She covered the Legislature as a reporter, but now former TV news reporter and anchor Jill Kuramoto will be on the other side of the phone calls, cameras and microphones in her new role as Senate communications director.
Kuramoto’s last day as information officer for the Honolulu Board of Water Supply was Friday, and this is her first day in the new job, jumping straight from occasionally ruptured water lines into the frying pan that is the Hawaii Legislature.
She was approached for the job, she said, and has been succeeded at BWS by longtime public relations practitioner Shawn Nakamoto, formerly of Hawaii Pacific Health, Kamehameha Schools and the University of Hawaii.
Nakamoto started at BWS on Dec. 1, she told TheBuzz.
Kuramoto is excited about the new position.
"I’ll be handling communications for all 25 senators and helping them communicate with the community on the many bills and measures," she said.
"Most of the senators handle media calls" directly, she said, "but I’m here to assist."
Kuramoto succeeds Thelma Dreyer in the position, which is not just a January-through-May job.
"I’ll still be in, as (lawmakers) work year-round, so I’ll still be working on communications for each of the senators and what they’re doing" while the legislature is not in session.
She recalled her time reporting on the "Lej," as reporters are wont to call it, as exciting.
"It was an incredible experience to be on the inside of all the political action" during her "many years" of covering the Legislature as a reporter, she said.
She is looking forward to the experience from the real inside of the political action, which she sees as an opportunity for growth, professionally.
Reach Erika Engle at 529-4303, erika@staradvertiser.com or on Twitter as @erikaengle.
