Office of the Governor — News Release — Communications Director Makana McClellan Receives National Communicator Of The Year Honor

STATE OF HAWAIʻI
KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI
 
JOSH GREEN, M.D.
GOVERNOR

 KE KIAʻĀINA

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR MAKANA MCCLELLAN RECEIVES NATIONAL COMMUNICATOR OF THE YEAR HONOR

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 18, 2026

HONOLULU — Governor Josh Green today announced and congratulated his Director of Communications, Makana McClellan, on being named the 2026 Communicator of the Year by the National Association of Government Communicators (NAGC). She is the first person from Hawaiʻi to receive the national honor.

NAGC is dedicated to advancing excellence in government communications across federal, state, county, local, military and tribal governments. The organization recognizes leaders who demonstrate innovation, professionalism and exceptional service in public sector communications. The Communicator of the Year Award honors individuals who inspire excellence while serving the public good.

“Makana has transformed how Hawaiʻi communicates during both emergencies and everyday governance,” said Governor Green. “She helped build a communications operation rooted in urgency, transparency, collaboration and aloha. During some of the most difficult moments our state has faced — from the 2023 Maui wildfires to recent flooding events and tsunami warnings — Makana led with calm, compassion and professionalism, ensuring our communities received accurate information they could trust.”

As Director of Communications, McClellan leads external communications for the Office of the Governor and coordinates with Public Information Officers across every department in the executive branch. Under her leadership, state communicators were brought together into a more unified statewide communications network, improving coordination and consistency across agencies.

McClellan also established mandatory crisis communications training for state public information officers, ensuring agencies were prepared before emergencies occurred. That effort strengthened Hawaiʻi’s ability to communicate during major disasters and fast-moving events requiring real-time public information.

“This recognition belongs to the incredible communications professionals and public servants across Hawaiʻi who show up every day to serve our communities with integrity, compassion and aloha,” McClellan said. “In Hawaiʻi, communication is not just about delivering information — it is about our shared kuleana to care for people, especially during moments of uncertainty, fear and loss. We’ve worked tirelessly to build a culture across government rooted in collaboration instead of silos, because our communities deserve timely, clear and honest communication they can trust. I’m deeply proud to represent Hawaiʻi, our values and our people on the national stage. It matters so much to me that Hawai‘i has finally been recognized with this award — and as a Native Hawaiian woman, I hope this inspires the next generation to continue to teach the world how aloha is the solution to many of our challenges.”

A graduate of Kamehameha Schools – Kapālama, McClellan earned a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Hawaiʿi Pacific University and a Master of Business Administration from Chaminade University of Honolulu. She brings deep civic roots to her public service, serving in leadership roles with the Aloha Festivals, the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, the Portuguese Chamber of Commerce and as a commissioner for FestPAC 2024.

McClellan has served on the Hawai‘i State Board of Education for four years, was recognized in 2025 by the Public Relations Society of America’s Hawai‘i chapter with its President’s Leadership Award — and was named by Pacific Business News as an influential woman in the Hawaiʿi business community through its Women Who Mean Business award.

The award was presented during the NAGC 2026 Communications School in Greater Palm Springs, California. (nagc.com)

Photos of Governor Green’s proclamation presentation, courtesy Office of the Governor, can be found here.

# # #