What is your role/profession currently? 

My background is in nursing, and currently I’m the General Manager – Community & Innovations at Moana Connect. 

What was your abstract presentation about at the PMA Conference for 2022, and why are you passionate about it? 

I presented on our DIGIFALE programme, which is a digital health literacy programme for Pacific communities that provides the necessary access, connectivity and skills required to overcome the obstacles of digital exclusion. COVID-19 presented many challenges for Pacific communities which included limited access to technology and a lack in digital skills, leaving many Pacific elders isolated socially and physically.  As a research informed programme, the presentation focused on the pilot results of one of four Pacific ethnic-specific communities (Niue, Cook Island, Samoa, Tonga).  

What are your aspirations for Pacific health? 

In the context of digital health and Healthtech which is where my current focus is, it’s important there is equitable access to digital health technologies and resources for our Pacific communities so they can manage their health and wellbeing independently. Equal to this is ensuring there is growing representation of Pacific researchers, clinicians and technology experts within this sector to develop and implement innovative Healthtech solutions that can improve health and wellbeing outcomes for Pacific communities. If anyone is reading this and is interested in the Healthtech space, please reach out 😊 

How did you find the Conference last year? 

The conference provided a wonderful opportunity to learn, share knowledge, network, and more importantly, create a space to foster collective collaboration among Pacific clinicians, researchers, planners, funders, and policy makers.