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The Ohu Ahumahi Workforce Development Councils were disestablished on 31 December 2025. Eight Industry Skills Boards now provide vocational education standard setting functions. Please visit the website to find out more: Home – Industry Skills Boards

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The Pacific Fono

Overview

The Pacific Fono comprises Workforce Development Council members of Pacific heritage. The Pacific Fono is a collective voice who provides strategic leadership across WDCs.

Our purpose is to ensure that the WDC ecosystem is delivering on its obligations to help Pacific learners and āiga/families. We do this by:

  • providing knowledge, insights, advice and support to strengthen WDCs’ shared understanding of the issues specific to Pacific learners.
  • Engaging with Pacific industry and business and Pacific communities in the Vocational Education system.
  • conveying consistent messages about Pacific needs, and gaps, in the WDCs and Vocational Education system.
  • ensuring alignment of approaches to Pacific related work programmes across WDCs, and
  • celebrating Pacific success.

The members of the Pacific Fono are:

(Hanga-Aro-Rau) | Co-Chair for Pacific Fono

Jerome Mika

Jerome Mika is Community and Business Development Lead at The Cause Collective, a Pacific social change agency in South Auckland. He has previously held a...
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Jerome Mika

(Hanga-Aro-Rau) | Co-Chair for Pacific Fono
(Toitū Te Waiora) | Co-Chair for Pacific Fono

Tofilau Talalelei Taufale

Tofilau Talalelei Taufale is the Pacific Health Development Manager for the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board, a position he has held for the past 10 years. Tofilau previously held senior...
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Tofilau Talalelei Taufale

(Toitū Te Waiora) | Co-Chair for Pacific Fono
(Ringa Hora) | Chair for Ringa Hora

Hinerangi Edwards

Hinerangi Edwards, Taranaki, Ngāruahine, Taranaki, Ngāti Ruanui, Te Arawa is an executive director and co-owner of AATEA, a Kaupapa Māori professional services consultancy. She was also the co-chair of the interim Establishment...
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Hinerangi Edwards

(Ringa Hora) | Chair for Ringa Hora
Ringa Hora

Hinurewa te Hau

Hinurewa te Hau Whakatōhea, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Kahungunu, Maniapoto, Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Raukawa, is the General Manager of Creative Northland, the regional arts development agency for Te Tai Tokerau. With a wealth of experience as a business...
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Hinurewa te Hau

Ringa Hora
(Muka Tangata)

Iani Nemani

Iani Nemani has Tongan and Fijian heritage. He is an experienced community engagement practitioner with a specific lens on the labour market and local economic development. Iani is a...
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Iani Nemani

(Muka Tangata)
(Toitū te Waiora)

Lealamanu’a Aiga Caroline Mareko MNZM

Lealamanu’a Aiga Caroline Mareko, MNZM, JP, FNZEI, is a New Zealand born Samoan who hails from the villages of Lalomanu, Avao, Mulifanua, Faleula and Vaiusu. She...
Image of Lealamanu’a Aiga Caroline Mareko MNZM

Lealamanu’a Aiga Caroline Mareko MNZM

(Toitū te Waiora)
(Muka Tangata)

Antonia Lilii, Associate Director

Image of Antonia Lilii, Associate Director

Antonia Lilii, Associate Director

(Muka Tangata)
Waihanga Ara Rau

Chantelle Bailey

Chantelle Bailey, Te Rarawa, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hāmoa (Lotofaga and Le'auva'a) is an Associate Structural Engineer at Miyamoto New Zealand. She has more than 25 years of...
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Chantelle Bailey

Waihanga Ara Rau
(Toi Mai)

Pita Alatini

Born in Tonga to parents from Tongaleleka, Ha‘apai, Fo‘ui and Kolovai, Pita and his family moved to Ōtara, New Zealand, when he was two...
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Pita Alatini

(Toi Mai)