Research Team

Yvonne is a Cook Island New Zealander with close family ties to PNG. Yvonne is a Pacific feminist decolonial development geographer currently working at the University of Auckland where she teaches Pacific Studies, Gender Studies, and Development Studies. The intricacies of mobilities, maternities and markets in a warming world continue to catch her attention as she wors to resist the erasure of diversity within colonial differences. In 2022, Yvonne was humbled to be awarded the Metge Medal from the Royal Society of New Zealand in recognition of intellectual leadership on gendered social relations which have transformed development as accepted practice in Aotearoa and the Pacific.

Roannie is Samoan from Leone and Savaia, Lefaga and was educated in Auckland, New Zealand. In 2021 Roannie joined the University of Auckland where she helped to establish the University Research Centre for Pacific & Global Health as a Co-Director. She is also a Principal Analyst for Malatest International an organisation that specialises in progressive evaluation and market research. Roannie has previously held research positions at the Australian National University where she led Pacific capacity building initiatives and was involved in large-scale Pacific development research projects.

Roi is of I-Kiribati and European descent and has completed an undergraduate degree in Geography and Politics from the University of Otago. In 2022 she completed a Masters degree in Pacific Studies from the University of Auckland. Roi has experience in the NGO sector in Kiribati and has recent experience looking at issues of gender equality, culture and colonization in Kiribati. As well as looking at the gendered experiences of Pacific seasonal workers. Currently, Roi is involved in the project as a research programme coordinator and as a graduate researcher specific to Kiribati and Tuvalu.

Kerryn is a Melanesian originating from Choiseul Province and the Western Province of Solomon Islands. Kerryn has also lived in Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea and speaks Tok Pisin, Bislama, Pidjin, Senga and English languages. Kerryn was a secondary teacher in The Solomon Islands for more than 10 years before pursuing her PhD programme in Pacific Studies at the University of Auckland (UoA) in 2019 – 2023. Currently, Kerryn is working at The University of the South Pacific.

Still to come.

Rochelle Ellison-Lupena (Rarotonga, Mangaia, Ngāti Porou, Ngai Tahu, Ngāti Whakaue) is doctoral student at Waipapa Taumata Rau | The University of Auckland. Her thesis, currently under examination, explores the barriers and enablers for Māori patients and whānau accessing acute cardiac care in the community. Her previous research drew on Health Promotion theories to explore the impact of NCD’s in the Cook Islands. Rochelle’s broader area of research interests focus on health equity for Māori and Pasifika in Aotearoa, New Zealand. She is currently works as a lecturer in Hauora Māori at Te Herenga Waka| Victoria University of Wellington

Derek Futaiasi holds a PhD from the School of Regulation and Global Governance at the Australian National University. He previously completed an LLM (USP) on non-state mechanisms dealing with customary land disputes, with an emphasis on Malaita. He was a former Deputy Secretary to the Prime Minister (Solomon Islands). Currently, he is the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Traditional Governance, Peace and Ecclesiastical Affairs in Solomon Islands.

Rima Moeka’a brings extensive experience from working both in the public and private sectors of the Cook Islands to the project. She came on board as the in-country research focusing on Vaimaanga.  With a background in social sciences, she has strengthened her work in environment-related development and advocacy, analyzing policies and actively engaging with the Cook Islands community. Rima has worked extensively across various fields including climate change, policy, research, health, and education on a national level. As a Maori Kuki Airani, she places great importance on peu maori, especially when interacting with the Cook Islands community. Rima is also a mother to two beautiful girls Te’auere (23 months old) and Pipirangi (5 months old)

Jama’l Talagi-Veidreyaki was born and raised in Niue and completed further education abroad. BA in Economics and Marine Affairs at the University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji 2007 and Masters in Public Policy at the University of Auckland 2020. Jama’l is passionate about helping grassroot communities understand the various impacts of climate change in their lives, particularly mental wellbeing, safety and security. Jama’l works with women and youth groups and the Government of Niue with a focus on climate justice advocacy, capacity building and planned relocation. Jama’l is the Director of Loloto He Fonu Consultancy, which is the focal for various community projects, including research. She is also the Chairperson of the Niue Organic Farmers Association, and the coordinator of 350 Niue, collaborating closely with 350 Pacific on various campaigns to curb the global climate problem.

Dr. Lemeki (Ph.D, MA, BAH, BA) is currently a lecturer in Medical Anthropology at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Papua New Guinea since 2015. She has more than 20 years’ experience in qualitative research, monitoring & evaluation, consultancy, and in the last nine years as an academic. She has worked in research institutions, government and non-government agencies, and tertiary institutions. Her research interests are in the gendered aspects of diseases, social determinants of health, culture and health, and gender and climate change.

