Mayor-elect Kirk Caldwell, who will be sworn into office on Wednesday, announced Saturday his appointments in the Mayor's Office, Managing Director's Office, and for the directorships of city agencies.

Ember Shinn has been named managing director, marking the first time in Honolulu history that a woman has been appointed to this key city management post. Prior to his election, Caldwell vowed to include more diversity in his cabinet selections and to place more women in top positions. 

The transition team received more than 400 applications for employment with the new administration.

“I’m excited about the team we’re building to manage the city,” said Caldwell. “I’m proud of the fact that Ember will be the first woman managing director, and that we will have top people in my administration who are so dedicated to public service.   What was striking in the interviews was that people chose to work for government because they want to accomplish something for the community and they feel they can make a difference.”

The Mayor-elect's cabinet appointments are as follows:

Mayor's Office and Managing Director's Office

Ember Shinn – managing director.  Shinn served as the executive assistant to Acting Mayor Caldwell in 2010.  She has more than 20 years of experience practicing law in California where she represented public and private entities in public law and employment litigation. She served as general counsel for Oakland Unified School District and the Peralta Community College District. 

Shinn returned home to Hawaii in 2001, retired from the practice of law, and worked for the State House of Representatives as staff attorney for the judiciary committee and as special assistant and chief of staff for the speaker of the house.

Georgette Deemer – deputy managing director.  Deemer served as the director of communications for the House of Representatives, where she worked with Caldwell when he was the House majority leader.

She served for 15 years as the state of Hawaii film commissioner under the Ariyoshi, Waihee and Cayetano administrations where she developed working relationships with city, state and federal agencies for film permitting for local, national and international production.  She oversaw the design, construction and management of the Hawaii Film Studio at Diamond Head.  In addition to her duties as deputy managing director, she will oversee and unify the city’s communications efforts across all agencies, elevating the importance of communications in the Caldwell administration.