Donna Mercado Kim is the former president of the Hawaii State Senate. She has been a senator since 2000, representing District 14, which includes Kapalama, Alewa, Kalihi Valley, Fort Shafter, Moanalua Gardens and Valley and portions of Halawa and Aiea.
She is the first Filipino-American to be Hawaii Senate president. She replaced Sen. Shan Tsutsui who was appointed lieutenant governor in December 2012.
Kim was Hawaii’s 13th Senate president.
Before becoming Senate president, Kim served as vice president from 2011 to 2013 and also from 2003 to 2008.
Previously, Kim chaired a task force which searched for ways to eliminate government waste and save money without cutting core services. With the state facing tough economic times, Kim focused on issues such as fiscal accountability by examining mismanagement practices, contracting procedures and wasteful spending.
She also served as chair of the Committee on Tourism and Government Operations, the Committee on Accountability, and the Ways and Means and Higher Education committees.
Kim was born in Honolulu and attended the University of Hawaii for two years before transferring to Washington State University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in 1974.
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