Executive Team
Get to Know Us
The Executive Team are dedicated Pacific educators from across the country. We are teachers, school executives, university professors and professional staff, community educators and advocates with a common purpose and goal to champion Pasifika education and drive the network’s goals.
Founding Director
Bronwyn Williams
Western Sydney University
Bronwyn Williams is a proud Niuean and Cook Islands woman, born in Aotearoa and based in Western Sydney. With over 20 years’ experience in higher education across New Zealand and Australia, she brings deep expertise in widening participation, community engagement, and program design that centres equity and access for underrepresented students. Currently a Senior Project Officer at Western Sydney University, Bronwyn has led major outreach and transition initiatives, including Fast Forward, First Foot Forward, Refugee and New and Emerging Communities, and the nationally recognised Pasifika Achievement To Higher Education (PATHE) program. She is also a Founding Director of the Australian Pasifika Educators Network (APEN), where she co-leads national advocacy and professional development for Pasifika educators and students. Bronwyn is passionate about creating culturally safe, strengths-based spaces that inspire Pacific young people to thrive in education and life. As Principal Consultant at Moana Impact Studio, she brings strategic insight, facilitation expertise, and a deep commitment to impact-driven work grounded in culture and community. She holds a BA, MA (Hons), and MLit from the University of Auckland, and is currently completing a PhD in Education at Western Sydney University.
Founding Director
Tofa Amanda Moors-Mailei
University of Technology Sydney
Tofa Amanda Moors-Mailei is a Sāmoan educator, strategist and nationally recognised equity leader in Australian higher education. With over a decade of experience designing and delivering university-wide equity strategy at UTS, she has led the development, implementation and evaluation of flagship initiatives that expand access, participation and belonging for students and staff. Her work includes shaping the UTS Humanitarian Scholarship Program, leading the design of the UTS Indigenous Outreach Strategy, advancing Pacific student success initiatives, and co-designing UTS’s first Women in IT Leadership Mentoring Program. Across her roles, Amanda has worked at the intersection of policy, community engagement and institutional reform, influencing strategy and practice beyond a single portfolio. Amanda is a Founder/Director Governance and Strategy of the Australian Pasifika Educators Network, a founding member of the UTS Multicultural Women’s Network, and Executive Lead, Pacific for Equity Practitioners in Higher Education Australasia. Her leadership is grounded in relational values and Indigenous knowledge frameworks, and is driven by a commitment to justice, representation and structural transformation across the higher education sector.
Director
Tuilelepa Paniani Patu
The University of Sydney
Tuilelepa Pani Patu is Operations Manager, Poche Centre for Indigenous Health and APEN’s Director of Research and Advocacy. Pani leads the network’s research agenda, developing data-driven policy papers and campaigns that centre Pacific educational equity.
Director
Esita Sogotubu
University of Technology Sydney
Esita Sogotubu is the Employability Manager at UTS Careers and the Director of Finance and Operations at APEN. She has a strong background in student development and industry engagement and leads impactful programs, including Pasifika mentoring, to support student success and cultural visibility in higher education.
Director
Sepi Seuala
University of New South Wales
Sepi Seuala is the Senior Manager at UNSW Online, leading lifelong learning initiatives. She serves as APEN’s Director of Communications and Stakeholder Engagement. Sepi has keen interests in championing Pacific voices and building inclusive, accessible education strategies ground in culture and equity.
Executive Member
Uta'ileu'o Charlie Palupe
QLD Department of Education
Uta'ileu'o Charlie Palupe is the Director of Strategic Governance, Queensland Department of Education where he leads governance and policy reform within the Schools and Student Support Division, driving strategic alignment across the Department. Charlie brings strong expertise in public policy, legislative processes, and stakeholder engagement across government and non-profit sectors.
Secretary
Christine Afoa
University of Technology Sydney
Christine Afoa is the Project Officer for Pasifika Programs at the University of Technology Sydney, based in the Centre for Social Justice and Inclusion. She designs and delivers initiatives that build cultural confidence and academic opportunity for Pasifika students. Christine is also a writer and advocate, contributing to Sweatshop, and Fresh Off The Books.
Executive Member
Leilani Fatupaito
Swinburne University
Leilani Fatupaito is the TEQSA Project Manager at Swinburne University of Technology and an Executive Member of APEN, contributing to governance, policy, and decolonising practices. She also holds leadership roles in the National Tertiary Education Union and advocates for culturally inclusive frameworks in higher education.
