Michael Otsuji has been named assistant superintendent to lead the Hawai‘i State Department of Education’s Office of Information Technology Services. In this role he will be responsible for overseeing the Department’s statewide information and telecommunication systems and services for schools and offices.

At the recommendation of Superintendent Keith Hayashi, the Board of Education voted unanimously to approve Otsuji’s appointment. His first day will be June 5, 2023.

"Mr. Otsuji is a principled person. He possesses the values and characteristics that we admire in leaders – someone who can be honest about where we are and the steps we need to take to move the Department and public education forward,” Hayashi said. “He will be an invaluable member of our senior leadership team as we continue our journey to modernize our systems to be highly effective and efficient.”

Otsuji brings over 40 years of professional experience, including managing modernization projects in various roles with the state Departments of Health, Labor and Industrial Relations, Taxation and Enterprise Technology Services. He was directly involved with the conversion of all executive branch state departments to a unified platform and also led efforts to improve the processing of tax payments and online tax filings.

Hayashi expressed his deep appreciation for Christine Shaw who has served in the assistant superintendent role in acting and interim capacities since Aug. 2021. At Shaw’s request, she will return to her previous position as executive assistant to the assistant superintendent for the Office of Information Technology Services.