PO-NO (Hawaiian) v. To be good; to be right; to be just
Pono Advocacy
Policy Consulting, Strategic Planning & Conflict Resolution
Pono (PO-NO) v. Hawaiian: To be good; to be just; to do right
Inga Gibson, President & Policy Director
Inga has worked in the field of public policy for more than 20 years, specializing in animal protection and environmental justice initiatives. She has coordinated dozens of legislative campaigns, managed numerous projects and programs, including directing political and grassroots organizing and community coalition-building. Her work has led to the passage of more than 30 state legislative measures, numerous regulatory and administrative rule changes and significant private sector corporate reforms that have advanced environmental protection, indigenous peoples culture and traditions and perpetuated compassionate human-wildlife coexistence in Hawaii, the Pacific and U.S. Coastal states.
Inga holds a Masters Degree in Public Policy & Administration from California State University Long Beach, Graduate Certificates in Non-Profit Management and Mediation & Conflict Resolution, and a Bachelors Degree in Psychology-Ethology from the University of Hawaii. She is a member of the national and Hawaii Chapters of the Association for Conflict Resolution.
As the Policy Director of Pono Advocacy, Inga provides policy-legislative consulting for non-profit organizations, facilitates multi-stakeholder discussions on complex and often controversial issues, advises organizations and agencies on strategic media communications and public outreach and education and campaigns.
Inga is wholly committed to supporting mission-driven organizations and agencies, advancing social justice initiatives and building more compassionate communities.
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Inga's portfolio includes representing dozens of local, national and international non-profit organizations including Animal Welfare Institute, Cruelty-Free International, For the Fishes, Sierra Club, Pew Charitable Trust, West Hawaii Humane Society and The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International, where she previously served as their Senior Hawaii and Washington/Idaho State Director and HSI's Pacific Islands Policy Coordinator. Today, most of her legislative initiatives involve her representing coalitions composed of more than a dozen organizations before state, county and local policymakers.
Inga worked on landmark legislative and regulatory achievements which include the enactment of the nations strongest anti shark finning and wildlife trafficking laws, the federal designation of the largest marine national monument, Papahanaumokuakea, and the federal Dog and Cat Meat Prohibition Enforcement Act.
Inga also works closely with media, coordinating public relations outreach on campaign and policy initiatives and had numerous letters and editorials published and participated in hundreds of media (print & radio) interviews.
Inga is a regular presenter at the University of Hawaii William S Richardson School of Law; Student Animal Legal Defense Fund, and has provided training to hundreds of prosecutors and law enforcement personnel on the cruelty investigations and the connection between animal cruelty and human violence, and as a prior instructor with the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission.
