Where you're from, your role and place of work
I am from the village of Tufulele, Faleasi’u and Savaia in Samoa. I am an academic and researcher at the School of Medicine, National University of Samoa, and a co-Principal Investigator at the Samoa Institute of Medical Research.
What are you passionate about and why?
The prevention of non-communicable diseases in Samoa and the wider Pacific. NCDs are the leading cause of premature death in our region, yet much of that burden is preventable. There is a Samoan saying — E fofō e le alamea le alamea — that our own problems are best resolved by our own. That belief shapes my work: Pacific health challenges require Pacific-led evidence and Pacific-led solutions, developed with our aiga, our nu'u and our ekalesia, not simply applied to them. I am equally committed to mentoring emerging Pacific researchers, so that our own people are asking the questions and interpreting the findings.
You are scheduled to present on "Food imports and dietary transition in Samoa: implications for non-communicable diseases, 2010-2023” - what is this about and why is it important for our Pacific communities?
The study examines how Samoa's food imports changed between 2010 and 2023, and what that shift means for the health of our people. Like much of the Pacific, we have moved steadily away from the foods of our own soil and sea toward imported, energy-dense and highly processed products — a dietary transition that sits at the heart of our NCD burden. By looking at the food supply itself, the analysis moves the conversation upstream: from individual choice to the food environment that shapes it. This matters because it points to levers our leaders can act upon — trade and food policy, support for local food systems, and healthier food environments for our families.
Words of advice/inspiration for people who are looking to pursue a similar career to you?
O le ala i le pule o le tautua — the path to leadership is through service. Begin with the questions that matter to your own people; Pacific data and Pacific voices remain under-represented, and we are best placed to address that. Seek good mentors, teu le vā (tend your relationships), and be patient, meaningful research takes time. Above all, remember that this work is a form of tautua to our communities.
Our research is not measured in publications. It is measured in the lives our communities get to keep.
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The PMA Conference will be hosted in Auckland from 5-7 August. For more information and to register, visit the website here.
