Dawn Amano-Ige is standing alone at the edge of Washington Place’s lanai watching this columnist trudge through the back lawn between the security guards and the state Capitol.

"Aloha, you are my first official visitor," says the wife of Hawaii’s new governor, David Ige.

The former teacher and public school vice principal confesses she is still learning about her new job description as Hawaii’s first lady.

Ige, much like her husband, is both calm and open in an organized sort of way.

"Right now I am focusing on the role of first lady. First I need to understand that. Then I need to learn and understand about Washington Place," said Ige, 56, who explained that though her legal name is Amano-Ige, she goes by just Ige.

"I am going to be looking at a first lady’s platform. It will be on education — as to what form it will take, I am going to spend the next few weeks talking about it with different people."

After graduating from the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a degree in journalism and working for what is now Stryker Weiner & Yokota Public Relations, Inc., Ige was marketing director of Kapiolani Medical Center. Before switching to the classroom, Ige also earned a master’s degree in business from Chaminade.

But having three children convinced Ige that teaching was her real passion.

"It was the combination of watching them learn and what it takes for a child to learn how to read. It is not a simple process and I was amazed at how much you can help a child learn to read. Once they can read they can do anything," Ige said in explaining why she became an educator.

As for state policy, even educational policy, Ige said she understands both her role and her expertise.

"As far as influencing policy, David is the governor and he and his staff will be setting policy. 

I am not an elected official; I am first lady, wife of the governor, and so my role is very different — not so much as a policy maker," she said, adding with a smile, "at the same time I am an educator and a constituent."

Asked about the governor, Ige said there is no change between the soft-spoken, electrical engineer turned politician who beat an incumbent governor with a $5 million campaign checkbook, and the guy who came home to Pearl City every night.

"What you see is pretty much what you get. He is very focused on his job. He will put in the long hours; he will do his homework, his due diligence. 

"He just works hard and enjoys what he does."

Ige explained that before every campaign season, her husband, who served 29 years in the Legislature, would discuss what to do. Last year, she said, they decided to go for the state’s top job.

"He reflected on the 29 years; he wanted to see the direction of the state move in a different way," Ige said.

"Once we made a commitment as a family, we have been in it 100 percent," she said.

Richard Borreca writes on politics on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Reach him at rborreca@staradvertiser.com.

Editor’s note: Richard Borreca will be off for the rest of the year. His column resumes Jan. 6.