U.S. Rep.-elect Mazie Hirono, D-Hawai'i, has appointed former state Rep. Carl Takamura to be her chief of staff.

Takamura, who will be based in Hawai'i, will be Hirono's chief policy adviser and will oversee both her Washington and Hawai'i offices, according to an announcement from her office.

Takamura served two terms in the state House, representing the urban Honolulu neighborhoods of Mo'ili'ili and McCully. For the past 16 years, he has been executive director of the Hawaii Business Roundtable, Hirono's office said in a news release.

In other appointments, Hirono said Honolulu attorney Francis M. Nakamoto, a partner with Ayabe, Chong, Nishimoto, Sia & Nakamura, will be director of her Washington office.

Susan Kodani will be Hirono's deputy chief of staff in Washington. Kodani has served for more than 20 years in community relations at organizations such as the Bishop Museum and the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai'i.

Yvonne W.M. Lau is to become director of Hirono's Hawai'i district office. Lau previously was investigator supervisor for the state Civil Rights Commission.