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Hilda Heine
Hilda Cathy Heine (born 6 April 1951) is a Marshallese educator and politician. She has served as the president of the Marshall Islands since 2024, having previously served from 2016 to 2020. Heine was the first woman to lead any sovereign country in Micronesia and the first person from the Marshall Islands to earn a doctorate. Prior to entering politics, she worked as a teacher and counselor at Marshall Islands High School and then as a women's rights activist with her organization Women United Together Marshall Islands.
Heine's political career began when she was elected to the Nitijeļā in 2011 and appointed Minister of Education. The legislature selected her for the presidency two weeks into the session in January 2016 after a motion of no confidence removed her predecessor, Casten Nemra. Her defection to the opposition alongside her two sons, also legislators, was pivotal in Nemra's removal. After becoming president, Heine became active in the international politics surrounding climate change. She survived a motion of no confidence in 2018 following a dispute regarding the designation of Rongelap Atoll, with later investigation determining that some of her opponents in this motion had been bribed by developers who wished to use the atoll.
Heine was removed from the presidency in January 2020 when the legislature voted in favor of David Kabua. Over the following years she served as a board member of the East–West Center and pro-chancellor of the University of the South Pacific in addition to her role as a legislator. Heine returned to the presidency in 2024 after defeating Kabua in the selection process.
Hilda Cathy Heine was born in Jaluit Atoll on 6 April 1951. She attended college in the United States where she earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Oregon in 1970. She earned a master's degree at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in 1975 and an educational doctorate at the University of Southern California in 2004. Heine was the first person from the Marshall Islands to get a doctorate.
Heine's family had a history of involvement in politics and activism. Her brother Carl Heine was the opposition leader during his tenure in the Nitijeļā, and her cousin Dwight Heine was the first person from the Marshall Islands to serve as the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands District Commissioner as well as the first person to voice opposition to nuclear testing around the Marshall Islands. Her grandfather was Carl Heine, an Australian-born Congregationalist missionary who married a Marshallese woman and was executed by the Japanese during World War II. Her grandmother was Nenij Heine, namesake of the Nenij Heine scholarship. Her brother Clyde Heine was a businessman, operating Majuro Stevedore & Terminal Company. Heine is married to Thomas Kijiner Jr, and her daughter is the poet and activist Kathy Jetn̄il-Kijiner.
Heine worked as a teacher at Marshall Islands High School in Majuro from 1975 to 1980, and then as a school counselor until 1982. She was president of the College of the Marshall Islands from 1990 to 1992. She then served as secretary of education in Majuro's education ministry from 1993 to 1995. Between 1995 and 2012, Heine worked in various positions for Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (PREL) in Hawaii. She became a researcher with the group in 2001, was promoted to director for policy and capacity building in 2004, and then became its Pacific Comprehensive Assistance Center's program director in 2006, holding the latter position until 2012.
Heine was one of the Western-educated women who co-founded the women's organization Jined Ilo Kobo and its successor Women United Together Marshall Islands (WUTMI). As a member of WUTMI, she called on President Jurelang Zedkaia to establish a task force on domestic violence. She was also a member of the Teacher Standards and Licensing Board, the Commission on Education in Micronesia, and the Human Resources in Health Task Force.
Heine first became a member of the Nitijeļā representing Aur Atoll in the 2011 general election, winning an open seat. She was the only female candidate to be elected in 2011. President Litokwa Tomeing appointed her minister of education when forming his government. In 2014, Heine called for an annual increase of five percent improvement in testing scores. Heine initiated the Pacific Masters in Education (PACMED) program between the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and the University of the South Pacific, which was implemented in 2017. She taught one of the involved classes, covering education in the context of climate change politics.
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Hilda Heine
Hilda Cathy Heine (born 6 April 1951) is a Marshallese educator and politician. She has served as the president of the Marshall Islands since 2024, having previously served from 2016 to 2020. Heine was the first woman to lead any sovereign country in Micronesia and the first person from the Marshall Islands to earn a doctorate. Prior to entering politics, she worked as a teacher and counselor at Marshall Islands High School and then as a women's rights activist with her organization Women United Together Marshall Islands.
Heine's political career began when she was elected to the Nitijeļā in 2011 and appointed Minister of Education. The legislature selected her for the presidency two weeks into the session in January 2016 after a motion of no confidence removed her predecessor, Casten Nemra. Her defection to the opposition alongside her two sons, also legislators, was pivotal in Nemra's removal. After becoming president, Heine became active in the international politics surrounding climate change. She survived a motion of no confidence in 2018 following a dispute regarding the designation of Rongelap Atoll, with later investigation determining that some of her opponents in this motion had been bribed by developers who wished to use the atoll.
Heine was removed from the presidency in January 2020 when the legislature voted in favor of David Kabua. Over the following years she served as a board member of the East–West Center and pro-chancellor of the University of the South Pacific in addition to her role as a legislator. Heine returned to the presidency in 2024 after defeating Kabua in the selection process.
Hilda Cathy Heine was born in Jaluit Atoll on 6 April 1951. She attended college in the United States where she earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Oregon in 1970. She earned a master's degree at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in 1975 and an educational doctorate at the University of Southern California in 2004. Heine was the first person from the Marshall Islands to get a doctorate.
Heine's family had a history of involvement in politics and activism. Her brother Carl Heine was the opposition leader during his tenure in the Nitijeļā, and her cousin Dwight Heine was the first person from the Marshall Islands to serve as the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands District Commissioner as well as the first person to voice opposition to nuclear testing around the Marshall Islands. Her grandfather was Carl Heine, an Australian-born Congregationalist missionary who married a Marshallese woman and was executed by the Japanese during World War II. Her grandmother was Nenij Heine, namesake of the Nenij Heine scholarship. Her brother Clyde Heine was a businessman, operating Majuro Stevedore & Terminal Company. Heine is married to Thomas Kijiner Jr, and her daughter is the poet and activist Kathy Jetn̄il-Kijiner.
Heine worked as a teacher at Marshall Islands High School in Majuro from 1975 to 1980, and then as a school counselor until 1982. She was president of the College of the Marshall Islands from 1990 to 1992. She then served as secretary of education in Majuro's education ministry from 1993 to 1995. Between 1995 and 2012, Heine worked in various positions for Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (PREL) in Hawaii. She became a researcher with the group in 2001, was promoted to director for policy and capacity building in 2004, and then became its Pacific Comprehensive Assistance Center's program director in 2006, holding the latter position until 2012.
Heine was one of the Western-educated women who co-founded the women's organization Jined Ilo Kobo and its successor Women United Together Marshall Islands (WUTMI). As a member of WUTMI, she called on President Jurelang Zedkaia to establish a task force on domestic violence. She was also a member of the Teacher Standards and Licensing Board, the Commission on Education in Micronesia, and the Human Resources in Health Task Force.
Heine first became a member of the Nitijeļā representing Aur Atoll in the 2011 general election, winning an open seat. She was the only female candidate to be elected in 2011. President Litokwa Tomeing appointed her minister of education when forming his government. In 2014, Heine called for an annual increase of five percent improvement in testing scores. Heine initiated the Pacific Masters in Education (PACMED) program between the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and the University of the South Pacific, which was implemented in 2017. She taught one of the involved classes, covering education in the context of climate change politics.
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