Governor nominates Suzanne Case to lead DLNR

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Gov. David Ige announced Tuesday the nomination of Suzanne Case to lead the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Gov. David Ige announced Tuesday the nomination of Suzanne Case to lead the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Case has been executive director of The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii since 2001, overseeing 16 preserves totaling 53,000 acres in the state. She has been with TNC for 28 years.

She attended Waiakea-Kai Elementary and Keaukaha Elementary schools in Hilo and Punahou School. At Punahou, she was elected the first female student body president. Case holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Stanford University a law degree from Hastings College of the Law, University of California, in San Francisco.

“€œSuzanne shares my vision of wise stewardship of Hawaii’€™s public and conservation lands and waters, for excellence in government to make the most of our limited resources, and for collaboration and inclusion in carrying out the many responsibilities of the DLNR and the State of Hawai€˜i for the benefit of all,” Ige said.

The move comes several weeks after Ige faced a public backlash for nominating developer Carleton Ching to lead the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

The state Senate must approve departmental directors and some deputies nominated by the governor.