Native Hawaiian Presidential Appointment Project

OHA is launching the first-ever Native Hawaiian Presidential Appointment Project, to increase the number of Native Hawaiians ready to serve in the President’s Administration. Presidential Appointees make important decisions that affect Hawaiians and Hawaii every day, and we want our community to be represented among these leaders. OHA is developing this project for the long term, so Native Hawaiians have a voice on the inside of every Presidential Administration.

OHA developed this project in consultation with the White House to determine how we can increase the number of highly qualified Native Hawaiians ready to serve as Presidential Appointees. Based on our research and input from the White House, OHA has developed a Presidential Appointment project, through which we will:

1. Raise awareness among Native Hawaiians about the process and benefits associated with Presidential Appointments,
2. Operate a “talent bank” for Native Hawaiians to submit their qualifications for Presidential Appointments, and
3. Inform the White House about highly qualified Native Hawaiians worthy of the President’s consideration.

Get started by downloading an application by clicking the button below:

To submit your completed application, please email it to publicservice@oha.org or click the button below:

Questions and Answers

Q. What is a Presidential Appointment?
A. Presidential appointees serve in a variety of positions in the Executive Branch of the Federal government, from the White House Chief of Staff and agency directors to a variety of junior level staff positions across federal departments and agencies. There are opportunities for bright, hardworking people at various stages of their careers. Presidential appointees serve at the pleasure of the President, and come and go with each Administration.

Q. Why is OHA doing this?
A. Presidential Appointees make important decisions that affect Hawaiians and Hawaii every day. We want our community to be represented among these leaders. Our data indicates that Native Hawaiians are vastly underrepresented among full-time Presidential Appointees. In conversations with the White House, OHA learned how many organizations promote Presidential Appointments within their communities and believe that Native Hawaiians and Hawaii would gain from OHA providing the same service for the state’s indigenous people.

Q. How will the Native Hawaiian Presidential Appointment Project work?
A. The Native Hawaiian Presidential Appointment Project can be divided into three parts:
First, educating the Native Hawaiian community about the process and possibilities that come with applying for a Presidential Appointment.
Second, receiving candidates through OHA’s online “talent bank,” which can be accessed through oha.org.
Third, informing the White House about highly qualified Native Hawaiians interested in Presidential Appointments, and assisting both parties with placement.

Q. Aren’t Presidential Appointments reserved for Cabinet Secretaries? What positions could Native Hawaiians apply for?
A. While Cabinet appointments get most of the attention, the President appoints more than 5,000 Executive Branch employees across the federal government. This includes many positions commonly held by young professionals, as well as the more commonly known senior executive positions. Presidential Appointees can be at any point of their career and will be considered based on their qualifications.

Q. Do candidates need to apply for a specific position?
A. Candidates do not need to apply for a specific position. At the same time, it is very helpful for candidates to clearly express which agency or agencies they are interested in and to explain how their skills and knowledge would match those workplaces. To learn more about different positions, you can read an online guide to appointee positions commonly referred to as the “Plum Book.”

Q. Why should Native Hawaiians consider serving as Presidential Appointees?
A. As an appointee, Native Hawaiians will have the opportunity to make an impact for Hawaii and across the United States, while working for the President. In addition to whatever important work they are doing for their particular office, they will be a Native Hawaiian voice in a Presidential Administration.

Q. Why should Native Hawaiians consider submitting their qualifications to OHA?
A. OHA has developed its Presidential Appointment Project after working closely with the White House to consider how we can increase the number of Native Hawaiians ready and able to serve as Presidential Appointees. OHA will work closely with the White House to notify them of the best qualified candidates who submit their qualifications.
At the same time, candidates are encouraged to also apply directly to the Obama Administration. To apply directly, visit: https://apply.whitehouse.gov/

Q. How do I apply?
A. OHA is launching its online talent bank, available at oha.org. Download an application, fill it out then email the completed application to publicservice@oha.org

Q. If I apply today, how long will it take me until I get an appointment?
A. While OHA developed the Presidential Appointment Project while working with the White House, OHA has no authority with respect to who the President appoints. Participation in the Presidential Appointment Project does not guarantee a recommendation, and a recommendation does not guarantee an appointment. Most applicants who are seriously considered by the White House will be required to go through a full FBI background check in which their employment, professional, personal, travel, medical, financial, legal, military and educational histories will be under review. High-level appointees, such as those subject to Senate confirmation, can also expect public scrutiny. This process can take a significant amount of time.

Q. Why can’t I just wait until I hear about a Presidential Appointee position that I’m interested in?
A. By then, it will probably be too late for you to be considered. Because of the rigorous and time consuming vetting process required for serious candidates, it’s important for candidates to be pre-vetted before the right opening happens.

Q. Will the information I submit to OHA be kept confidential?
A. All of the information submitted to OHA, including the names of the candidates, will be kept confidential. OHA will not share any information, except for the information we will provide to the White House regarding highly qualified candidates.

Q. Am I committing myself to anything by submitting my qualifications?
A. Candidates are not committing themselves to anything by submitting their qualifications. However, submitting your qualifications and receiving an initial review now leaves the door open for future consideration.

Q. Do Native Hawaiians have to apply through OHA in order to be considered for a Presidential Appointment?
A. Native Hawaiians do not have to apply through OHA to be considered for an appointment. Submitting your qualifications to OHA’s talent bank gives OHA the opportunity to review your candidacy and consider informing the White House about your interest. In addition to submitting your qualifications to OHA, we recommend that you also apply directly to the White House via https://apply.whitehouse.gov/

Q. Will I have to move to Washington, DC?
A. Most, but not all full-time Presidential Appointee positions are based in Washington, DC. Presidential Appointees return to their home state after serving the President and bring their knowledge and skills back to their own community. Additionally, candidates who want to serve but cannot relocate may consider part-time opportunities such as serving on federal advisory boards and commissions. You can learn about the roughly 1,000 federal advisory committees by visiting the Federal Advisory Committees Database at http://fido.gov/database

Q. How will OHA determine who to recommend to the White House?
A. OHA will collect, organize and review all of the completed resumes that are submitted to the online talent bank, available via oha.org. OHA staff will then meet with White House to inform them of highly qualified candidates.

Q. How will a candidate know whether or not they are being recommended by OHA?
A. OHA will reach out to the candidate through the contact information that they provide in their submission. If urgency requires OHA to recommend a candidate before reaching that individual, OHA will continue to attempt to make contact using the contract information that the candidates provides when submitting their information to the talent bank.

Q. What if someone supports this project, but doesn’t want to apply themselves? How can they help?
A. People who support this initiative but don’t want to apply themselves can still help by assisting OHA with contacting and supporting prospective applicants. Please contact us if you have a candidate in mind or have suggestion on how we can spread the word.

Q. Is OHA also looking at other ways to prepare Native Hawaiians for public service at the federal level?
A. Yes, in addition to developing the Presidential Appointment Project, OHA is developing a broader initiative to help Native Hawaiians enter public service. We will have more to share on that later this year.