History

hAWAII Public Policy Advocates was founded by attorneys and lobbyists Melissa Teves Pavlicek and Stephen M. Teves in 2005.  They SERVED AS legislative staff members at the Hawaii State Capitol before graduatING from the University of Hawaii WILLIAM S. Richardson School of Law.  The firm is committed to promoting public policIES that will make Hawaii a better place. 

​Company Culture

RELATIONSHIPS ARE AT THE CORE OF HAWAII PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCATES’ WORK.  HPPA SPECIALIZES IN BUILDING MEANINGFUL COALITIONS, IMPLEMENTING SUCCESSFUL STRATEGIES, AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, CREATING LASTING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS.  THE TEAM AT HPPA OPERATES UNDER THE CONVICTION THAT THE BEST DECISIONS REQUIRE CLEAR COMMUNICATION AND HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS THAT PROMOTE PROGRESS. ​

​​Our Commitment

​We are committed to providing GOVERNMENT RELATIONS serviceS that exceed expectations. 

Melissa Pavlicek, J.D., SHRM-CP, is the president and co-founder of Hawaii Public Policy Advocates, LLC. She is an attorney, lobbyist, and non-profit executive with over 30 years of advocacy experience in Hawaii state and local government affairs. Melissa is a 1996 graduate of the University of Hawaii Wm. S. Richardson School Law and earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Hawaii. She graduated from Baldwin High School in Maui. Melissa currently serves as the vice president of the board of the Hawaiian Humane Society and a co-chair of a Women in Government Relations Task Force on Technology, Telecommunications, and Intellectual Property. She has served as an adjunct professor at Chaminade University and the Wm. S. Richardson School of Law. Melissa was previously elected to serve as the president of Hawaii Women Lawyers and appointed to the state’s first Law Enforcement Independent Review Board.

Stephen Teves, J.D., is the chief consultant and co-founder of Hawaii Public Policy Advocates, LLC. He is an attorney, lobbyist, and public policy advocate with over 30 years of successful experience in Hawaii state government affairs. Stephen is a 1990 graduate of the University of Hawaii Wm. S. Richardson School of Law. He earned a bachelor’s degree in speech from the University of Hawaii and graduated from St. Louis High School in Honolulu. Stephen currently serves on the 'Ahahui Koa Anuenue's Board of Directors. He has served as the legislative director for the lieutenant governor of the State of Hawaii and as a legislative aide in the Hawaii House of Representatives.

Danny Cup Choy, M.Ed., serves as Hawaii Public Policy Advocates, LLC’s vice president of government affairs, assisting clients as a lobbyist and consultant at the state legislature, administrative agencies, and city councils. His work includes advocacy in the areas of healthcare, education, transportation, technology, small business, and the arts. Prior to joining HPPA, Danny provided strategic state and federal government affairs leadership to organizations in Washington, DC, and Hawaii. In 2015, he was named a Hero in Healthcare by Pacific Business News. A graduate of Kamehameha Schools and Loyola Marymount University with an undergraduate degree in Political Science and a master's degree in Education, he has served on numerous boards, including the Native Hawaiian Education Council, Hawaii Association of Health Plans, Ahahui Koa Anuenue, and the SoFi Hawaii Bowl. Danny lives in his hometown of Kailua with his wife and two children.

Lilly Ho, SHRM-CP, is Hawaii Public Policy Advocates, LLC’s vice president of operations, overseeing logistics for the firm's governmental affairs and non-profit association management clients. She helped develop and implement strategic legislative monitoring and tracking systems and advocacy engagement tools. She also serves as the firm's human resource consultant and oversees a college internship program, training Hawaii's future business leaders. Lilly has extensive non-profit management expertise with an emphasis in board governance and strategy. She earned a bachelor's degree in Business Administration Management and Human Resource Management from the Shidler College of Business at the University of Hawaii, Manoa. She is a certified human resource management professional and resides with her husband in Las Vegas.

Kiyohide Noguchi is a government affairs consultant for Hawaii Public Policy Advocates, LLC, assisting clients in advocacy and policy development. He served in a government relations role with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs in Washington, D.C. and as an intern for U.S. Congressman Ed Case. He earned a bachelor’s degree in public affairs from American University, studying in Washington, D.C., and the United Kingdom. Kiyo is a graduate of Mid Pacific Institute in Honolulu.

Amanda Tokita, office manager, has over 25 years of administrative operations experience and has served as the Hawaii Public Policy Advocates office manager since 2008. She oversees the daily administration of the firm. Raised in Maui, she and her husband co-own Caring Transitions of Honolulu, a relocation, downsizing and estate liquidations service company.

Leah Delos Santos is a graduate of Kamehameha Schools and is currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in political science at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She has successfully advocated for the passage of bills that promote Native Hawaiian equity in the justice system and improve the lives of children and youth.

Charla Teves serves as a legislative analyst and previously worked at the Hawai'i State Senate as an intern for its Housing Committee. She is pursuing a political science degree at Barnard College at Columbia University in New York. She was appointed by Senate President Ron Kouchi to serve on the Hawai'i State Youth Commission and founded the state's Virtual End Hunger Summit with a grant from the Sodexo Foundation and Youth Service America. She is a passionate advocate for gun violence prevention and founded the Hawaii field office of a student gun violence prevention organization. Charla represented her community as a delegate to a statewide political convention in 2022. She was recently named as the youngest "30 under 30" notable alumni from her Hawaii high school.

Corie Tanida, M.B.A., serves as the Director of Public Affairs for Hawaii Public Policy Advocates. She assists clients regarding government relations and nonprofit administration. A graduate of Moanalua High School, the University of Evansville with an undergraduate degree in political science, and Chaminade University with an MBA, nonprofit concentration, Corie has extensive experience in the nonprofit and advocacy sector as a community advocate and was a lead proponent of voting modernization and good government reforms. She is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (El Salvador), has served as a bills analyst at the Hawaii State Legislature, managed nonprofits, and administered grants for the State of Hawaii. In her free time, Corie enjoys serving the community and volunteers in Kalihi, distributing food to those in need.

Government Relations

Hawaii Public Policy Advocates assists clients in developing and implementing government relations strategies in Hawaii state and local legislative and executive branches. With a wide network of relationships and a deep understanding of government processes, the team at Hawaii Public Policy Advocates builds crucial networks with stakeholders and provides guidance through the legislative process.

Contact Us

HAWAII PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCATES
​1099 ALAKEA STREET SUITE 2530
HONOLULU, HAWAII 96813
P: (808) 447-1840
E: info@hawaiipublicpolicy.com
W: www.hawaiipublicpolicy.com

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