Christmas wish granted for Pasifika leaders

Christmas has come early for 17 leaders of Pacific descent who have been selected for the Institute of Directors (IoD) Tautua Pasifika Mentoring Programme for 2025. 

The pilot programme, which runs for 10 months, is designed to bridge the gap between Western governance principles and traditional Pasifika leadership cultural practices, giving participants the opportunity to grow their knowledge through mentorship and reciprocal learning, guided by established directors. 

Lisa Meto Fox and Dr Stephven Kolose (Matautu Lefaga/Leauva’a) are among the successful applicants. 

Auckland-based Fox has been responsible for driving social and community-led initiatives and said her governance ambitions mirror a lifelong dedication to social justice.

“I am driven to advocate for underserved communities, specifically, serving the Pasifika community,” she said.

New to governance, she applied for the programme after watching panel discussions focused on the need for Pacific voices in governance; she has also recently joined the Artspace Aotearoa board – a Te Tiriti-led organisation, which Fox said, aligned with her values. 

Dunedin-born, Auckland-based, Dr Kolose is one of the only Pasifika ergonomists in the world and has spent more than a decade as a researcher and consultant. He currently sits on various steering committees and boards, including as chair of Human Factors and Ergonomics Society of New Zealand; he is deputy chair of Puataunofo WorkSafe, and co-chairs the International Ergonomics Association Professional Standards and Certification Committee, among others. 

Kolose said it was an underrepresentation of Pasifika voices on boards – especially in areas such as science, and health and safety – that prompted him to apply for the Tautua programme. 

“There are still few Pasifika board members, especially in positions that advocate for Pasifika workers in our workplaces who are overrepresented in work-related injuries,” he said. 

Kolose lists sprains, strains, broken bones and lacerations, among the most common injuries that occur for Pasifika workers across areas such as manufacturing, construction, wholesale and retail, and healthcare social assistance. 

“We need more Pasifika at board level who understand Pacific data and have the tools to implement strategy and interventions,” Kolose said of the need to champion this space for change. 

IoD Chief Executive Kirsten Patterson said the number of applicants for the Tautua programme was higher than expected, prompting a need to make room for additional participants beyond the initial 10 places outlined in the application process. 

“This is reflective not only of a hunger for governance training within these communities, but it also demonstrates the high level of interest and engagement from Pasifika leaders looking to make a formal move into governance spaces,” Patterson said.  

While participants like Dr Kolose have board roles, Patterson said some individuals are looking to broaden their scope beyond not-for-profit (NFP) boards.

“There is a big social shift taking place, and as boards set their strategies, they need to understand who their stakeholders are. That means ensuring they have appropriate skills and knowledge at the table to steer the board in the right direction and cater to a changing audience.”

Patterson said if boards don’t increase their diversity, they will miss out on important opportunities. 

The IoD has been committed to transforming the governance landscape, and over the past year, has been running early-stage workshops with Pasifika leaders ahead of up launching the pilot programme. 

Mele Wendt MNZM MInstD from IoD’s Pacific Advisory Board said the obstacles are very real and concerning for Pasifika wanting to sit on boards. 

“Participants in our initial workshops experienced discrimination and prejudiced when applying for leadership and board roles outside of their communities . . . more generally, a lack of visibility of Pasifika in governance spaces also plays a role in limiting opportunities.”

Wendt said people need to see themselves reflected back when it comes to leadership, but so too, the path to get there needs to be visible in order for this to happen. 

“Pasifika have more than 3000 years of collective governance systems and are inherently born as part of a collective. Governance and leadership come naturally and extends beyond the individual – we are community-minded – it’s at the heart of who we are and how we think.”

Wendt hopes the programme will contribute to greater confidence of Pasifika leaders in the broader governance landscape. 

A full list of recipients can be found on this page. 

ENDS

 

For more information, please contact:
Sonia Yee
Senior Media and Communications Advisor
Mobile: 022 354 6417
Email: sonia.yee@iod.org.nz