Gene R. Ward[1] is an American politician and a Republican member of the Hawaii House of Representatives since November 2006, current representing District 18.

He previously served as the Minority Leader from 2018 to 2020 and as Representative for District 17 from 1990 to 1998.

He is a Vietnam veteran and former Peace Corps Country Director in East Timor.

He also served with the United Nations in Malawi, Africa and was a presidential appointee in USAID in the George W. Bush administration.

Ward earned his BA, his MA, and his PhD from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.