A 20-year educator, she helps prepare colleagues for national board certification
Posted: April 15, 2026
The Hawaiʻi State Senate voted Tuesday to confirm the nomination of Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association Vice President Logan Okita to the Hawai’i Teacher Standards Board.
Okita currently works as a Response to Intervention coach at Nimitz Elementary on Oʻahu, where she has been on staff since 2013. She is one of two coaches on her campus responsible for providing vital reading interventions, working with students one-on-one or in small groups to address their needs. She also supports her fellow teachers through coaching, data analysis, and professional development. Prior to her time at Nimitz, she taught kindergarten through 4th grade at Fern Elementary.
“With her comprehensive classroom experience, advanced qualifications, and proven leadership abilities both locally and nationally, Logan Okita is an exceptional candidate who will serve the Hawai’i Teacher Standards Board with distinction,” said HSTA President Osa Tui, Jr. in written testimony strongly supporting her nomination.
“Her credentials demonstrate a deep commitment to the teaching profession and high pedagogical standards,” he added.
Okita holds a Bachelor of Arts in Education and Learning from Pacific University and a Master’s in Education from the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. Furthermore, she is a National Board Certified Teacher who currently holds an Advanced License from the Hawai’i Teachers Standards Board, valid through 2030.
“Beyond the classroom, she has consistently proven herself as an educational leader,” Tui said.
Okita has served in multiple leadership roles within the HSTA, including her current position as vice president, which she has held since July 2021. Her dedication to her students and colleagues has been recognized at both the state and national levels, earning her HSTA’s STACY Award for Teaching Excellence in 2016 and the NEA Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence in 2017. She also actively contributes her expertise to the nonprofit Hawai’i Foundation for Educators.
“For years, she has developed and conducted workshops to prepare educators for National Board certification — the most respected professional certification in education. Her efforts have not gone unnoticed as she was invited and currently sits on the 29-member board of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, which oversees the National Board certification process for teachers nationwide,” Tui said.
Okita said after she earned her initial teaching license in Oregon, “I returned home to Hawaiʻi, only to find that my license was not yet recognized due to the absence of an established reciprocity agreement at the time. This experience provided me with firsthand insight into the barriers educators may face when navigating licensure systems.”
“I am motivated to contribute to improving these processes in ways that maintain rigorous standards while also supporting qualified educators,” Okita said.
“Just as I analyze data to set goals for students and plan interventions, I will use data in my role on the HTSB to improve our current teacher shortage without losing sight of the humans involved in the process,” she added.
Hawaiʻi Island teacher Hope Pualani McKeen submitted testimony in strong support of Okita and said, “There is no one more qualified to safeguard the standards of our profession than someone who has dedicated her entire career to raising them.”
“She is a bridge-builder who understands how policy affects the person at the front of the classroom,” said McKeen, who is a district resource teacher focusing on Hawaiian immersion education for the Ka’ū-Kea’au-Pāhoa Complex Area.
“Her deep commitment to our community and place informs every choice she makes, ensuring her leadership considers both current needs and the well-being of future generations,” McKeen added.
Kalae Akioka, a special education teacher in Hawaiian immersion at Pūʻōhala Elementary on Oʻahu, said, “As a National Board Certified Teacher, Okita has met the highest professional standards in the industry. This means she personally understands the rigorous process of proving one’s pedagogical expertise and ability to meet standards.”
“She has facilitated programs like Jump Start, which helps teachers navigate the complex national board certification process. This technical expertise is invaluable for a board that manages teacher licensing, as she understands the friction points where the system can be improved for educators,” Akioka added.
Okitaʻs term on the standards board runs through June 30, 2029.
Okita said, “I am honored to have been nominated and confirmed to serve on the Hawaiʻi Teacher Standards Board. I look forward to collaborating with my fellow board members and stakeholders to identify new pathways to licensure that uphold our expectations of competency and professionalism.”
The Senate also approved the nomination of HSTA-Retired President Jonathan Gillentine to the HTSB. Gillentine served as a special education teacher at Kailua High and Ben Parker Elementary before retiring as an early learning resource teacher in 2017. He currently serves as an HSTB hearings officer.