Longtime broadcast news reporter Keoki Kerr will leave Hawaii News Now April 8 for a position with the Hawaii State Teachers Association.

Kerr is to become a communications specialist with the teachers’ union, handling internal and external communications, a position vacated by Teri Tanaka last year.

“I think it’s time for something new and different in my life,” he told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. “I’ve been a (television) reporter for 25 years and have gotten a lot of experience and skills that I can put to work, working for a community organization like this … working to advocate for students and teachers is a noble calling, just like being a journalist.”

Kerr’s broadcast news career began at KGU-AM 760 when he was a junior at Punahou School in 1983. Among other news, he covered Frank Fasi’s re-election as Honolulu mayor in his defeat of incumbent Mayor Eileen Anderson in 1984.

The union notified its members this morning, and Hawaii News Now issued a memo to staff Thursday evening.

News director Mark Platte lauded Kerr’s “stellar work” on stories relating to problems at the Hawaii State Hospital, among other coverage.

HSTA President Corey Rosenlee welcomed Kerr, in a statement, noting his “reputation as a fair and accurate reporter on issues that impact our community, combined with his personal commitment to building volunteers, mentoring young people and coordinating community events will be valuable to our organization.”