HONOLULU – Hawai‘i design firm G70 announced it has hired Thomas Pi‘ilani Smith as it’s newest addition to their planning department.
In his new role, Smith will assist in the development of environmental and urban planning products including feasibility studies, master plans, land use permitting applications, and the environmental compliance of local and federal regulatory requirements.
Prior to joining the G70 team, he worked as a Graduate Research Assistant on the ʻIke Wai Project at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa researching historical, Native Hawaiian land uses for watersheds and study sites. Smith bridged Hawaiian newspaper translations with scientific data and results; fostered relationships with stakeholders to obtain land access for fieldwork and research; and mitigated misunderstandings between academic institutions and community members.
Smith was born and raised in Hilo, Hawai‘i and moved to Honolulu in 2016. He graduated from Occidental College with a bachelor’s in Sociology and a minor in Urban Education, Smith then continued his education at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa and recently graduated with a master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning where he specialized in land use planning, and natural resource and water management. Smith works to integrate his unique cultural experiences and world view with his passion for advocacy and community engagement.