Okuma has worked extensively for the City and County of Honolulu. She worked for four years as Honolulu County's Deputy Director of Wastewater Management/Environmental Services, seven years as an attorney for the city and county and two years as first deputy corporation counsel. She most recently served as the City and County of Honolulu's director of human resources for four years.

Okuma has also spent two years with the state of Hawai'i Judiciary's Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution as its program administrator for the Hawaii Appellate Mediation Program.

Okuma is a current member and former president of the Hawaii United Okinawa Association, a board member of the Industrial Research and Resource Association,and is a past president of the National Association of Women in Construction. She is a former member of the U.S. Department of Justice Environmental Task Force.

"I am delighted to have Cheryl join our team and contribute to Maui County", Tavares said. "This new department will be dealing with logistical, procedural, and operating challenges as it becomes established. The full spectrum of management talent that she brings will be important for the many challenges we face in wastewater and solid waste issues".

Okuma has a bachelor of arts degree in political science from the University of Hawai'i-Manoa and graduated cum laude from the California Western School of Law. She is presently in private practice as an attorney specializing in civil law on O'ahu and will begin her appointed position with the County of Maui on July 1.