Appointments to National Pacific Radio Trust

Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister, Maggie Barry and Pacific Peoples Minister Alfred Ngaro have today announced several appointments to the Board of the National Pacific Radio Trust.

From 1 August the Board will have a new Chair and Treasurer, and two new Board members.

“The National Pacific Radio Trust is responsible for maintaining the national Pacific Radio Network which exists to empower, encourage and nurture Pacific cultural identity and economic prosperity in New Zealand and to celebrate the Pacific spirit,” Ms Barry says.

“The Board’s role is to provide governance and oversight to ensure this mission is met.”

Minister Ngaro says the new Chair, Tiumalu Peter Fa’afiu of Waiuku, is very experienced in governance, management and in providing quality leadership to a range of organisations.

“As interim CEO of the Tamaki Regeneration Company in 2014 Tiumalu was one of our youngest Crown company chief executives at age 36. He is well respected within the business community and has strong connections beyond the Pacific communities,” Mr Ngaro says.

“I am confident he has the skill and understanding to lead the Board through the next three years.”

The new Treasurer is Sholan Ivaiti who has board and public service experience in the Cook Islands including chairing the Cook Islands Fuel Pricing Committee, and serving as a director of the Bank of Cook Islands and the Cook Islands Superannuation Fund.

“I’m sure Tiumalu and Sholan, with the support of the rest of the Board, will ensure a bright future for the National Pacific Radio Trust,” Ms Barry says. 

The Ministers also announced the appointment of new Board members Jody Jackson-Becerra and Sara-Jane Elika and the reappointments of Board Secretary Dr Lesieli MacIntyre and current member Martha Samasoni.

The reappointments are from 1 August to 31 July 2019 and the new appointments are from 1 August to 31 July 2020.

“This is great news for Pacific broadcasting. These appointments will complement the excellent work the Trust is already doing and will continue to move that work forward. The new appointments also signal a generational shift in Pacific governance for the Trust,” Mr Ngaro says.

The Ministers also thanked and acknowledged the considerable service given by retiring board chair Ulu Aiono, Treasurer Willy Johnston and Board member Taualeo’o Stephen Stehlin.

“These three men have given many years of service to NPRT and have all made a very valuable contribution to the work of the Board, the wider Trust and in service to Pacific people.”

Biographies

Tiumalu Peter Fa’afiu of Waiuku has considerable experience of Crown connected organisations and Governance. He is of Samoan ancestry. A former New Zealand diplomat and trade negotiator, he was the Head of Government and Community Relations for NZ Post and is a former interim CEO and General Manager of the Tamaki Regeneration Company. He currently operates his own consultancy, Navigator Limited. He chairs Amnesty International New Zealand and the First Foundation Trust. He is a board member of the Pacific Business Trust, a panel member of the New Zealand Press Council and a member of the Institute of Directors. He is the business representative on the Auckland Airport Community Consultation Group. As well as English, he speaks Samoan and Indonesian.

Sholan Ivaiti of Auckland is of Cook Island Māori heritage. As Treasurer he will chair the finance and audit committee. He is currently a partner in Integrity Audit Ltd. He has considerable board and public service experience in the Cook Islands including, previously, being Chair of the Cook Islands Fuel Pricing Committee, a director of the Bank of Cook Islands and the Cook Islands Superannuation Fund. He is also a former head of the Cook Islands Ministry of Finance and Economic Management. He has a Masters in Commerce and is completing a LLB degree.

Jody Jackson-Becerra of West Auckland is of Samoan heritage. She is currently the AUT external engagement manager based at their South Auckland campus. She was previously the Pacific stakeholder and engagement adviser for the University of Waikato. She holds a Master of Management Studies from the University of Waikato. She is currently the Chair of the Pacific Island Leader of Tomorrow programme and is the Alumni representative for the NZMFAT Pacific Scholars network.

Sara-Jane Elika has considerable experience of Pacific music and is also an experienced governor. She is a qualified barrister and solicitor. She currently operates a consultancy that specialises in music education and event management. She is a board member of the Greenlane Care and Education Trust, the Greenlane Christian Fellowship Trust board and is the Chair of Mata’aga A’oga Amata board. She is of Samoan heritage.

Dr Lesieli MacIntyre of Palmerston North is a current board member and the Secretary. She is a leading member of the Tongan community. She has extensive experience with, and deep knowledge of, young Pasifika persons through her roles as a senior lecturer in Pacific Education and as a Pasifika advisor at Massey University, Palmerston North, where she is currently based. As well as her extensive academic achievements, including a PhD in Education, Dr MacIntyre has worked with Volunteer Service Abroad and was co-director of a language and culture training programme for the US Peace Corps. Dr MacIntyre has published extensively in her specialist area of research into and the teaching of Pasifika students, and is currently serving on the board of the NZ Journal of Educational Studies and on the Early Education Journal Advisory Board.

Martha Samasoni, a Tokelauan of Wellington, has many years in the entertainment industry and has worked as a reporter and director in television, and as an announcer in radio. She is sought after in the music industry as a consultant. She has served as chair of the Wellington Pacific Artist network and represented the Tokelauan community on advisory committees for the Wellington City Council. She is a current board member and works as a human resources consultant in Wellington.