American Samoa’s King named OIA deputy director

A native American Samoan has been appointed the deputy director of the U.S Department of Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs, becoming the highest level of federal service in the executive branch that an indigenous person from that territory has ever assumed.

Sandra Salevasaosamoa King was welcomed last week by OIA Director Ferdinand “Danny” Aranza who praised her appointment as a “good fit” for an agency tasked with overseeing the affairs of U.S. insular areas, including the Northern Marianas.

“I know I speak for the entire office in welcoming Sandra. As a native Samoan, her insight will be important, and with her background and credentials, I expect she will hit the ground running,” said Mr. Aranza in a statement.

“This is a good fit, at a great time for our office,” he added as he noted Ms. King’s experience with the U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration is “invaluable” for OIA and its clients.

Mr. Aranza added that the new deputy director displayed “enthusiasm and passion” for her work during her first OIA staff meeting. “I am looking forward to our term together,” he said.

Ms. King worked as a special assistant to Sen. Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii) from 1991 to 1993., after which she spent four years as lobbyist for a law firm specializing in maritime, transportation and environmental law, according to the statement issued by OIA.

From this stint, Ms. King was later tapped by Mr. Inouye to serve as a member of his professional staff on the Senate committee.

“It is an honor to serve the people of the U.S. territories and freely associated states. As a native of the Pacific Islands, I care genuinely about [their] affairs… and look forward to working with local governments on issues they consider of importance to their general welfare,” she said in the statement.

“I hope to add significantly to the professional team already in place at [OIA],” added the new deputy director who was appointed last October.

Ms. King is the daughter of Rowena King and the late Jake P. King, former owners and publishers of the Samoa News and Samoa Journal. She was the 1986 valedictorian and student body president of Fa’asao High School in American Samoa.

She received her Bachelor’s degree from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California, obtained her Juris Doctor degree from the George Washington School of Law, and was a member of the GW Journal of International Law and Economics.

An avid golfer, Ms. King is the founder and president of the Women’s Congressional Golf Association in Washington, D.C., according to the statement.