Gov. Neil Abercrombie has appointed Esther Puakela Kiaaina to the deputy director position of the Department of Land and Natural Resources. She fills the vacancy left by Guy Kaulukukui who resigned in August.

She begins on Oct. 15.

Kiaaina, who ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Congress in the primary, “has over 20 years of experience in developing and implementing policy on issues that concern the State of Hawai’i,” according to a press release. The work includes chief advocate at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and former land asset manager of Kamehameha Schools’ Land Assets Division.

Kiaaina also worked for Sen. Daniel Akaka, former Congressman Robert Underwood and former Congressman Ed Case.