Congratulations to Sylvia Yuen for her appointment by Hawaii Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald to the nine-member Hawaii Judicial Selection Commission. Her term started in April 2022 and continues through April 2028. Sylvia has been an active member of AJS for more than 13 years and currently serves as Executive Director of AJS.
The Judicial Selection Commission reviews and evaluates applications for all judicial vacancies, and vote, by secret ballot, to select qualified nominees. The Commission also determines whether a justice or judge shall be retained in office. The Commission publicizes the fact that a justice or judge is seeking retention so that all persons who might have an interest in the matter be informed of the opportunity to comment. Established by a 1978 state constitutional amendment, the Commission is governed by the Judicial Selection Commission Rules.
Sylvia has had a long and distinguished career at the University of Hawaii, which spans decades in both academics and administration. For almost 20 years, Sylvia focused her efforts on building and leading the University of Hawaii’s Center on the Family, which grew under her leadership from an idea to a vibrant unit of the University. Sylvia also served as the Interim Dean of UH-Mänoa’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, the first woman to direct the college since its founding in 1907. She also served as Executive Director of the Research Corporation of the University of Hawaii.
Sylvia served on the boards for numerous nonprofit organizations and on various advisory committees, including the Institute for Human Services, Hawaii Community Foundation, Aloha United Way, Honolulu Community Action Program, and the Federal Judicial Selection Commission.