Our People
Rae Si'ilata
Rae is of Ngāti Raukawa, Tūhourangi, Fijian, Irish, and Scottish descent, with whānau connections to Samoa, Tonga, and Tokelau. She is Director of Va‘atele Education Consulting which is contracted to deliver Ministry of Education PLD and research contracts with ECE services, and primary and secondary schools. Current projects focus on supporting leaders, teachers and learning assistants to privilege and utilise heritage languages and cultures within their learning spaces.
During her career, Rae has been a teacher and principal in Aotearoa and in Samoa. From 2005-2020, Rae worked as a lecturer/senior lecturer at the University of Auckland, supporting teachers with postgraduate study. Since 2020, she has also supported Māori and Pacific doctoral students at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi.
Kyla Hansell
Tena koutou, talofa lava, malo e lelei…
Ko Ngatokimatawhaorua te waka
Ko Hokianga Whakapau Karakia te moana
Ko Taniwha Whakarongorua te maunga
Ko Utakura te awa
Ko Mokonuiarangi te marae
Ko Nga Puhi te iwi
Ko Te Popoto te hapu
Ko Muriwai te whanau
Tihei mauri ora!
My name is Kyla Hansell and I am Māori and German-Samoan.
My experience with working with Emergent Bilingual students comes from 9 years working as a Primary teacher in East Auckland. I completed my Graduate Diploma of TESSOL in 2015. In 2015 I was also part of the Manaiakalani Innovative Teachers professional learning group, and inquired into translanguaging in digital immersion classrooms.
In 2016 I won a Teachnz study award and put myself in the shoes of a second language learner, completing a Certificate in Proficiency in Te Reo Maori at Te Waananga Takiura o ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Aotearoa.
In 2020, I became project coordinator at Vaʻatele Education Consulting. I am so privileged to work in this space, talking about what I love, and supporting teachers who are transforming their classrooms.
Deborah Meafua-Siafolau
Ua fetaui lelei fola o le ‘alia:
The deck-planks (fola) of the voyaging canoe (‘alia) fit together well.
This proverb refers to the Samoan value of vā feiloaʻi (interpersonal relations): Great accomplishments and social harmony are only possible when members of a team “fit” together like the watertight planks of the ‘alia.
Talofa; my name is Deborah Meafua-Siafolau, I am a New Zealand born Tuvaluan/Samoan.
I worked as a Resource Teacher of Learning and Behaviour (RTLB) for nine years, while also completing my Post Graduate Diploma in Specialist Education. My passion for working with Pasifika students and emergent bilinguals, as well as upskilling teachers about Bilingual Education has led me to be a Professional Learning and Development Facilitator with Vaʻatele Education Consulting.
My ‘alia with Dr Rae Siʻilata began in 2010 when I co-facilitated PTAP workshops in the Manawatu area. In 2014 we were part of the team that piloted the Pasifika New Entrant Project, now known as PELP.
With 24 years teaching experience in the Early Childhood Education sector (Aoga Amata and English-medium), in the primary sector, and as an RTLB, I believe firmly in the importance of sustaining/revitalising the heritage languages and cultures of our tamaiti to enable success in education, voyaging as who we are as Pasifika people, and seeking to develop social harmony.
Folole Tuʻitahi
‘Uluaki fakamalo ki he’etau Tamai Hevani, ‘I he’ene kei tauhi mai kitautolu ‘o tau ‘ausia ‘ae ngaahi ‘aho ni, pea neongo koe fu’u taimi faingata’a eni ka ‘oku tau kei fakamalo pe ko ‘etau kei hao ‘ihe tauhi ‘ae ‘Otua.
First of all I would like to thank our Heavenly Father, for his love and guidance upon us and the appreciation we have for this life, especially during this hard time we are going through with this pandemic.
Malo e lelei, my name is Fololenisi Tu’itahi and I have been working in the Early Childhood mainstream for 16 years. I have been a teacher and supervisor during that period of time.
I have been working at a Tongan immersion centre for over 4 years now and I am grateful to work alongside my community and also to share the experience of speaking in our mother tongue.
It is a privilege and an honor to be a part of this wonderful project which is an opportunity to share with and meet new families.
Malo ‘Aupito.
Grace Ormsby Abazu
Kia Ora, my name is Grace Ormsby-Abazu.
