The Office of Hawaiian Affairs recently named Keʻōpū Reelitz (’06) (pictured above with her family) as its Director of Advocacy. Keʻōpū previously has held communications or policy roles within the OHA and other Hawaiian state agencies.

She shares with us about her career path and her time at University of Arizona Law.

What brought you to the University of Arizona Law?

I only applied to one law school, and it was the University of Arizona solely because of its Indigenous People’s Law and Policy Program. From my undergraduate days, I was interested in learning about ways to preserve and protect rights for Native Hawaiians. I also wanted to gain the knowledge to help with furthering Hawaiian self-determination. IPLP offered experts in all of that and at every level of government, including international.

Tell us about your new role.

My position leads advocacy efforts for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA). OHA is a semi-autonomous state agency with our own elected, governing board. Our mission is for the betterment of Native Hawaiians. The agency was created to establish a Native Hawaiian governing entity while improving conditions for our people. Because of our focus and history, our advocacy division works on policy change at every level of government – from city and county to international – in nearly every area of policy. We also support the agency in supporting Hawaiians’ self-determination efforts.

What are you optimistic about in the new position?

I’m really hopeful that our advocacy division can move the needle on helping Native Hawaiian families stay here in Hawaii. We learned from the 2020 census that there are now more Hawaiians living outside of Hawaii. Hawaiians have had an international presence for more than 200 years, but this is the first time we have more Hawaiians outside of Hawaii than in Hawaii. This is a sad statistic for me. What is Hawaii without Hawaiians? What, too, are Hawaiians without ties to our land? Our creation story connects us to our lands, our ecosystems, our food and more. We need to be here for the symbiotic relationship. I believe that we can truly start to address the outflow of Hawaiians. We can pursue policies that help Hawaiian families stay in Hawaii and also have more Hawaiians in leadership roles. 

How did your experience at the University of Arizona Law prepare you for your current work?

The vast majority of my knowledge in native rights and law came from the IPLP program. I learned the basics of federal Indian law and international human rights law. I also solidified a foundation in critical race theory that informs all the areas of law and policy I work in. Beyond the scholarship that IPLP offers, getting to connect with native peoples from across what is now the United States supports me even today. One of the greatest gifts that the University of Arizona gave me was this network of native lawyers, leaders, scholars, mentors, colleagues and friends. 

Your background includes policy and advocacy positions as well as communications. What is your advice for students who are wondering about jobs outside of private law firm practice?

There wasn’t a single position I’ve held since leaving the University of Arizona where I didn’t use my law degree. My legal education prepared me to approach problems in different ways than my colleagues in other professions. People don’t realize how much policy I dealt with when I led communications for a couple of state agencies. I had regular influence on my departments’ policies just by leading communications. And, my experience learning to tailor messages and tactics to audiences helps me approach advocacy in ways different than other lawyers might.

Having experience outside of the legal field can be such an asset. Don’t be afraid to take opportunities that feed your soul rather than just follow the prescribed path for lawyers. Follow your happiness. Life’s too short. Jobs come and go. Do what makes you happy. 

This Valentine’s Day, University of Arizona Law is asking the LawCat community to show your Wildcat love by contributing during Giving Day, a 24-hour fundraising effort in support of students and the university.  

Your generosity ensures that University of Arizona Law is able to train the next generation of leaders and lawyers and allows us to provide a modern, nimble legal education of the highest quality. A legal education is a life-changing experience, and with your support, we can give our students the resources they need to transform their passions and skills into fulfilling careers. 

See our Giving Day page to learn more about Giving Day and the programs that support our students and initiatives.

Congratulations to College of Law alumnus Dr. Marvin J. Slepian, Regents Professor of medicine, medical imaging and surgery at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson and biomedical engineering at the University of Arizona College of Engineering, who has been appointed to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Patent Public Advisory Committee. His three-year term started Dec. 1 and lasts until Dec. 1, 2026.

The committee is composed of private-sector intellectual property executives who participate in regular meetings to discuss the office’s patent and trademark operations. The committee is an advisory panel created under the America Inventors Protection Act of 1999 to ensure that the office’s policies and programs effectively meet the needs of the diverse users of the U.S. patent system. 

Marv is the founder and director of the university’s Center for Accelerated Biomedical Innovation, which focuses on developing solutions for unmet medical needs. A named inventor on more than 60 patents spanning a broad range of technologies, he also is a member of the Roundtable on Biomedical Engineering Materials and Applications and the National Research Council of the National Academies.