GPS Satellite Seminar - Presenter Biographies

Auckland GPS Presenter Bio’s:

Dr John Crawshaw is Director and Chief Advisor of Mental Health at the Ministry of Health, and is responsible for fulfilling several key statutory functions in relation to mental health. Dr Crawshaw is currently leading the public consultation on New Zealand’s draft national suicide prevention strategy, which outlines a framework for how we can work together to reduce suicidal behaviour in New Zealand.

Dr Monique Faleafa is the founding Chief Executive of Le Va and registered Clinical Psychologist. She and has served her Pacific communities in the not-for-profit sector, district health boards, academia and social services for 20 years. Monique co-designed New Zealand’s first national Pacific suicide prevention programme FLO: Pasifika For Life, led by senior manager, Denise Kingi-Uluave. Outcomes to date will be presented, as well as an update on Le Va’s new work – an innovative new national gatekeeper suicide prevention training programme for all people living in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Dr Jemaima Tiatia-Seath is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Auckland. She will be canvasing the current state of play and future issues for Pacific suicides in Aotearoa in light of a growing Pacific focused evidence base. She will also expound what she considers to be some real solutions for Pacific suicide prevention, derived from her 20 years of experience, researching, teaching and services to the area.

Matafanua Hilda Fa’aselele is the Chief Advisor Pacific for the Ministry of Health. She is responsible for leading and contributing to Pacific health policy, strategy and supporting the development and capability of Pacific Health Providers and Pacific Workforce development across the Ministry and health sector. Matafanua has been involved in the Leadership group for Waka Hourua national Maori and Pacific suicide prevention programme, monitoring and advising Le Va’s FLO programme, and Te Rau Matatini’s national Maori suicide prevention programme.

Ma’u Fonua –‘A – Manu Finau Fotu is Programme Manager for Suicide Prevention for both Waitemata and Auckland District Health Boards. Manu’s role is integral to ensuring effective coordination of services and people for suicide prevention in the central and west Auckland regions. With a background in mental health nursing, Manu worked in the mental health sector as a clinician for 10 years, and supports community organisations at governance level.

Joseph Liava’a has been the Community Liaison Manager for Nirvana Health for the past six and a half years. One of his roles is to support the communities in which the clinics are located; and as such has been involved in initiatives ranging from the establishment of Fitlife Otara and more recently Fitlife Mangere, to collaborating with community partners around homelessness issues in Manurewa. Prior to this he worked as a lawyer for the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, where he had been seconded for a fixed term to serve in the Minister’s office as the Private Secretary.

Roger Shave is the Clinical Manager Clinical Advisory Services Aotearoa (CASA) for the Community Postvention Response Service -providing support to communities when there is concern about suicide contagion or a suicide cluster. Roger also plays a key role with the Coronial Suspected Suicide Data Sharing Service provided by CASA, notifying district health boards of instances of suspected suicides in their regions sourced from Coronial Services NZ. Roger is a Registered Clinical Psychologist with 20 years’ experience particularly in trauma management and recovery.

Denise Kingi-Uluave is the Senior Manager Suicide Prevention for Le Va and registered Clinical Psychologist of Tongan descent. She leads Le Va’s FLO: Pasifika For Life national Pacific suicide prevention programme, as well as Le Va’s new national gatekeeper suicide prevention training programme. Denise will present results for the first phase of delivering FLO and implications for future delivery. Denise has extensive experience as a senior clinician, having worked in mental health services (Adult, Child and Family) in New Zealand and Australia, prisons, and Maori mental health.

Leilani Clarke is a Senior Project Co-ordinator for Le Va. Leilani will present results and learnings from Le Va’s FLO Talanoa suicide prevention education programme that aims to equip our Pasifika families and communities with the right tools and information to prevent suicide. Leilani previously worked as the Regional Pacific advisor for the Department of Corrections, and continues community youth work focussing on wellbeing through a holistic theatre approach.

Yvonne Kainuku-Walsh is a Senior Project Co-ordinator for Le Va and registered nurse specialising in adolescent health and development. Yvonne will present outcomes from 17 community-based suicide prevention projects across the country that Le Va has supported over the last 18 months. Key results will inform future investment for community-based suicide prevention programmes for Pasifika.

