Jake then moved to Kaimukī to study at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, advancing his studies in Political Science with a focus in law and politics.

He spent a year writing his Master’s thesis titled Dreams of Legal Personhood: Rights for Nature in Hawai’i and worked at the Hawaiʻi State Senate’s Majority Research Office as a Legislative Researcher to supplement his research.

Jake’s thesis research focused on how Hawaiʻi’s land and natural resources can be recognized and protected through legal rights.

At the State Senate, Jake drafted the legislation that moved through the Agriculture and Environment Committee. Through this work, he became very familiar with Hawaiʻi’s most pressing agricultural, environmental and sustainability concerns.

Jake was able to also bring his agricultural and environmental background to the Committee Chair, helping make policy make sense on the ground.

Jake’s thesis work on establishing legal rights for nature in Hawaiʻi then caught the attention of House Representative Kirstin Kahaloa. He was brought on to be her Committee Clerk for the 2024 Legislative Session.

Jake worked closely with Rep. Kahaloa to draft a bill based on his thesis research, which was introduced by the House Native Hawaiian Affairs Caucus. Jake then provided drafting support for a biosecurity bill that became law, securing $10 million in state funding to combat invasive species.

Throughout the session, Jake continued to support the House Agriculture and Food Systems Committee, often serving as a policy liaison between farmers, food experts, advocates, legislators and state agencies.

Working with environmentalists, policy experts and nonprofit organizations, Jake developed a knack for making complex issues easy to understand. Inspired, he went on to teach American Politics at UH Mānoa, further igniting his passion for politics and progressive change.

Jake then left the legislature, looking to deepen his roots, grow in his community and enrich his spiritual life. He moved across Waialae Avenue into the beautiful Pālolo Valley, all the way up Waiʻōmaʻo Road to the Pālolo Zen Center.

In 2024, he became their Administrator and was brought on to their Board of Directors, while working as a Legal Assistant and Paralegal at Lundquist Law, a law firm devoted to compassionate criminal justice, representing clients unable to afford an attorney through the federal Criminal Justice Act (CJA) system.