Kirsten Brown

Malo e lelei, kia ora koutou, my name is Kirsten Brown and I am a proud wāhine toa of Tongan, Māori (Ngāti Awa), and Pākehā heritage.

I had the honour of joining Le Va in April 2023, where my role as Communications and Engagement Manager allows me to share the stories of our amazing team and the Pacific communities we serve.

I was born and raised in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, and my parents both hail from Nuku’alofa in Tonga. Mum and Dad met in Auckland after their families migrated to Aotearoa in the late 1960s.

Like so many of their forebears, my grandparents on both sides crossed oceans in search of new opportunities for their whānau. I am grateful to have the blood of explorers and adventurers running through my veins, and proud to call Aotearoa home.

I like the whakataukī, “Ahakoa he iti, he pounamu” – although it is small, it is a treasure – and the Tongan proverb “Si’i pe kae hā” – we are a small island, but we are still great. To me, they mean you don’t need to have the most resources, money, or people to succeed or have value.

I believe Le Va embodies that idea as an organisation that excels while remaining humble, where our purpose unites us and makes us stronger.