WAILUKU - Wailuanui resident Mahealani Perez-Wendt has been named as Maui County's commissioner to a panel responsible for preparing and maintaining a roll of qualified Native Hawaiians interested in participating in their own government.

Perez-Wendt, 64, has been executive director of the Native Hawaiian Legal Corp. for 32 years. She was the first Native Hawaiian board member for the Native American Rights Fund.

In other appointments to the panel, former Gov. John Waihee was picked as an at-large member of the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission. Gov. Neil Abercrombie announced the appointments Thursday.

Creation of the commission is the next step in allowing Native Hawaiians to establish their own government.

In July, Abercrombie signed a bill into law formally recognizing Native Hawaiians as the only indigenous people of Hawaii.

"These individuals represent various sectors of the Hawaiian community," Abercrombie said.

Waihee, 65, of Honolulu was the first Native Hawaiian governor, serving two terms from 1986 to 1994. In 1993, he created the Hawaiian Sovereignty Advisory Commission.

"Now is the time to unify as a people," Waihee said. "The belief in our nation-building process is being realized. It has been a long time coming but today we have a renewed sense of confidence for our people and our future."

Naalehu Anthony, chief executive director of Oiwi TV and principal of Paliku Documentary Films, was named as the Oahu commissioner. Anthony, 36, of Kailua is also director and executive producer of Ahai Olelo Ola, Hawaiian language news.

Lei Kihoi is the Hawaii County commissioner. Kihoi, 66, of Kailua-Kona is a former staff attorney for Judge Walter Heen. She wrote and promoted legislation on Hawaiian issues.

Kauai commissioner Robin Puanani Danner is president of chief executive officer of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement. Danner, 48, of Anahola developed programs including the first statewide Native Loan Fund and the Hawaii Family Finance Project.