Executive Member
Lamauta Dr Vaoiva Natapu-Ponton
Griffith University
Dr Vaoiva Natapu-Ponton is a seasoned educator and researcher with over 25 years of experience. Her work focuses on Samoan student success and Pacific methodologies. She is part of the APEN Executive team, contributing her expertise to educational leadership and research across Australia.
Communications Officer
Talalelei Tutaia
Western Sydney University
Talalelei Tutaia is a Senior Project Support Officer for the Pasifika Achievement To Higher Education (PATHE) program at Western Sydney University. She coordinates outreach across Greater Western Sydney and contributes to APEN’s communications efforts.
Public Officer
Ateli James Perez
University of New South Wales
James Ateli Perez is the Senior Project Officer in Education Excellence at UNSW’s Faculty of Arts, Design & Architecture. A proud Tokelauan-Samoan-Cook Islands advocate, he leads a large student ambassador team and designs initiatives that improve equity and inclusion in higher education.
Executive Member
Dr Gemma Malungahu
Australia National University
Dr Gemma Malungahu is a Pacific Research Fellow at the Australian National University’s Department of Pacific Affairs. She teaches Pacific research methodologies and leads regional research initiatives like the Pacific Research Colloquium.
Events Officer
Patrick Wallis
QLD Department of Education
Patrick Wallis is a Senior Policy Officer in Strategic Governance at the Queensland Department of Education, with a strong passion for advancing youth success through education. Originally from Aotearoa, he holds a Bachelor of Arts in Education and a Graduate Diploma in Teaching Primary from Victoria University of Wellington. Patrick brings experience across both Australian and New Zealand education systems, including early childhood, curriculum policy, and community engagement.
Membership Officer
Nashwa Karafotias
NSW Department of Education
Nashwa Karafotias is an education and research professional with a background in teaching Science, Mathematics, and Society and Culture. She currently works in Partnerships and Careers, bringing cross-sector experience across education, HR, construction, and retail. As an Executive Member of the Australian Pasifika Educators Network (APEN), Nashwa supports membership and engagement strategies.
Events Officer
Dr Ruth (Lute) Faleolo
Griffith University/Latrobe University.
Dr. Ruth (Lute) Faleolo, an Aotearoa-born Tongan researcher and educator, with ancestral ties to Samoa, Uvea and Fiji, promotes social justice and transformative progress. Ruth works collaboratively across trans-Tasman and trans-Pacific spaces to empower Pacific voices and to accurately document our collective mobilities and holistic wellbeing narratives.
Executive member
Dr June K Paisa Perkins
Gumbootz Pearls.
Dr June K. Paisa Perkins is a Mekeo-Australian writer, educator, and high school teacher whose work spans poetry, pedagogy, and community storytelling. Her writing has appeared with QAGOMA, Story Factory, 4K1G radio, and in anthologies such as South of the Sun. She is the author of four books, including the award-winning Magic Fish Dreaming, and served as the first Pasifika Chair of the Queensland Writers Centre (2022–2023). June is currently working on a sequel to her Pasifika-inspired verse novel and a forthcoming book with Lived Places Publishing exploring identity through poetry, pedagogy, and family. Learn more about Junes work here https://junepaisaperkins.com.au/
Executive member
Kylie Hatch
Monash University
Kylie is a proud Pasifika woman and senior project manager in higher education, with experience delivering cross-faculty initiatives that promote equity, wellbeing, and collaboration. She represents Monash University on MOSAIC and the Faculty Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and serves on the Board of Pacific Connections, a social enterprise supporting the Pacific diaspora. Kylie also sits on the Scanlon Foundation’s Strength to Strength advisory panel and runs women’s health and wellbeing workshops in her local community.
Executive member
Anna Lopeti
NSW High School Teacher
Anna Lopeti is a proud Pasifika Australian woman of Tongan heritage and a dedicated high school teacher with over 12 years of experience. She is passionate about empowering Pasifika students and their families by creating pathways to greater opportunity, informed decision-making, and academic and personal success. Anna is committed to building culturally responsive learning environments that reflect Pasifika identities and values while challenging the systemic barriers that limit her community's potential.