R. Kelly Haws serves as the academic vice president, at Brigham Young University–Hawaii. He previously served as acting president of BYU–Hawaii from December 2025 to July 2026, providing leadership during a period of transition and working closely with the President’s Council, university committees, and the Board of Trustees on faculty and senior employee hiring, budgets, university strategy, and institutional priorities.
President Haws brings more than 40 years of experience in the Church Educational System (CES), beginning as a seminary teacher in 1984. Prior to his service at BYU–Hawaii, he held a variety of leadership roles within Seminaries and Institutes of Religion and CES, including managing director for CES, secretary to the CES Boards of Trustees, assistant to the commissioner, associate administrator of Seminaries and Institutes of Religion, and assistant administrator. Throughout his career, he has worked closely with Church leaders, university presidents, and senior administrators on academic affairs, governance, strategic planning, budgeting, operations, faculty hiring, and institutional development.
President Haws has maintained a longstanding connection to BYU–Hawaii. He has participated in university leadership meetings, contributed to the development and review of annual strategic plans and budgets, and worked closely with university leadership on CES initiatives. He has also spoken at 12 BYU–Hawaii commencement ceremonies. His familiarity with the university’s mission, people, and culture provided a strong foundation for his service as acting president.
He holds a Doctor of Arts in education from George Mason University, where his doctoral research focused on foundational principles governing teaching in CES. He also earned a master’s degree in family and human development from Utah State University and a bachelor’s degree in marketing and business writing from Brigham Young University.
President and Sister Haws met while he was a student and basketball player at Snow College, where he also served as student body president. He and Connie Haws have three children.
President Haws is committed to BYU–Hawaii’s mission of preparing students of Oceania and the Asian Rim to become disciples of Jesus Christ and leaders in their families, communities, and professions. He is grateful for the opportunity to serve faculty, staff, and students as the university continues its mission.