David Tarnas is currently the State Representative for House District 7
(North Kohala, South Kohala and North Kona), having previously served as the State Representative
for Kohala and Kona from 1994-1998. David has lived in the district for over 32 years and with his
wife Carolyn Stewart raised two children, who are currently at college and graduate school. David
is a professional environmental planner with his own company, focused on managing development of
private residential and commercial projects in environmentally sensitive areas, including planning,
impact analysis, permitting, compliance monitoring, reporting, government and community relations.
For more than two decades, David has worked as a planner and meeting facilitator on projects in
Hawai'i to develop harbors, highways, farms, ranches, fishponds, and forest plantations, as well
as scientific research facilities and renewable energy projects. He is co-author of the Hawai'i
Ocean Resources Management Plan (1990), co-founding board member of Malama Kai Foundation, former
UH Sea Grant Extension Agent for West Hawai'i, and author of the 1998 law Act 306 that created the
West Hawai'i Regional Fishery Management Area. He has served as a member of the Hawai'i County
Agriculture Advisory Commission and the Community Advisory Group for the U.S. Army Garrison -
Hawai'i Pohakuloa Training Area, and Hawai'i County Chairman of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i.