In January, ELP Research Associates Malia Taylor Wolfe ’25 and Mehana Witthans ’25 sat with Jamila Jarmon ’10 to explore her path to becoming an Obama Leader and manager of Hawaiian Electric’s Electrification of Transportation Team.

Jamila serves as a 2024-2025 Obama Fellow as one of its Asia-Pacific Leaders.  She also manages the growth strategy for Hawaiian Electric’s Electrification of Transportation Team.  Jamila’s path to getting there was not straightforward, like any law student would hope.  But what remained consistent throughout was her commitment to her values, strong social network, willingness to take on new projects, and dedication to developing unique skills to further her values in equity and justice.

Jamila received a major in Criminal Justice and a minor in Political Science from The George Washington University.  Her major in Criminal Justice – which at The George Washington University uses a sociology approach –  allowed Jamila to question why certain rules exist, who the laws are affecting, and how to make things more just.

After graduating from college, Jamila taught English for a year in China before returning home to Hawaiʻi to work at a Domestic Violence Action Center.  Observing her clients in court inspired Jamila to apply to law school so that she could work towards making the law more accessible. 

In law school, Jamila pivoted to specializing in environmental law.  Growing up in Hawaiʻi, Jamila had always recognized the importance of protecting the environment and felt a sense of responsibility to be part of a generation that would lead the way in environmental activism.  Jamila knew that she could still carry out her original goal of making the law more accessible in the environmental law field.

During law school, Jamila was heavily involved with student activities.  Her two favorite memories from law school are (1) being on the first Ete team to never lose to a Bruzer at the Ete Bowl, a long time law school tradition where women law students “the Etes” play Richardson law alumni “the Bruzers” in a game of flag football (they won two, tied one); and (2) participating on the National Environmental Moot Court Team where her and each of her teammates won best oralist awards.  Additionally, Jamila served as a Research Associate for the Environmental Law Program and participated in the environmental law clinic.  She also went on the annual field trip with ELP to the Hakalau National Wildlife Refuge.

During her 1L summer, Jamila studied abroad in Europe through the University of Pennsylvania program.  During her 2L, Jamila worked in the litigation department at the Honolulu Prosecutor’s office.  A memorable project of hers was researching how to prosecute animal abusers after a woman in Waianae killed a wild peacock. 

After law school, Jamila felt a need to return to community work.  At her law school graduation, she was approached by her soon to be boss and encouraged to apply for a new fellowship position.  Jamila was the first fellow working with the Medical Legal Partnership for Children in Hawaiʻi, a partnership between Kokua Kalihi Valley Community Health Center and the William S. Richardson School of Law.  Jamila researched the social determinants of health and the legal repercussions.  In addition, Jamila helped run a pro bono legal clinic at the Community Health Center and gave legal advice, and in some cases representation, on habitability, medical care, public assistance, and guardianships.

A string of other jobs followed with each developing her skills as a lawyer and strong advocate.  Jamila worked at the House Majority Staff Office (HMSO) within the Hawaiʻi State Legislature where she worked with legislators to draft legislation, monitor committee hearings, and draft revisions to legislation and  committee reports.  She then worked at a local law firm representing homeowner associations and condo association boards through litigation.  At one point, Jamila also worked in house for Elemental Impact, a tech accelerator that funds startups that specialize in energy, water, transportation, the built environment, and agriculture.  There, Jamila built the organization’s legal department and primarily did transactional work.  She then became the Chief Operating Officer for a small venture backed startup that was developing software for ghost kitchens, commercial kitchens that are business agnostic. The software was developed to streamline operations in the ghost kitchens to integrate online food delivery, providing a lower cost quality meal to customers.

In each new position, Jamila adapted to the technical expertise needed to succeed.  She was often the first to hold the position and laid the groundwork for others to follow once she moved on to a new job.  Her strong social network allowed her to experiment with different jobs.  And the skills she picked up along the way – such as active listening and communicating – allowed her to readily adapt to new environments and meaningfully contribute to discussions that often required a high level of subject matter expertise.

After returning to civil litigation at another local law firm, a former colleague at Elemental Impact reached out to her about a new position at Hawaiian Electric.  Jamila became the manager for growth strategy for Hawaiian Electric’s Electrification of Transportation Team.  Like many of the other jobs she has held, Jamila had to essentially create her new position.  At Hawaiian Electric, Jamila engages in both policy and regulatory work.  Her background of working at HMSO and dedication towards justice helped prepare her for the policy work alleviating barriers for electric vehicle (EV) adoption.  Her regulatory work involves working in the EV infrastructure docket with the Public Utility Commission (PUC) and leans heavily on her previous litigation experience for these quasi-judicial proceedings.  Jamila’s prior experience working for tech organizations helps her engage with team members who are focused on innovation and developing new pilot projects related to EV infrastructure.  Lastly, she works with both commercial clients who are in the process of installing new EV infrastructure.

In 2024, Jamila was chosen as an Obama Leader for the Asia-Pacific region.  Obama Leaders are chosen for being “deeply embedded in their respective communities, working together to build not just immediate solutions but long-term change.”  Leaders meet regularly to discuss conflict resolution and values.  Being an Obama Leader has been a self-reflective experience, and through it, Jamila has been able to reconnect with her values and further develop and enhance her leadership skills.

Jamila has remained an active member of her community.  She currently serves on the board of The Pōpolo Project, a “nonprofit organization redefining what it means to be Black in Hawaiʻi and in the world[.]”  Her community involvement does not stop there.  She is also on the board for Aloha Harvest, the largest food rescue and redistribution organization in Hawaiʻi, that gets quality excess food into stomachs instead of landfills. A notable recipient of these food donations from Jamila’s past is Kōkua Kalihi Valley where she previously worked.  Lastly, she is on the board for Ceeds of Peace, an organization whose mission is to raise peacebuilding leaders through community platforms and provide opportunities for our community to work together in our collective pursuit to build sustainable, just, peaceful communities.

Jamila’s community involvement, dedication to justice, and active leadership, are nothing short of inspiring.  Young professionals can learn from Jamila’s diverse background.  For soon to be graduates, your perfect job may not be attainable yet.  But by remaining steadfast to your values, developing key skills, and maintaining a strong social network like Jamila, the perfect job will find its way to you.  Congratulations to Jamila for becoming an Obama Leader and being a remarkable leader in Hawaiʻi!

MW