the 2015 Legislative Session, Tagavilla worked as a legislative analyst at the House Minority Research Office. House Republican Leader Beth Fukumoto Chang said: “Marcia's impressive work ethic was evident this year as she assisted legislators with bill drafting, research, and staff support. She has the skills to help our candidates develop much-needed policy proposals and messaging.”

Prior to working in the Legislature, Tagavilla served as programs coordinator for a public charter school in Wai῾anae for two academic years, building community and family support at the school by coordinating programs and community-partnerships for families and students.

In 2014, Tagavilla ran as the Republican candidate for state representative in House District 32 (Salt Lake/Aliamanu). “As a first-time Republican candidate running against an entrenched Democrat incumbent in a district easily carried by David Ige in the gubernatorial race, Marcia’s people-oriented campaign resulted in a significant improvement over our 2012 nominee’s vote percentage and placed her among the top ten Republican candidates challenging previously-elected Democrat incumbents” said Pat Saiki, Immediate Past Chair of the Republican Party.

Tagavilla received her Master’s Degree in Public Policy at Pepperdine University in 2012 and her BA from the University of Hawai῾i at Manoa in 2009. She is a 2005 graduate of Moanalua High School.

Tagavilla was elected to the office of Secretary of the Honolulu County Republican Party at the County Convention in 2013 and served in that position until she ran for the State House in 2014. House Republican Floor Leader Andria Tupola said, “I served with Marcia on the County Executive Committee until we both ran for the State House. We could always depend on her to expeditiously fulfill her responsibilities as a County officer.”

Tagavilla was employed by the State Party in 2010 when she served as intern.  Tagavilla also currently serves as a member of the Aliamanu-Salt Lake Neighborhood Board and is actively involved as a regional leader of her church. She is married to Neil Laroya.

Tagavilla succeeds Erin Kealoha Fale, Interim Executive Director, who is now in her first year at the William S. Richardson School of Law.

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