An Oahu educator has been appointed director of the Executive Office on Early Learning.

Gov. David Ige on Monday announced the appointment of Lauren Moriguchi, who has served as an educational specialist at the state Department of Education, a preschool teacher, special educator, resource teacher, mentor teacher and educational specialist at both the district and state levels.

Moriguchi will coordinate early childhood education services offered within the public school system and guide policy around the expansion of early childhood education.

The position has been vacant since Dec. 1, when Gov. Neil Abercrombie left office.

Moriguchi has also worked with Special Olympics Hawaii, helping to develop the structure for its Young Athletes program, which serves children 2 1/2 to 7 years old.

Moriguchi earned a bachelor’s degree in child, family and consumer sciences, with an emphasis on early childhood and a minor in aging studies, at the University of Idaho. She is pursuing a master’s degree in curriculum studies with an emphasis on early childhood.