Lani Starkey

Lani Starkey, a tax attorney and accountant, is Associate Vice President, Principal Gifts and Estate and Gift Planning. A nationally recognized charitable tax planning expert, Lani frequently speaks at national, regional, and local conferences, and has authored articles in respected journals, newspapers, and newsletters. Lani is also an Adjunct Professor at the Shidler College of Business at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Lani received his LL.M. in Tax from the University of Florida’s Graduate Tax Program. He earned his J.D. cum laude from Pepperdine University School of Law, and his B.B.A. in Accounting from Texas State University. Fortunately, Lani passed both the Bar and CPA exam on his first attempt.

Prior to joining the Foundation, Lani was Vice President and a Staff Attorney at Crescendo Interactive, Inc., a Southern California for-profit corporation. His responsibilities included teaching and speaking at over 30 tax seminars and conferences each year, consulting with nonprofits and professional advisors nationwide, and researching and writing tax articles.

Lani’s legal experience derives from both the private and public sector. After clerking for a large Texas gas corporation, he was a judicial intern for the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit for the Honorable Stephen Reinhardt and the Los Angeles County Superior Court for the Honorable Robert M. Letteau.

Lani has strong ties to Hawaii and the University of Hawaii. Lani spent part of his childhood growing up on the Kohala Coast of the Big Island. Lani's father earned a master’s degree and a Ph.D. from UH Manoa, and his sister earned a bachelor's degree from UH Manoa. In addition, Lani’s father is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Hawaii Center in West Hawaii. Prior to moving to Hawaii, Lani was a longtime resident of Houston, Texas, and Malibu, California, where he was an avid triathlete and surfer.

Lani is a member of the University of Hawaii Foundation’s Heritage Society and President's Club. Lani is also a member of the State Bar of California, Hawaii Society of CPAs, Hawaii Estate Planning Council, Financial Planner’s Association of Hawaii, and the Partnership for Philanthropic Planning.