News Release
National Park Service
News Release Date: June 27, 2024
Contact: PWR_Public_Affairs@nps.gov
SAN FRANCISCO – The National Park Service (NPS) has selected Christine Ogura as the new permanent superintendent of Honouliuli National Historic Site beginning September 2024.Ogura has worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for 14 years. She worked for the late U.S. Congresswoman Patsy T. Mink and for non-profits acquiring lands for the NPS and supported international conservation efforts in more than 10 countries. She was the planner for the Hawaiʻi Wildlife Action Plan and managed the Hawaiʻi Division of Forestry and Wildlife’s Watershed Partnerships program, which involved over 60 public-private landowners/partners.
“Though new to NPS, Christine’s breadth of experiences brings an appreciation for different perspectives, strong partnering skills and a collaborative approach,” said Pacific West Regional Director David Szymanski. “She has a proven track record of leading and implementing successful initiatives and 25 years of experience working with others at various levels in different organizations.”
In her role, Ogura will oversee a site dedicated to telling the history of incarceration, martial law, and the experience of prisoners of war in Hawaiʻi during World War II. It will be a place to reflect on wartime experiences.
“Growing up in Hawaiʻi, I had no idea that we had a history of incarceration sites and camps throughout the islands,” Ogura said. “To me, incarceration of Japanese Americans was a mainland experience. When Honouliuli was discovered, it really changed my understanding of this history, and it became so much more personal.”
She has often reflected on how if she had been born a generation earlier, she and her mother would have been sent to an incarceration site such as Honouliuli.
“To be able to return home and be part of telling this very important part of our American history is extremely meaningful and compelled me to apply for the position,” she added. “I very much look forward to working with and listening to families, community members, organizations, and many others who have dedicated their lives to telling this story. Working with others to best understand how to share this history for remembrance and reflection is an honor I am immensely humbled by and grateful for.”
Ogura was born and raised on the Hawaiian island of Oʻahu and graduated from Punahou School. She received her Bachelor of Arts in International Relations in 1997 from Claremont McKenna College in California.
Upon graduation, she moved to Washington, D.C. where she worked as a legislative assistant for the late Congresswoman Patsy T. Mink. She then left government to pursue opportunities in the non-profit sector, first with the National Park Trust, and then with Conservation International.
In 2003, she earned her Master of Science in Natural Resource Policy and Behavior with a focus on collaborative natural resource management and conflict resolution from the University of Michigan. She returned to Hawaiʻi to apply her experience, education, and training toward
supporting conservation locally.
In 2010, she joined the USFWS as a planner with the Hawaiian and Pacific Islands National Wildlife Refuge Complex. She is currently the Deputy Assistant Regional Director for the Pacific Region USFWS National Wildlife Refuge System based out of Portland Oregon.
Ogura also served on two non-profit boards - the Pacific Seabird Group and Oʻhu Oʻhu Koʻolau Inc., which supports watershed conservation.
She has volunteered her time to facilitate strategic planning for the Friends of Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge and the Honolulu Museum of Arts. She also volunteered with the County of Honolulu’s K-9 Urban Search and Rescue group.
Throughout her career, Ogura has mentored others while serving in programs such as the Directorate Fellows Program, Stepping up to Leadership, Hispanic Access Foundation, the Knauss Fellowship, and the Department of Interior’s (DOI) women’s mentoring program. More recently she is leading an effort with the DOI Federal Asian Pacific American Council to develop a mentoring pilot initiative.
She looks forward to moving back home and working with others to share the stories of this important site.
To learn more about Honouliuli National Historic Site, please go to www.nps.gov/hono.
About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 429 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
Last updated: June 27, 2024