Apollo Taito is the Mental Health Lead for Le Va focussed on workforce development and will facilitate a panel at the Auckland GPS Satellite Seminar. This involves growing the size and skills of the Pacific mental health and addiction workforce, as well as enhancing the cultural responsiveness of all mental health services. Apollo has over 7 years’ experience in DHB clinical and senior management roles and currently completing his PhD part-time, focussed on Pacific mental health leadership in DHB settings.

Saveatama Eroni Clarke is the Cultural and Relationships Manager for Le Va and is our host for all of our GPS Satellite Seminar’s. Saveatama started his health career in Alcohol, Drug and Gambling counselling in 2011 at TUPU services prior to joining the team at Le Va. Saveatama is also an All Black, and still provides pastoral care and support services through sport.

Christchurch GPS Presenter Bio’s:

Dr Monique Faleafa is CE of Le Va and has served Pacific communities in the not-for-profit sector, district health boards, academia and social services for over 17 years as a clinician, and as an advocate for improving health and social outcomes for Pacific communities. She also contributes to her communities at governance levels, currently serving on the Health Research Council of NZ, the Health Promotion Agency, MBIE Science Challenge Board, the Westpac External Stakeholder panel, and the New Zealand Psychologists' Board since 2009. In 2016 Monique was awarded as a Member of the NZ Order of Merit.

Matafanua Hilda Fa’aselele is the Chief Advisor Pacific Health for the Ministry of Health. Her role is varied, but is primarily responsible for leading and contributing to Pacific health policy, strategy and supporting the development and capability of Pacific Health Providers and Pacific Workforce development across the Ministry and health sector. With 30 years of experience in nursing, well child health, health auditing, evaluation, tertiary education, she moved into senior leadership roles in health management, including National Pacific Services Development Manager in Plunket, Nurse Leader for NZ’s first Pacific PHO TaPasefika in Auckland. Prior to the role in the Ministry, she was the General Manager for Pacific Health at Auckland DHB.

Dr Marie Inder has many years of experience in the mental health and suicide prevention fields. She is currently the Chief Executive of CASA – an organisation involved in the development and delivery of national suicide prevention and postvention activities. Marie is also a Senior Research Fellow with the Dept of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch.

Maria Pasene is the Pacific Health Manager at Pegasus Health, a Primary Health Organisation that provides primary health and community-based healthcare in Christchurch. She has worked collectively in Public health and Primary health for 18 years. She is also a clinical lecturer for Otago School of Medicine Christchurch and facilitates cultural competency training across health, education and social service sectors. She is currently the chair of ARA (formerly CPIT) Pacific Advisory Group and sits on the UC Pacific Advisory board and College of Education Health and Human Development Pasifika advisory group.

David Cairns is the Suicide Prevention Coordinator for Pegasus Health, a Primary Health Organisation that provides primary health and community-based healthcare in Christchurch. He has been working in this role for 8 years and another 10 years in suicide prevention in prisons. He has studied this topic from a number of angles and this has culminated in gaining a Master’s in suicidology. He is excited to be part of a growing willingness to tackle this important issue.

Josiah Tualamali’i is the Chair of Pacific Youth Leadership and Transformation (PYLAT) Charitable Trust, a Member of the Ministry of Youth Development Youth Advisory Group, and Board Member of Le Va. Josiah is a New Zealand born Samoan who grew up in Christchurch and Dunedin. At 14 he was the Prime Minister in the Pacific Youth Leadership and Transformation Parliamentary Simulation (2010). Through this experience he learned how important it is for young people to be able to access mentoring, and that being able to contribute to decision-making at all levels is an important way to support development, success and the potential to thrive. Josiah sits on a number of boards to support Pasifika youth engagement and youth participation but also for young people more widely.

Lupesiliva Tu’ulua (nee Laulala) first came to Christchurch NZ in 1978 as a teenager to study Nursing through a Samoan government scholarship. Nearly forty years later, she still resides in Christchurch, is Christian, and enjoys giving back to her community. She has two gorgeous children, and is currently employed at the CDHB, Diabetes Centre, as the Pacific Islands Diabetes Nurse Specialist. She is passionate about Pacific people living healthy and meaningful lives. That means minimizing chances of developing diabetes by eating and drinking healthily, and leading physically active lifestyles.

Philip Siataga is the proud father of two wonderful daughters. He is a member of Le Tautua Alumni and has an extensive background in the Mental health and Addictions sector. He provides supervision, has been a counsellor, and is a social scientist-researcher and educator. He is currently a CAYAD (Community Action Youth And Drugs) coordinator with a public health role aimed at demand reduction/prevention projects that reduce drug related harm. He is currently the co-chair of Drua: National Pasifika Treatment Network, and is currently chairperson of CANMET (Canterbury Music Education Trust http://thejam.nz/; a board member of the Youth Hub Trust and a Board member for the MHAPs http://mentalhealthadvocacypeersupport.org/.

