My name is Dawson Marama-Feagai and I joined the team at Le Va as Programme Manager in October 2025.
I am proud of my cultural heritage. On my mother’s side I affiliate to Ngāti Whakaue and Tūhourangi, Te Arawa, and on my mother’s Cook Islands side from Takuvaine, Avarua, Rarotonga. On my father’s side I come from the villages of Sāvaʻia Lefaga and Safa’atoa Lefaga Samoa.
My professional background is in education, having built a career over more than a decade specialising in vocational education. I believe deeply that education must go beyond the classroom — my guiding ethos is: build the person, not the CV. Because when we invest in developing people with the right skills, values and belief system, the CV builds itself.
At Le Va I am driven by the opportunity to serve Māori and Pacific communities — to support our people to flourish, to reclaim identity, to feel seen and heard, and to influence real and lasting change for the next generation. I bring with me a commitment to creating culturally-grounded programmes and pathways that empower our young people and our wider whānau and ‘aiga.
Every day I am motivated by the knowledge that our voices matter, our stories matter, and our futures can be shaped by us. I look forward to honouring my heritage, uplifting others, and walking alongside our communities to unleash their full potential.