I have started calling myself a ‘Pacific raised Palangi’, a term shared with me by a friend with a similar upbring. I spent my childhood growing up in rural Papua New Guinea, before returning to NZ with my family to continue my schooling. I then spent my early primary teaching years in Samoa. I have been blessed to travel and work in different locations around the world throughout the past 25 years. This has significantly impacted my ongoing understandings of language, culture, identity, and values.
I am passionate about working with others and seeing them flourish in who they are, from our youngest students through to experienced professional practitioners. I am always excited to see others grow in confidence as they explore and develop in their own learning journey.
I am very blessed to be working in this space with the Vaʻatele Team as we work collaboratively in translating theory into practice, especially in the areas of Bilingualism, Biliteracy and Second Language Acquisition.
Hevaha Tu'akoi
Malo e lelei. Tau fakafeta’i kotoa pe ki he tamai mafimafi he’ene fakakoloa’aki kitautolu ‘a e ngaahi faingamalie kehekehe ‘o e mo’ui ‘o kau ai hono ako’i ‘etau fanau he ko kinautolu e kaha’u ‘o e fonua, siasi mo e pule’anga foki.
My name is Hevaha Tuakoi and I was born and raised in Tonga. I started my teaching career in Tonga before migrated to New Zealand in 2004. I am currently teaching and leading the senior syndicate team at Glen Innes School. I have been teaching for 23 years and throughout my teaching career, I have always been passionate about working with our pasifika children ensuring that every child can reach their full potential.
My journey with the PELP team has been an inspiration for me. The expertise that each member brings into the team has been exceptionally rewarding. It has been great to work alongside them as one of the Tongan facilitators.
‘Ofa lahi atu.
Jan Ene
Talofa lava. Malo le soifua maua ma le soifua manuia. O lo’u igoa o Jan Galufefatiai Ene.
Warm Pasefika greetings to you all. My name is Jan Galufefatiai Ene. I hail from the beautiful paradise Samoa. I descend from from the Sa Tago family in Vavau, Lotofaga as well as the Rimoni Fuimaoni family in Salani, Falealili, Upolu. This is on my mothers side. My dad’s heritage traces me back to the Tuimaugapo family in Fagafau Savaii and Tuileto’a family in Vavau. I was born and raised in Samoa, migrated to New Zealand for High School and on to University. I currently teach and lead the Year 5-6 team at Bailey Road School in Mt Wellington.
My teaching journey started in English-medium before embarking on establishing Fofoa i Vaoese (Samoan Bilingual Unit) at Wiri Central School. During my time leading the Bilingual Unit I was able to embark on my TESSOL training where I met Dr. Rae Si‘ilata. First hand experience as a bilingual learner along with my teaching experience and TESSOL training; prepares me for my new journey as a PTAP facilitator. It is an honor to be in this space working alongside the wonderful team to support our teacher aides to be effective practitioners for our tamariki.
‘O le ala i le pule o le tautua’
Soifua ma ia manuia.
Joana Tui-Samoa
Faafetai lava mo le avanoa/thank you for the opportunity
Bula! Namaste! Kia orana! Malo e lelei! Mauri! Kia ora! Talofa lava !
O lou igoa o Joanna Tugia-Luamanu-TuiSamoa
I entered teaching a long time ago because I was passionate about helping our Pacific People. Early in my journey I quietly shared my culture – a little bit of language and always took the cultural groups. Today it is so much more – no one explicitly tells you to use your first language in your everyday teaching. PTAP encourages you to use your first language; it emphasises how and why it is so important to make those connections through all curriculum areas.
My teaching career started in Auckland at Freemans Bay Primary, from there I went to Wesley Intermediate and then I moved on to Life Education.
I have been in Hamilton City for over 7 years; teaching at the Marian Catholic School and Deanwell Primary, where I lead and taught the Te Reo Classes and the Pasifika liaison in the School. I am currently teaching at St Joseph’s Catholic School (Te Kuiti).
In 2010 I was the co-facilitator for the PTAP in the Hamilton region. I so enjoyed and had lots of fun learning from our Project Director Rae Si‘ilata. This inspired me to apply for a TESSOL Scholarship. I know from completing the TEAL qualification and from being involved in the PTAP my teaching practice has continued to improve for all, especially for our ESOL learners.