Talia Siataga is in her second year at UC, studying Law and Philosophy and Political Science. In the last few years she has developed performing spoken word in community settings and focuses the art on engendering hope. Talia presented at the Auckland GPS 2016 and was part of the youth mental health panel. She was recently contracted to work with Child friendly Cities Christchurch and is also a social media writer. She is a Kids Church team leader with the Celebration Center, leads a social group of young women at university, and is a leader in the 412 youth group – led by youth pastors Jenkins and Shekinah Alaifea.

Nikki Coleman has a social work background in youth mental health. She has worked in YSS in Auckland and Christchurch before joining Clinical Advisory Services Aotearoa (CASA) as a clinical advisor in suicide postvention and prevention. She provides advice to MVCOT social workers regarding their youth at risk of suicide. Recently she returned to the CASA community postvention response team which works with communities who have experienced suicide contagion or clusters. Nikki also has a private practice seeing youth for CBT and provides supervision and training to other professional mostly in the youth field in Christchurch.

Norman Iosia Mene-Vaele is currently working for He Waka Tapu as an Alcohol and Drug Clinician undertaking assessment and treatment planning, one on one counselling, group work and at times mentoring junior clinical staff. Norman has been working in the field of alcohol and drug addiction for the past 10yrs covering brief intervention to residential treatment. He is married with three awesome kids Tana, Ropeta and Soomalo who bring him joy and help to keep his head grounded here on mother earth.

Apollo Taito is the Mental Health Lead for Le Va. Apollo has a comprehensive history as a leader and senior manager in adult district mental health and addiction services, with 7 years’ experience in clinical management roles. Apollo has led mental health strategy within the DHB including acute service review change management, referrals management, governance infrastructure implementation, and stepped care. Apollo has extensive knowledge, experience and networks within NZ’s mental health DHB, NGO and primary sector. Having completed his Masters in Health Management, Apollo is currently completing his PhD part-time, focussed on Pacific mental health leadership in DHB settings.

Saveatama Eroni Clarke is the Cultural and Relationships Manager for Le Va. Saveatama Eroni has an extensive professional sporting career and since continued his leadership and coaching skills through pastoral care and support services. Saveatama Eroni has facilitated leadership and programmes at all levels – from students, to athletes, to one-on-one training. He has served the community at Governance level, from the Pacific Business Trust to local church board. He started his Pasifika health career in Alcohol, Drug and Gambling counselling in 2011 at TUPU services prior to joining the team at Le Va.

Wellington GPS Presenter Bio’s:

Abba Fidow has worked in policy and strategy roles across central and local government for more than 15 years; rising to become a Senior Policy Analyst at the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs (now Pacific Peoples), and the Strategic Social Policy Unit within the Ministry of Social Development. He then moved to Auckland to manage community and social policy teams within Auckland City Council, as well as in Auckland Council. Abba is Samoan, and having been born and bred in Christchurch, has degrees in Commerce and Arts, including First Class Honours in Political Science, from the University of Canterbury.

Justice Mata Keli Tuatagaloa is a graduate of the University of Waikato (BA) and the University of New South Wales (LLB), Justice Tuatagaloa is the first woman to be sworn in as a Judge in Samoa initially in the District Court from 2011 and in August 2015 was sworn in as a Supreme Court Judge. With the launch of the Alcohol and Drugs Court (ADC) in February 2016, she has presided over this specialized Court since its establishment.

Claire Aitken is the current Chair of DAPAANZ.

Anthony Carter is the General Manager at C.A.R.T. (Consultancy Advocacy & Research Trust) in Wellington.

Apollo Taito is the Mental Health Lead for Le Va. Apollo has a comprehensive history as a leader and senior manager in adult district mental health and addiction services, with 7 years’ experience in clinical management roles. Apollo has led mental health strategy within the DHB including acute service review change management, referrals management, governance infrastructure implementation, and stepped care. Apollo has extensive knowledge, experience and networks within NZ’s mental health DHB, NGO and primary sector. Having completed his Masters in Health Management, Apollo is currently completing his PhD part-time, focused on Pacific mental health leadership in DHB settings.