Sabrina McKenna

Sabrina Shizue McKenna (born October 7, 1957) is an American judge from the U.S. state of Hawaii. Since March 3, 2011, she has served as a justice of the Supreme Court of Hawaii.

Early life and education McKenna was born on October 7, 1957, in Tokyo, Japan. Her father was a professor from the Midwestern United States and her mother was a Japanese national. McKenna's father died when she was 9 years old. McKenna graduated from Yokota High School in Tokyo.

McKenna was one of three candidates recommended to President Barack Obama by Senators Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka to fill a judicial vacancy on the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii. Over one hundred pieces of testimony were submitted to the Judiciary Committee with respect to her nomination, the vast majority of which were supportive of McKenna. She was sworn in on March 3, 2011. She became acting chief justice upon the retirement of Mark E. Recktenwald.

Personal McKenna has three children. McKenna is the first openly gay judge to serve on the Hawaii Supreme Court. As of 2023, she is one of twelve openly LGBT state supreme court justices serving in the United States.