(808) 956-8903
luiss@hawaii.edu
Office of Budget and Fianance
2444 Dole Street
Bachman Hall 202
Honolulu, HI 96822
Luis Salaveria joined the UH System in January 2026. As UH’s chief financial affairs officer, Salaveria is responsible for UH’s $1.1-billion operating budget, guiding financial planning and resource allocation to strengthen academic, research and student success initiatives across the 10-campus system.
Salaveria has 35 years of professional executive experience in the public and private sectors, most recently serving as the state’s director of finance from 2022 to 2025 in the administration of Gov. Josh Green.
As the state finance director, he oversaw the State Treasury, which holds assets exceeding $14 billion, and managed the planning and design of the state’s annual $19-billion operational budget and $3-billion capital improvement budget.
Salaveria led the state’s financial response to the Maui Wildfire Disaster, implemented the state’s tax reform package, the “Green Affordability Plan,” resulting in the largest income tax update in state history, and developed the strategy for the state’s first climate resilience fund.
From 2014 to 2018, he served as director of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), where he oversaw statewide economic policy in business development, trade, energy and housing. Before joining DBEDT, Salaveria was the state’s deputy director of finance from 2011 to 2014, helping manage the state’s multi-year financial plan that achieved a $1 billion turnaround in three years.
In the private sector, Salaveria served as senior director of government affairs for SanHi Government Strategies, LLP (2018–22), representing clients including Fortune 500 companies, non-profits and trade associations. The work included successfully drafting and passing legislation and providing consulting in government operations.