Rep. Sylvia Luke is the chair of the House Finance Committee. She represents Makiki, Punchbowl, Nuuano, Dowsett Highlands, Pacific Heights and Pauoa since 1998. The 2013 session marks her seventh term as a House representative.
Luke, a Democrat, has served in a number of positions in the Legislature, including vice speaker of the House, vice chair of the House Committee on Legislative Management, vice chair of the House Committee on Economic Development and Business Concerns and chair of the Select Committee on War Preparedness.
She won the Humane Society of the United States Humane State Legislator Award in 2006, as well as the AARP Hawaii Certificate of Appreciation for Consumer Protection. She was also awarded the Korean American Coalition Pioneer Award in Leadership in 2003.
Luke was born on December 15, 1967 in Seoul, Korea. She attended Lincoln Elementary School, Kawananakoa Middle School and Roosevelt High School. She received her bachelor’s from University of Hawaii at Manoa in 1989 and went on to University of San Francisco School of Law, receiving her law degree in 1995.
In addition to her position in Legislature, Luke works as an attorney for Cronin, Fried, Sekiya, Kekina and Fairbanks.
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