Gov. David Ige has picked two new members for the state Board of Education and two new commissioners for the state Land Use Commission.
Former educator Patricia Bergin and business reporter-turned-attorney Bruce Voss were selected to serve on the nine-member Board of Education.
The governor nominated former Deputy Attorney General Dawn Chang and real estate attorney Gary Okuda to the nine-member state Land Use Commission. Ige also reappointed Commissioner Jonathan Scheuer, whose current term expires June 30.
On the BOE, Bergin will replace Vice Chairman Brian De Lima, and Voss will replace Patrica Halagao. Board member Amy Asselbaye’s term will expire June 30.
Bergin is a former teacher with the state Department of Education. She is currently the coordinator for leadership teams of Ka HULI Mua, a consortium of preschool programs on three islands. She also serves as an adjunct professor at Chaminade University.
Voss is a partner with the law firm of Bays Lung Rose &Holma. His practice specializes in business, real estate, employment law and litigation. He previously worked as a reporter for Pacific Business News and KHON-2 News. Voss is a graduate of Kalaheo High School and the Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaii.
On the Land Use Commission, Chang was picked replace Chad McDonald, who was a holdover appointee; Okuda will fill a long-standing vacancy.
Chang for 14 years was a deputy attorney general with the Land/Transportation Division in the Department of the Attorney General, and counsel to various state boards and commissions including the Board of Land and Natural Resources and the Commission on Water Resource Management . She is currently principal of Kuiwalu, a public affairs company that specializes in strategic planning and facilitating culturally sensitive issues for public- and private-sector projects.
Okuda has practiced law since 1981, specializing in real estate matters.
All of the nominations are subject to confirmation by the Senate.