
Josiah Tualamali’i
Children's Commissioner, Mana Mokopuna Children & Young People's Commission
Board co-chair
Josiah has Samoan and Pākehā whakapapa and grew up in Christchurch and Dunedin. Alongside a group of Pacific youth who had been encouraged into leadership by their elders, he co-founded PYLAT – a charitable trust that empowers Pacific young people’s voices in all worlds.
In 2015 he was appointed to the Le Va board and he has supported the organisation to increase its connection to the largest Pacific youth population, those under 25. He has also supported this in other settings, such as being a panel member of the 2018 Government Inquiry into Mental Health and Addiction. Josiah is also on the boards of our whānau entities Te Pou and Blueprint for Learning, bringing Pacific peoples’ insights to the training of the mental health and addiction workforce.
Josiah studied Politics and History at the University of Canterbury and is a board member of a number of organisations to empower Pacific people’s voices in decision making, wellbeing, and strengthening governance. Alongside being a postgraduate student, in 2021 he co-led the petition to parliament calling for recognition of the dawn raids and successfully sought an apology from the Government. He has four brothers, sings and is a major railfan.