Malia Santilla is from the island of Oahu, in Kaneohe. As a Hawaii native, she received a bachelor’s degree and a master’s in criminal justice administration from Chaminade University of Honolulu. For fifteen years, her career focused on empowering children and families involved in the foster care and juvenile justice system. Her passion for the justice system led her to Arizona Summit Law School, where she graduated in 2014. She furthered her education, obtaining a master’s in law with a focus in dispute resolution from Pepperdine University’s Caruso School of Law in 2022. Malia enjoys playing with Maui, her English bulldog, and cooking for friends and family.