The US Senate has confirmed Esther Puakela Kia'aina is the new Assistant Secretary of the US Department of Interior for Insular Areas.
Interior Department secretary Sally Jewell says Ms Kia'aina will bring considerable expertise to issues facing US territories and the freely associated states.
Ms Jewells says Ms Kia'aina, who was born in Guam to Native Hawaiian parents, has strong connections to the Pacific islands and extensive experience on Capitol Hill.
