Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 28, Number 1, 1 January 2011 — Native Hawanans appointed to Abercrombie cobinet [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Native Hawanans appointed to Abercrombie cobinet

Neil Abercrombie, who was sworn in as Governor on Dec. 6 on the grounds of 'Iolani Palaee, has announced appointments, whieh includes several Native Hawaiians: • William J. Aila Jr. as the Chairperson of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. Aila is the Wai'anae Boat Harbor Master and a member of Hui Malama 'O Mākua, a community group dedicated to protecting Mākua Valley, whieh is used for training by the Army. Guy Kaulukukui, the Associate Director for Strategic

Partnerships at The Kohala Center and former Chief of Staff to Honolulu City Council Chairman Todd Apo, was appointed as DLNR First Deputy Director. • Alapaki Nahale-a and Bobby Hall as the state Director and Deputy Director, respectively, of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. Nahale-a is a Hawaiian Homes Commissioner and Executive Director of the Hawai'i Charter Schools Network; Hall has worked for the state for more than three decades, including 15 years at DHHL. • Keali'i Lopez as Director of the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. She is the Presi-

I dentandCEOof 'Ōlelo Community Media. • Sunshine Topping, the Human Resources Director of Sandwich , Isles Communications, I as Director of the State Department of Human Resources Development.

Abercrombie also named former OHA Trustee and former state Sen. Malama Solomon to fill the Senate seat vacated by state Sen. Dwight īakamine (D, Hilo-Hawl), who was appointed Director of the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. Only the Department Directors face confirmation by the state Senate, whieh will have to occur by the end of the 201 1 legislative session in May.

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William J. Ailū Jr.

Alapaki Nohole-o

Bobby Hall

Keali'i Lopez

Malama Solomon