Regent

Ramón de la Peña

Born in the Philippines and educated at the University of the Philippines, Ramón de la Peña re-joined the Board of Regents in 2004. He earned his master’s degree in plant physiology in 1964 and PhD in agronomy and soil science in 1967 from the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa.

Prior to retiring in 2001, de la Peña was an agronomist and professor in the UH Manoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources. His expertise is in the science and economics of tropical crop production with emphasis on root and tuber crops. He previously served as superintendent of the college’s Kaua‘i Branch Research Station and director of the Kaua‘i County Office of Economic Development.

De la Peña served on the County of Kaua‘i Planning Commission from 1996 to 2002. He is past president of the Kaua‘i Pangasinan Association, the Kaua‘i Filipino Community Council and St. Catherine Filipino Catholic Club and emeritus director of Leadership Kaua‘i. He serves on the Boards of Directors of the Kauaʻ Filipino Chamber of Commerce and Wilcox Hospital and is a member of the County of Kaua‘i Charter Review Commission.