‘Truly grateful for her years of service’: Kaua‘i County mayor’s office Chief of Staff leaving post in July

A nearly 15-year veteran of the mayor’s office in Kaua‘i County — who has played a key part in helping the Garden Isle through some of its toughest times during her tenure — will be saying her final farewells to colleagues during the next couple of weeks as she prepares to leave her post.

Kaua‘i County Mayor Derek Kawakami announced earlier this week that Chief of Staff Sarah Blane will depart the county in July.

She and her family will be moving to the Big Island.

“Sarah has been a steady hand through some of the most challenging times in our island’s history — from record-breaking floods to a global pandemic,” Kawakami said in his announcement. “Sarah leads with humility and aloha, and she cares deeply for island residents and visitors. We are truly grateful for her years of service and wish her the very best as she moves into her next chapter.”

Blane served with the City and County of Honolulu Rapid Transit Division prior to 2010 when she joined Kaua‘i County as a public information officer.

She was initially appointed chief of staff in 2017 by then-Kaua‘i County Mayor Bernard Carvalho and continued to serve in the post during the Kawakami administration after he took office in 2018.

Blane played a central role in the county’s crisis response efforts throughout her tenure, including during the historic April 2018 floods, the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2024 Kaumakani wildfire.

She served as a political advisor to the mayor, was part of the county’s budget team and was a key liaison between the county and Garden Isle community. She also helped develop coordinated public messaging during emergencies, ensuring the timely and accurate flow of information to residents and stakeholders.

Blane is a graduate of Kamehameha Schools-Kapālama Campus in Honolulu and received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration from University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Shidler College of Business on O‘ahu.

She is known for her calm leadership under pressure as well as her ability to mentor, motivate and guide staff and the public with compassion and clarity.

“It’s been an extraordinary honor to serve the Office of the Mayor and the people of Kaua‘i,” Blane said in the mayor’s announcement. “Kaua‘i’s generosity and ability to care for one another, especially in times of crisis, is unmatched.”

She said the Garden Isle taught her the importance of building trust between government and the community it serves, and the need for community-focused leadership in government.

Blane and her family might be leaving Kaua‘i to write their next chapter, but she will definitely miss the island she called home and the community she served for the past nearly 2 decades.

“While my family and I are excited about our next adventure in Waimea on Hawai‘i Island, I will certainly be leaving a piece of my heart here at the County of Kaua‘i,” she said.

A replacement chief of staff has not yet been appointed.