Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 31, Number 7, 1 July 2014 — Esther Kiaʻāina confirmation [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Esther Kiaʻāina confirmation

The U.S. Senate on June 26 unanimously confirmed Esther Kia'āina as assistant secretary for insular areas at the Department of the Interior. The posi-

tion coordinates federal policy for American Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands, and administers and

oversees federal assistance to Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and Palau under the Compacts of Free Association. President Ohama nominated Kia'āina to the post in September while she was a deputy director at the Hawai'i Department of Land and Natural Resources. She previously served as chief advocate at OHA and land asset manager at Kamehameha Schools. In Washington, D.C., she served as legislative assistant to then-U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka and chief of staff to former U.S. Reps. Robert Underwood of Guam and Ed Case of Hawai'i. At the time of her confirmation, Kia'āina was senior adviser to Interior Secretary Sally lewell.

Esther Kia'ōina