A social researcher with specialization in migration and development studies and mixed methods research. Currently employed for over a year now as the Principal/President of Sonoma Adventist College in Kokopo (East New Britain Province), a private tertiary institution owned and operated by Seventh-day Adventist Church in PNG. The College offers degree programs in Primary Education and Early Childhood Education, and Advanced Diploma awards in Tropical Agriculture, Architecture and Building Construction, Business Studies, and Ministry and Theology. Previously served for over 20 years at the Pacific Adventist University as Academic Quality Assurance Manager, Senior Lecturer of the discipline of Geography, and Dean of Arts and Humanities.  Formerly, served for 8 years as Senior Social Researcher and HOD Social Studies Division at the PNG National Research Institute. Passionate about facilitating the wholistic understandings and better outcomes for the marginalized in society.

David Gegeo attended university in the U.S.A. graduating with a B.A in Cultural and Linguistic Anthropology; an M.S. in Mass Communication and Public Relations; and a Ph.D. in Political Science and Political Philosophy. He has taught at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels in the U.S.A., Aotearoa/New Zealand and Fiji courses in Linguistics, Indigenous /Pacific Epistemology, Indigenous Research Methodology, the impacts of globalization on Pasifika communities, Ethical Sustainable Development, Multicultural Education, Pacific Island Cultures, Epistemic and political de-colonization, Indigenous Good Governance, Indigenous Philosophy and Ethics, etc. David is Professor of Social Sciences and Humanities in the School of Humanities in the Faculty of Education and Humanities at Solomon Islands National University.

Jamesford Keboy graduated with Bachelor’s degree in Public Health (BPH) from Fiji National University (FNU) with Dean’s awards and Masters of Health administration, policy and leadership (specialization – informatics and analytics) (MHAPL) at Murdoch University, Western Australia. He currently Teach at the Faculty of Nursing, Medicine and health science at Solomon island national university as an Assistance lecturer for Biostatistics. He is a certified community led total sanitation (CLTS) trainer and member of the CLTS technical working group in the Solomon Islands. Besides teaching, he involves in researches as an associate researcher such as the research project for child faeces management with International Water centre and currently with Climate (Im) mobility in the Pacific Research Program. He has a passion for health and research, because he believes that research is an everyday activity and through research new ideas and experience can be shared to improve aspects of individual lives.

Kia Ora, Malo Nì My name is Nikolao Cockerell. I am a young Tokelauan Kenyan Kiwi that grew up in Dunedin. Throughout my life, I have taken opportunities at every stop. I am passionate about the outdoors, people, and creative documentation methods – photography, videography, and archiving! During my Bachelor of Leadership for Change degree, I fully grasped the opportunity to travel around New Zealand whilst focusing on my final project: “How to best uphold the mana and tikanga of hosts or guests while upholding our own”. Throughout this project, I engaged with many different perspectives and places in New Zealand. This project deepened my love for community engagement and fostering meaningful connections with people. Visual arts such as photography and videography have allowed me to combine all of these passions, which has led to my journey in freelancing and collaborating with many awesome people, projects and groups!

Malo ni. My name is Rosa Toloa, a mother and a grandmother, I live with my husband Tulano Toloa in the village of Atafu Tokelau where I was born and raised. I studied nursing in Fiji and a social policy undergraduate at Victoria University of Wellington followed by postgraduate papers at Otago, Massey and Auckland universities. We returned to Tokelau in the last 10 years where I served the government of Tokelau for a number of years with various health programs and briefly led the health department in 2021. I currently volunteer at the Atafu Fatupaepae (women’s group) and would occasional do consultation work hence my involvement in the Climate (Im)mobility project. As a low lying atoll in the Pacific and when we beg the question of how well we are meeting essential human need, we are fortunate to have shelter, food and to keep our culture, language and heritage in the atolls. However, my own view is that the physical and food security part is not so certain. We have many questions that we are yet to ask ourselves; ‘how sure are we that we will continue to receive the imported food to supplement our locally grown supplies?, how many people can be supported in Tokelau by the current food supply method, and what are the points of equilibrium in this system?, what is the relationship of the imported food to the increase in incidents of cancer?, what is the plan of action following a cyclone surge higher than 5 metres?’, who wants to leave and where will they go?. I think there are many more questions that we have not yet ask ourselves. With each dry spell, king tide or erratic weather patterns comes a feeling of uncertainty and not being secured now and in years to come. My hope is that this project will begin to prompt further conversation in Tokelau in that regard. I plan to resume postgraduate studies in Climate Change and Health. My hobbies include weaving crafts, sewing, crochet and embroidery.

