The Hawaiʻi State Board of Education has appointed veteran public policy and government affairs leader Capsun M. Poe as its executive director overseeing the planning, coordination, monitoring and improvement of the Board’s operations. The state Constitution grants the Board the power to formulate statewide educational policy.
“Ua hauʻoli au i kēia manawa e hoʻoikaika ai i ka hana a ka Papa Hoʻonaʻauao e alakaʻi i ka ʻōnaehana hoʻonaʻauao lehulehu ma o ke alakaʻi hoʻolālā, ka hana ʻana i nā kulekele akaka, ka nānā pono ʻana, nā ʻōnaehana holoʻokoʻa, ka hoʻopili pono ʻana, a me ka ʻōlelo aʻoaʻo ikaika," wahi a Poe, nona ke koho ʻana i ka lā 3 ʻOkakopa.
In this role, Poe will serve as the liaison between the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education’s (HIDOE) leadership and Board members for agendas, communications and all other matters. He will assist with the overall coordination and management of the hoʻolālā hoʻolālā nā hopena i makemake ʻia a me ka mālama ʻana i nā kulekele, nā kaʻina hana a me nā papahana ma waena o ka Papa a me ke alakaʻi o HIDOE.
Poe brings over two decades of leadership experience in education, government and nonprofit institutions in Hawaiʻi. He currently serves as the chief advocate and community engagement director at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Prior to OHA, he spearheaded the HIDOE’s governmental affairs efforts as the administrator and legislative coordinator in the department’s Policy, Innovation, Planning & Evaluation Branch.
“Capsun’s 20-plus years of experience in policy and advocacy along with his demonstrated commitment to public education make him a strong leader for this role and we look forward to having him be our bridge with stakeholders and the community,” said Hawaiʻi Board of Education Chairman Warren Haruki.
Poe holds a master’s degree in public administration and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, at which time he also served as the student regent on the university’s Board of Regents.
“Ke kakali nei au i ke kamaʻilio ʻana, ka launa pū ʻana, a me ka hana e hiki mai ana me ka poʻe a pau e makemake ana i nā manawa hoʻonaʻauao maikaʻi loa no kā mākou mau keiki – ʻo ia hoʻi nā kumu hoʻonaʻauao, nā ʻohana, nā luna koho a me nā mea kākoʻo,” wahi a Poe.
