Mother, grandmother, author, healer.
20+ years serving Hawaiʻi Island. Running for State Senate District 2 — Puna.
I am Tanya Yamanaka Aynessazian, descendant of grandparents Yoshiye Moriyama born in Hakalau and Tomito Yamanaka of Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. I have served the people of Hawaiʻi Island for 20 years as an employee or board member of 501(c)3 organizations including The Arc of Hilo, Bay Clinic, Volcano Art Center, Arts and Sciences Center, and Hawaiʻi Island Adult Care (HIAC) — the state's largest adult day care center.
Caring for kupuna and family caregivers over the last 10 years in Hilo as the business manager of HIAC has inspired me to run for office, along with my deep desire and appreciation for peace, beauty and social harmony.
I humbly ask for your trust and support to allow me to represent you.
I swear to you — I am an optimist and positive thinker. But the last 5-10 years (maybe it's midlife reflection), I am also seeing the world as a realist. At the very least, I know in my heart that we can do remarkably better.
When you know the talent, expertise, knowledge, gumption and indigenous wisdom that's available in our community, and you can see the higher potential of what we could be doing — well, you figure out what role you can play to try to reach that higher potential.
In the context of running for office, I am a cross between a servant leader and a transformational leader. Servant leaders empower the whole team, organization or community. Transformational leaders care about each individual and inspire a collective to work toward a common goal.
I am a curious and creative thinker, and I love to learn. I am inspired by others and am a natural networker. I am a hard working, fun-loving, naturally-inspired and inspirational person. I can also be very serious. I challenge myself by doing things I never thought I could do — stand-up comedy in Chicago at 34, reiki master, original music in LA, tap dance at 45, samba this year. I have never lost the connection to play.
Marketing Director at The Arc of Hilo. Board Member & Chairperson at Bay Clinic — which was in dire straits when I first joined and where I fought for universal health care and state and federal funding for FQHCs. CEO of Volcano Art Center. Business manager (and twice interim director) of Hawaiʻi Island Adult Care (HIAC) — the state's largest adult day care center — from 2014 to 2024.
I am a grant writer from the nonprofit sector, so I know how to envision a better way of doing something to increase outcomes for more people, and I can relate that to a budget. Being accountable for outcomes is important to me. Making things better for myself and for others is important to me.
I take time to feed myself spiritually, and to feel the world around me. What direction are we headed in? I navigate the choppy waters with my heart, because this generally does not fail me. Compassion is what connects us to what's important. I envision a more caring economy based on our shared value of compassion.
I love to listen to all sides of an issue and try to see as many solutions and components as possible. I will speak up for others if they cannot find their voice, even if I disagree with them. Far from the shy child I used to be, today I have the courage to ask questions and share my own unique take on things. We all have something special to contribute.
Released in 2026, Tanya's first book is a guide to self-mastery and conscious leadership in times of profound change.
Available through Balboa Press, Amazon.com, and Ingram.
Tanya was one of eight plaintiffs who recently sued the State House of Representatives — fighting for accountability at every level of civic life.
