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Misaki Takabayashi has been serving as chancellor of Kapiʻolani Community College since March 2023. Her career has been dedicated to empowering every learner to use education to transform themselves while being true to their authentic selves. Her work in the University of Hawaiʻi began at UH Hilo in 2005 where she was a marine science professor, dean of arts and sciences, and associate vice chancellor for academic affairs.

From 2018 to 2022, she served as associate vice president and vice dean of graduate school at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology in Okinawa, Japan. She is a leading member of the U.S.-Japan Council and actively supports globalization of student learning.

She earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in biology at the University of Sydney and PhD in marine science at the University of Queensland, Australia.

Takabayashi has worked extensively to create opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students from minoritized backgrounds in STEM through scholarships, research and service learning. She has secured multimillion dollar grants with collaborators to support such efforts for students in her research lab as well as others within the UH System.

As part of her efforts to become a more effective educator and administrator in Hawaiʻi, she has completed an associate of applied science degree in Hawaiian studies at Hawaiʻi CC. This took 10 years studying part-time as an adult learner while she was working at UH Hilo. Takabayashi has been an active member of Hawaiʻi Papa O Ke Ao activities since she was in Hilo and continues her efforts at Kapiʻolani CC.