Michelle Kidani

Michelle Naomi Kidani (born September 30, 1948, in Honolulu, Hawaii) is an American politician and a former Democratic member of the Hawaii Senate, representing District 17 from 2008 to 2012 and District 18 until 2026. She resigned from the chamber in June 2026.

Education Kidani earned her Associate degree in 1969 as a legal secretary from Honolulu Business College, her AA in liberal arts in 1980 from Leeward Community College, and her Bachelor of Science in 1993 from unaccredited Kennedy-Western University (later Warren National University), a defunct higher education institution that was sued for fraudulent practices by former students and deemed a diploma mill by federal investigators. As of 2026, she is the vice-chair of the Hawaii Senate Education Committee.

Elections 2012 Redistricted to District 18, and with Democratic Senator Clarence K. Nishihara redistricted to District 17, Kidani won the August 11, 2012 Democratic Primary with 7,434 votes (60.3%) against former Representative Michael Magaoay, and won the November 6, 2012 General election with 14,518 votes (67.3%) against Republican nominee Rojo Herrera. 2008 Kidani challenged incumbent Senator Ron Menor in the three-way September 20, 2008 Democratic Primary, winning with 3,890 votes (41.2%), and was unopposed for the November 4, 2008 General election.