Charles Lavea

My name is Charles Fred Lavea and I joined the Le Va team in July 2021 as Senior Project Coordinator for Atu-Mai.

I am of Samoan descent and was born in Auckland. My Father, Malaefou Seelua Lavea, hails from Samatau in Upolu, Samoa, and my beautiful Mother hails from Saipipi, in Savaii, Samoa. I am also the father of two beautiful girls, Cara and Massiel.

I am a proud Samoan male who has built his career in serving our Pasifika community. My passion is creating a safe space for our people to find their identity and voice, leading them to feel heard and seen.

Before joining Le Va, I served our communities within organisations such as Harmony Trust, Reconnect Family Services and Te Wananga o Aotearoa.

I am a strong advocate for vulnerability. I believe there is Mana in sharing your story, and owning your flaws, mistakes and pain, in order to overcome them. You never know who you can impact with your story.

Malo lava.