About the Governor and First Lady
Governor Josh Green, M.D., is a dedicated husband, father, physician, and the ninth Governor of Hawaiʻi. Raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he earned degrees in biology and anthropology from Swarthmore College and his M.D. from Penn State. After completing his residency in Family Practice, he was awarded a National Health Service Corps scholarship and chose to serve the underserved community of Ka‘ū on Hawai‘i Island.
From an early age, Governor Green understood the transformative impact of access to quality healthcare. As a family physician and emergency room doctor, he became an integral part of the rural communities he served, witnessing firsthand the challenges local families faced—from the high cost of living and lack of affordable housing, to mental health struggles and addiction. These experiences inspired him to seek solutions through public service.
Governor Green began his political career in the Hawai‘i State House of Representatives (2004-2008) and later served in the State Senate (2008-2018), where he held leadership roles such as Majority Floor Leader and Chair of the Health and Human Services Committee. His legislative accomplishments include championing health insurance for every child in Hawai‘i, passing “Luke’s Law” to provide autism coverage, spearheading the creation of the Cancer Research Center, and enacting groundbreaking anti-tobacco legislation to raise the legal purchase age to 21. He also played a key role in establishing Hawai‘i’s statewide trauma healthcare system.
Elected Lieutenant Governor in 2018, Governor Green focused on tackling homelessness through innovative solutions like “kauhale” tiny home villages and the H4 clinic, which integrates housing and healthcare for the most vulnerable. His leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic as the state’s healthcare liaison resulted in Hawai‘i achieving the nation’s lowest COVID fatality rate. Additionally, he led a critical medical mission to Samoa during a measles outbreak, vaccinating 37,000 individuals in 48 hours.
Since taking office as Governor in December 2022, he has prioritized making Hawai‘i more affordable, addressing the housing crisis, improving healthcare access, combating climate change, and leading recovery efforts following the devastating Maui wildfires. His administration’s achievements include:
Affordability: Enacting the largest income tax cut in Hawai‘i’s history, doubling the earned income and food tax credits, and exempting medical services reimbursed by Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE from the state’s General Excise Tax.
Housing: Streamlining regulations to accelerate the development of over 62,000 affordable housing units statewide, including 13,000 units expected by 2025, and launching the Hawai‘i Affordable Housing Pipeline Dashboard to track progress.
Homelessness: Expanding the kauhale initiative to include 18 villages with plans for 30 by 2026, providing over 1,500 housing units for the homeless, and cutting healthcare costs for unsheltered individuals by up to 76% through housing-first approaches.
Healthcare: Launching the Hawai‘i Healthcare Education Loan Repayment Program (HELP) to address the state’s physician shortage and securing Medicaid coverage for palliative care, making Hawai‘i the first state in the nation to do so. To date over 1200 HELP scholarships have been awarded.
Maui Wildfire Recovery: Leading efforts to house nearly 8,000 displaced survivors, allocating several billion dollars for recovery initiatives, and deploying wildfire sensors statewide to enhance disaster preparedness.
Climate Action: Removing 104 million gallons of fuel from Red Hill to protect Hawai‘i’s water supply, establishing the Climate Advisory Team, and advancing clean energy and climate resilience initiatives.
Governor Green’s commitment to the well-being of Hawai‘i’s people has earned him local and national recognition, including being named Physician of the Year by the Hawai‘i Medical Association twice. Recently, the American Medical Association recognized Governor Green for its Outstanding Government Service award.
Governor Green is married to Jaime Kanani Green and they have two children, Maia and Sam. As a family, they enjoy playing games, exploring farmers markets, and spending time outdoors. A devoted fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Governor Green draws inspiration from the resilience, values, and hopes of Hawai‘i’s families as he works to build a brighter future for the state. He is honored to serve as Governor.
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First Lady Jaime Kanani Green was born and raised on Oʻahu in Kāne‘ohe. After graduating from ʻIolani School, she received her bachelor’s degree from Brown University. She returned home and obtained her law degree from the University of Hawaiʻi William S. Richardson School of Law. After practicing Family Law, she decided to focus on child advocacy through policy and nonprofit work.
The First Lady worked as a program coordinator for Project Visitation, which provides special events and monthly visits for siblings separated in the foster care system; as a Human Services Committee Clerk in the Hawaiʻi State Senate; and served as a volunteer guardian ad litem for the Hawaiʻi State Judiciary. Since having children, she has focused on her ‘ohana, supporting the endeavors of her husband, and advocating for local families, disadvantaged youth, and people in need.
“As First Lady, I’m excited to continue my advocacy work for Hawai‘i’s children and families. Whether it is spreading awareness, supporting food banks, or advancing childhood literacy, I am ready to serve. I am also looking forward to assisting in the development of a Native Hawaiian Cultural Center to provide a gathering space for educational opportunities and support traditional Hawaiian culture and arts.”