Manuia
Meg Jacobs
Kia ora koutou, Mauri, Tālofa, Kia orana, Fakaalofa lahi atu, Mālō nī, Ni Sa Bula Vinaka, Mālō e lelei, Talofa lava, and warm Pacific greetings to all.
My name is Meg Jacobs. I am from the midwestern US state of Iowa with Irish, German, and Swiss ancestry. I moved to Aotearoa New Zealand with my husband and our two sons in 2017 to begin a Research Fellowship in the Marie Clay Research Centre at the University of Auckland.
Dr. Rae Si‘ilata invited me to contribute to the Pasifika Early Literacy Project in 2019. My research interests, shaped by a 15-year primary school teaching career in the US, include literacies undervalued in educational settings, and making visible the contribution of families to children’s early literacies. My new role as a lecturer in the School of Education at Auckland University of Technology allows me share the work of PELP with my students who are preparing to be ECE and primary teachers. I am grateful to learn from the PELP collective and to privilege Pacific languages and literacies alongside children, families, and teachers. Kia ora.
Professor Janet Gaffney
Ko te tātai hono i waenganui i a onamata, a inamata, a anamata hoki,
ko ā tātou tamariki me ō tātou tūmanako mō rātou.
Children are our living link to our past, our hope for today
and our vision for the future.
This whakatauki was gifted to me in honour of my Inaugural Professorial Lecture at the University of Auckland by John McCaffery. I strive to live this proverb and keep it at the heart of every decision that I make.
I was honoured to be recruited for the position of Professor of Educational Psychology-Literacy and to develop the Marie Clay Research Centre in the Faculty of Education and Social Work at the University of Auckland. I was aware of the gifts that Aotearoa New Zealand had shared with the world in terms of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, nurturing tamariki, early learning and development, and languages and literacies. Teachers and researchers around the world have been studying early childhood development, learning and literacy for several decades and saw Aotearoa New Zealand as leading the way for the rest of the world. One of my edited books, Stirring the Waters: The Influence of Marie Clay, is a collective tribute of chapters by international researchers whose work was impacted by this pioneer and the first female Professor at the University of Auckland. I am privileged to direct the Centre in her name.
I was attuned to Aotearoa from my teaching experience from kindergarten through Year 12, primarily with Native Americans in tribally-operated schools in the USA. When I attended Arizona State University to earn my PhD, I was able to focus on Indigenous studies, bilingual education and literacy with leaders in these fields. I blended my teaching experience with my research and cemented my commitment to work alongside children, their families and communities, and to continue to learn with my heart and mind.
Prior to moving to Aotearoa in 2012, I was a Professor at the University of Illinois and a Senior Researcher at the Center for the Study of Reading. I served as the Director and Reading Recovery Trainer for 8 years, supporting implementation across 10 states. My research on literacy learning and teaching, and teacher leadership is intentionally focussed on facilitating the organic design of system innovations with collaborative and innovative teacher leaders who view student learning as the centripetal force that drives their thinking and actions. My research addresses linguistic, cultural, and family literacies with an emphasis on equitable opportunities for children and youth. I serve on multiple editorial boards including Reading Research Quarterly, Journal of Literacy Research, Journal of Teacher Education, and Teacher Education and Special Education.
Lino Nelisi
Lino Nelisi is Niuean and Samoan.
She has a Masters in Education in Pacific Islands Education and was an International Adviser for the International Children’s Digital Library, Washington DC, USA
Lino Nelisi is a valued and successful New Zealand Children’s author, including the beloved book, ‘Lavalava’. She is also a translator for vagahau Niue bilingual books.
Luti Tafea
‘Oku ou tomu’a tuku ha fakamālō ki he tamai hevani he ngaahi faingamālie kotoa pe kuo fakakoloa ‘aki e mo’ui ni ‘o a’usia mai he ngaahi ‘aho fakakoloa ko eni. Mālō e lelei, ko hoku hingoa ko Luti Loumaile Tafea. ‘Oku ou fiefia ma’u pe he faingmālie ‘oku ou kau ai ki ha ngāue ke pātoloaki mo tokoni ki hotau kakai.
Greetings to you all, my name is Luti Loumaile Tafea and I am from the Friendly Island of Tonga, born, raised and educated from primary to teacher’s college before migrating to the land of the Long White Clouds.
In 2008, I was involved in the advisory committee for the the teachers’ guide and supporting materials for the “Faufaua “resource. 2009, I was working with the Tupu series assisting and trialling some activities and materials in my classroom using some of the Tongan books.
