Tiva M. Aga, founder and executive director of Urban Development

Programs in Hawaii, has been selected by Secretary of Commerce Carlos M.

Gutierrez to serve on the U.S. Census Bureau's Advisory Committee on the

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander population.

As a member of the nine-person committee, the Honolulu resident will

advise the Census Bureau on the new American Community Survey and ways to

achieve a more accurate count of the Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific

Islander population in the 2010 Census.

"The Race and Ethnic Advisory Committees play a vital role in ensuring

that we make the best effort possible to reach race and ethnic groups, not

only during the 2010 Census, but also the American Community Survey that is conducted throughout the decade," Census Bureau Director Steve H. Murdock said.

As a community builder, Aga is a strong advocate for Pacific Islander

communities within Hawaii in areas of health and social services, public

awareness and building relations. She develops programs to assist Pacific

Island women through health and education, with the goal of empowering women

to become independent of public assistance and into homeownership.

Aga earned her bachelor's degree in business administration from Chadron State College in Nebraska.

Five race and ethnic advisory committees — African-American, American

Indian and Alaska Native, Asian, Hispanic, and Native Hawaiian and Other

Pacific Islander — advise the Census Bureau on issues affecting minority

populations. The committees are assembled from the public at large and

representatives of national, state, local and tribal entities, as well as

nonprofit and private sector organizations. Members of the committees are

academicians, community leaders, policy makers and others interested in an

accurate count for their communities.