Young replaces Michelle Kauhane who was fired from the position in December. 

Kauhane, who set off a political firestorm in February when she released a secret recording of a meeting between her, the attorney general and Abercrombie’s chief of staff, held shortly before her dismissal, has also moved on. She will head the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement. Robin Danner, the organization’s founding president and CEO, plans to step down this year. 

Young is currently the director of communications and acting deputy director for DHHL. He officially assumes the deputy position on May 1, according to a press release from the governor’s office. 

From the press release: 

Prior to becoming acting deputy director, Young worked as chief of staff for former Honolulu City Councilman Nestor Garcia since 2003. 

Young also worked as a housing information officer for the Housing and Community Development Corporation of Hawaii from 2001-2003 and a management executive for the Hawaiiana Management Company, Ltd. in 2001. In addition, he was a government affairs representative for Tesoro Hawaii Corporation from 1995 to 2000 and worked for Aloha Petroleum, Ltd. from 1988 to 1995. 

Young is an active member of the community, serving on the Waikele Community Association board of directors since 1996 (as president since 2010) and a member of the Champions at Waikele Neighborhood Committee since 1994. He also served on the Waipahu Neighborhood Board from 1995 to 1999. 

He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Ind., and is a graduate of Kamehameha Schools. 

Young is a resident of Waikele and has been married for 22 years to his wife, Jamie. Together, they have two sons, Carson and Zachary. 

— Sophie Cocke