Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 11, Number 3, 1 March 1994 — Sesnita Moepono is new OHA deputy administrator [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Sesnita Moepono is new OHA deputy administrator

Sesnita 'Auli'ikolomanu D. Moepono, Esq. has accepted the position of deputy administrator for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Moepono reports directly to Dante

Carpenter, OHA's new administrator. She fills the position previously held by Jerry Walker, who joined the Department of Health prior to R i e h a r d Paglinawan's

retirement. Moepono is an attorney with 10 years of legislative experienee in positions with the Senate Judiciary and Ways and Means committees and its Majority Office. More recently, she worked for the Office of Youth Services, responsible for "youth-at-risk," where part of her work involved their reorganization and legislative matters. Moepono was working in the Legislature when the enabling legislation for OHA was drafted and volunteered briefly at OHA in the early 1980s. She has watched OHA evolve from an idea to a reality. "I'm privileged to have this opportunity to be a participant in OHA's evolutionary process. With the sovereignty issue so prominent, this is a critical time for all Hawaiians, and a critical time for OHA. This is an opening in the wall for Hawaiians to make a positive change in deciding their future and that of generations to follow." She received her law degree from the William S. Richardson School of Law and in her practice has eoncentrated primarily on civil litigation, probate and estate planning. Moepono was born and raised on O'ahu, graduated from Punahou School, and received her BA from the

University of Hawaii at Mānoa. According to Moepono, her primary motivation is to secure a future for all Hawaiians and to ensure that

past and present achievements are preserved to enrich our Hawaiian heritage in the future. She feels Hawaiian children have I the most to I gain or lose hy the present.

She would like to give them the same opportunities available to other children so they are guaranteed a better future. "I see one of OHA's roles as facilitator to unite Hawaiians," she said. "All Hawaiians are ultimately striving for the same goal, a better future. We need to be united because fighting among ourselves will only be a barrier to achieving our goals." In terms of her administrative style, she describes herself as a "behind the scenes" kind of person and believes that open communication is critical in any relationship. "When I start a new job, I am there to leam and to contribute in making it a better plaee to work. I believe that everybody's job is important and that we leam from eaeh other. We're all striving to do the best we ean and we ean achieve more successes as a team. I'd like to see any work environment be 'user-friend-ly."' Ms. Moepono began work at OHA Feb. 7. She is married to Charles Austin Fem, a purchasing manager with Aloha State Sales. Their family includes two daughters, Alise Hi'ilani and Brooke Kahealani. She is the daughter of Moses and Anita K. Moepono.