Chrisanthy is a National Consultant & Legal Practitioner & Institutional Specialist. She conducts a wide range of legal and quasi-legal work in Tuvalu in the fields of environment, climate change, food security and renewable energy policies/laws. She also works directly community engagement through the Baha’i Faith educational endeavours and Board Member to Live & Learn Tuvalu. Chrisanthy is a USP LLB Graduate with a Professional Diploma in Legislative Drafting and PLSC from College of Law, Auckland.

Eleala Avanitele joined Tuvalu National Youth Council [TNYC] early this year as a staff after being on the board for three years. Born and raised in Tuvalu, she has an extensive background in humanitarian response when she was with Tuvalu Red Cross Society for seven years. Eleala has been at the forefront of gender equality and climate change action as the Communications Manager for the Tuvalu Red Cross Society in which she has not only contributed to policy making but also the development and implementation of strategies for the mentioned, across communities in Tuvalu. To this day, TNYC value her skills and thus recruited her to develop relevant policies for the organization. Eleala holds a Diploma in Project Management from the University of the South Pacific and is currently completing her bachelor’s in law while juggling her part-time job as a Youth Coordinator.

Dr Mark Busse is a Senior Lecturer in Social Anthropology at the University of Auckland in New Zealand. Mark’s research concerns social organisation, reciprocity and markets, intellectual and cultural property, and inequality with a geographical focus on Papua New Guinea.

John Campbell is a cultural geographer and Research Associate at the University of Waikato. He has been researching issues related to social and environmental change in Pacific Island countries since the 1970s. He is currently working on the human dimensions of climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction including environmental (im)mobilities. He obtained a PhD. at the University of Hawaii where his thesis was on population and environment interrelations on a small island in northern Vanuatu. He has written a book on development and disasters in Fiji, co-authored a book on Climate Change in Pacific Islands and a number of book chapters and articles on disasters, climate change and people’s responses, including mobility, especially in Oceania.

Claire is from Ngati Whakaue, Tuwharetoa, Nga Puhi and Tainui. Claire’s research is in Indigenous peoples’ rights in international and constitutional law, often with a comparative focus, including the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, tikanga Māori and the state legal system, the relationship between human rights and Indigenous peoples’ rights and on the legitimacy of Indigenous peoples’ rights under international law. Claire is also working on a number of collaborative research projects.

Jennifer Curtin is Professor of Politics and Public Policy and is the founding Director of the Public Policy Institute at the University of Auckland–Waipapa Taumata Rau. She researches public policy theory and practice, gender policy analysis, women’s political leadership and New Zealand and Australia politics and elections. She leads the Gender Responsive Analysis and Budgeting project (available from: www.grab-nz.ac.nz) and her research features regularly in a range of media outlets.

Graham Sem is a Geographer with over 28 years’ experience in the academic, climate change and development sectors. He has served as a Scientific Adviser at the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme and Secretariat of the Pacific Community, and a Senior Programme Officer at the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Graham served as an adviser to the United Nations Development Programme and UNFCCC. He has been a Convening Lead Author and Lead Author for the Third and Fourth Assessment Reports of Working Group II. He was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his contribution to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Assessment of the Global Climate System. He is currently a Professor of Geography and Deputy Dean of School of Natural and Physical Sciences, University of Papua New Guinea. Graham’s research interest covers climate change, forest ecology, value chains in forest protection and biodiversity conservation. He obtained a BA Honours Degree at the University of Papua New Guinea, a Masters in Geography from the University of Hawaii and a Doctor of Philosophy in Geography from University of Auckland, New Zealand.

George has over 25 years experience in the science system in New Zealand and offshore. He has worked in academia, the CRI sector and government. After 6 years in the UK, at the University of Cambridge and the MRC Laboratory for Molecular Biology, he returned to New Zealand as a researcher at CRI Industrial Research Ltd. At IRL he led a large group working in bioactive natural products. Wanting to make further use of the commercialization skills developed at IRL he moved to New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) as IP Commercialisation Specialist. In 2004 he moved to the Ministry of Research Science and Technology (MoRST) where he implemented the government’s Biotechnology Strategy.  As Director, Emerging Technologies he led a team working to ensure the funding system underpinned the developing broader high technology economy and that the right science was there to support the sector.

Sir Collin Tukuitonga is a Niuean Public Health Medicine Specialist currently Associate Dean Pacific at the University of Auckland Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Co-director for the University of Auckland Research Centre for Pacific and Global Health (Te Poutoko Ora a Kiwa) and Associate Professor of Public Health. Collin is a career public servant with extensive experience in NZ, the Pacific and internationally.

Alistair Woodward is a public health doctor and epidemiologist. Born in Christchurch, with English, Scottish and French ancestry, he trained in Australia and the UK, and has four decades’ experience in public health research, teaching and consulting. His special interests include climate change, transport, injury prevention and air pollution. He has been a member of writing teams for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change since 2002 and is presently co-Editor in Chief of the International Journal of Epidemiology.