In 2015, I completed my Graduate Diploma of TESSOL. It was life changing experience because it changed my teaching practice and enabled myself to cater for the diverse learners in my classroom and it doesn’t matter what ethnicities.
2018, I had the privilege of being in the fono facilitators for the Tongan language for the Pacific Early Literacy Project and looking forward for another great year this year regardless of the the struggle that we are going through with covid-19.
Currently teaching at Tamaki Primary School at a composite class which has Year, 4, 5 and 6 students.
Next year I am looking forward to established my first Tongan bilingual class.
Maliana Taufalele
Mālō e lelei. Ko Maliana Koli Taufalele au, pea ko ‘eku lele maí, mei he ‘Esi-ko-’Elenoa mei he Fatafatamāfana, Vava’u Lahi. ‘Oku te fakafeta’i ki he ‘Otuá, he fakakoloa kuo fai ‘o tau felōngoaki ai heni. Fakatauange ‘oku tokamālie e me’a kotoa pē, ‘i ha tapa ‘o e kolopé, ‘oku mou me’a mai mei ai.
I began my teaching journey in Tonga in 1990 before moving to New Zealand in 1998. I am a year 7 and 8 teacher at Sutton Park School in South Auckland. As well as blessed with the role of the leader of the Tongan Bilingual Unit at our school.
Last year, it was a great privilege to be part of the facilitation team for Va’atele with the leadership of Dr. Rae Silata. The richness of knowledge and wisdom that the team brings together really helps me in my own practice.
It is my dream to see our Pasifika become successful as Pasifika students and whatever success may look like to them and their families.
‘Ofa lahi atu.
Manava Parakoti
Turou, turou, turou, ‘oro mai, ‘oro mai, ‘oro mai e tama e maine ki te unga i te ta’ua Va’atele, ieeeekoko!!!.
Kia Orana tatou katoatoa e te anau Pativika a Va’atele i i Aotearoa Nuti Reni nei. E reo tu’oro’oro mei roto atu iaku kia tatou katoatoa.
My name is Manava Parakoti or Mana for short. I was born in Rarotonga., Kuki Airani. My father was a Rarotongan with an English background. My mum was from Aitutaki and Rarotonga too. I became a primary school teacher through a three year teacher training programme in Rarotonga and I taught te reo mainly in Rarotonga language and English to children in the schools in Rarotonga and various islands in the outer islands of the Kuki Airani.I live in Massey and currently working in Best Start Early learning in Waitakere.This year, I am grateful to be with our pacific teachers to deliver PELP Language and Literacy for our pativika children. My hope is for our project to expand across all schools in Aotearoa New Zealand in the near future. So our tamariki may participate more in their learning and achieve their hopes and dreams in the future.Akara ki mua ma te ariuriu e ko muri tetai’. Look ahead and remember your past.
Kia Orana e kia ‘aranga tu tatou.
Martha Aseta
Talofa lava
My name is Martha Aseta and I come from the villages of Sāfaatoa Lefaga and Lepea on the island of Upolu, Samoa.
I am a primary school trained teacher and I have taught in year 7 and 8 Samoan bilingual and English-medium classrooms in South Auckland. My interests lie in bilingualism and biliteracy, Samoan-medium education and Pasifika education. I joined Va’atele as a researcher in 2020, and I am proud to be part of a team of professionals dedicated to privileging the linguistic and cultural resources of Pacific fanau and aiga in education. My current research focuses on exploring graduate experiences of Samoan Bilingual/Immersion Education and its impact on their lives.
Fa’afetai lava
Meg Jacobs
Kia ora koutou, Mauri, Tālofa, Kia orana, Fakaalofa lahi atu, Mālō nī, Ni Sa Bula Vinaka, Mālō e lelei, Talofa lava, and warm Pacific greetings to all.
My name is Meg Jacobs. I am from the midwestern US state of Iowa with Irish, German, and Swiss ancestry. I moved to Aotearoa New Zealand with my husband and our two sons in 2017 to begin a Research Fellowship in the Marie Clay Research Centre at the University of Auckland.
