Manase Lua Email & Phone Number

I am currently a Senior Manager at Te Pou in charge of delivering a large national disability workforce development contract for the last ten years. I am also Principal Advisor Pasifika and head of Kanorau (diversity and inclusion) at Te Pou and the newly appointed Pacific Equity lead for the WISE Group starting from 16 January 2023. I have worked previously in Government for almost ten years at the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs (1997-2001) and the Ministry of Health (2002-2007) in the Disability Services Directorate as a project manager. I have also worked in the NGO sector for over fifteen years now including at PIASS Trust (Pacific disability provider now called Vakatautua), Le Va (when it was a part of Te Pou) and am currently employed at Te Pou and WISE Group. I have a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts (Hons) from Auckland University in English. I am a skilled communicator and have experience and skills dealing with the media. I have excellent writing, facilitation and analytical skills and have managed many complex projects and programmes from start to finish and managed the administration of a multi - million dollar grants portfolio. I hold multiple voluntary and paid community roles as Chairman of the Pacific Advisory Group for Auckland Museum (and seconded onto the Board), a board member for Fonua Ola (Deputy Chair), board member for Aotearoa Tongan Health Workers Association (Secretary), board member for the Aotearoa Tongan Response Group (deputy chair), member of the NZ Rugby Union Pacific Advisory Group and an executive member of the Pacific Leadership Forum (PLF). I have been a Co Facilitator for the Leadership New Zealand Mana Moana programme since 2019, after having completed the course myself in 2018. I helped to establish the New Zealand Tongan Business Council of which I am also a member and a member of the Pasifika Medical Association (PMA).