I am an educational leader, governance practitioner, and proud Māori (Ngāti Porou) and Pacific (Samoan and Tongan) woman, as well as the mother of four beautiful children. I am currently completing a Master of Indigenous Studies at the University of Otago, where my research explores the experiences of Pacific school board members and how Pacific knowledge systems and governance perspectives can strengthen educational governance to improve outcomes for Pacific learners. My research also considers how these approaches can foster more equitable, culturally responsive decision-making that benefits Māori, refugee-migrant learners, and the wider communities our schools serve.

Education, leadership, and service have been central to both my professional career and my personal values. Alongside my postgraduate study, I serve as the Presiding Member (Board Chair) of a primary school Board, where I have seen firsthand the profound influence that effective governance can have on student achievement, wellbeing, and educational opportunity. This experience continues to shape my research and reinforces my belief that strong, culturally responsive governance has the power to transform educational outcomes.

My aspiration is to bridge Indigenous and Pacific scholarship with practical governance so that research informs real-world change. I hope my work will provide practical guidance for school Boards, strengthen governance capability across the education sector, and contribute to educational environments where every learner feels valued, represented, and able to thrive.

Receiving the HopeFish Education Grant is both an honour and an affirmation of the importance of investing in education that creates wider community impact. I am deeply grateful for HopeFish’s belief in my research and in its potential to contribute to stronger schools, empowered communities, and brighter futures for Pacific learners, Māori, refugee-migrant learners, and the generations that follow.