Dr. Rae Si‘ilata invited me to contribute to the Pasifika Early Literacy Project in 2019. My research interests, shaped by a 15-year primary school teaching career in the US, include literacies undervalued in educational settings, and making visible the contribution of families to children’s early literacies. My new role as a lecturer in the School of Education at Auckland University of Technology allows me share the work of PELP with my students who are preparing to be ECE and primary teachers. I am grateful to learn from the PELP collective and to privilege Pacific languages and literacies alongside children, families, and teachers. Kia ora.
Meleka Pou-Poasa
Tena koutou katoa, ko te mea tuatahi ka wehi ki to tatou Matua nui ite rangi nānā nei ngā mea katoa, kei a ia te timatanga me te mutunga o nga mea katoa. He mihi aroha ki nga Tupuna, haere, haere, haere. Ko MV Mataliki toku waka, Ko taihala o fenualoa toku awa, ko Fakafotu toku Marae, Ko Fakaofo Toku iwi, No Tokelau a hau, ko Meleka toku ingoa
“Uhu ki āfagā fakananunanu ai, taliga e fia fakalogo”
This is a traditional saying. It symbolises honouring the past in order to know how to deal with the present and be able to move forward into the future. It is also about younger ones listening to what the elders or chiefs are saying, and observing what they are doing so that they can learn from their advice and example.
Malo ni, I was born and raised in Tokelau, i had the best childhood growing up in Tokelau where the classroom was under the trees, and our ball was a coconut. I am currently working at Mataliki Tokelau Akoga Kamata i Mangere. I have strong value of pasefika language, cultures as well as Christian beliefs. Fakafetai ma ke manuia
Peta Ravlich
Kia orana tatou katoatoa.
E ngakaparau tikai au i toku, ui tupuna, no Tahiti, Varani, Peretane e Rarotonga mai.
I was born and educated in Rarotonga. I came to New Zealand after getting married and have four beautiful children. When my youngest child started college, I felt that it was time for me to realise my dream of becoming an early childhood educator. Hence, my journey into education started. I believe that early childhood education is where the foundation of social justice, science, mathematical, language, spirituality, learning dispositions and many other concepts are nurtured and enhanced.
I worked at the University of Auckland, Faculty of Education and Social Work for a few years as a mentor and tutor for Pasifika students. A role that I enjoyed very much. I enjoyed listening to our students conversing in their own languages in our Pasifika space.
I will always value our language, culture, heritage and peoples.
Kia manuia, e Te Atua te aroa.
Salā Pafitimai Dr. Faʻasaulala Tagoilelagi-Leota
Talofa, malo le soifua laulelei
Sa ou fanau i Vailoatai i Amerika Samoa, o le nuu na faifeau ai o’u matua. O lo’u tina o le uluai taitaifono a le SAASIA (Samoan ECE Association). Sa ou tauaveina foi lenei tofi i le 10 tausaga ma sa tofia ai a’u e fai ma uluai faatonusili a lea faalapotopotoga. I le taimi nei ua faatu le matou kamupani e faaigoa o le AATA Ltd (Aoga Amata Transnational Aoteroa). E toatolu la’u fanau, ma nai o’u malu e toa 3 (grandchildren).
I have worked in the ECE sector for over 3o years as programme leader, senior lecturer and professional development facilitator. I now work as a Manager in the Research & Insights unit of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples. I am a co-director of the AATA Ltd which aims to service Samoan and Pacific diaspora communities with early learning and cultural intelligence.
Toni Faʻaletatau
Talofa lava
Mālō le soifua maua ma le lagi e mamā.
My name is Toni Fa’aletatau and I come from the villages of Vailoa Aleipata, Alamagoto and Fasito’o uta. I am also of Scottish and Irish descent and was born and raised in West Auckland. I am new to the team and came on board in 2022 as a Facilitator. It has been such a rewarding experience so far and I feel so humbled to have met, and be working alongside such amazing people. I am a primary school trained teacher and have been teaching for 20 years. My first seven years of teaching was in the Samoan Bilingual Unit at Robertson Road School, in South Auckland. I then started a family and had to move closer to home and taught in the mainstream for 9 years. There was still an underlying passion for teaching in a Bilingual setting and once the opportunity arose, I grabbed it and have now been in the Samoan Unit at Henderson Intermediate school ever since. Working with Pasifika students and their families is a privilege and being bilingual is a gift. I want to do what I can to nurture what our children bring to the table and uplift them to be the best that they can be so that they may walk confidently and proudly in both worlds as Pasifika people.