Dame Dr Teuila Percival

Qualifications: QSO, MBChB, FRACP

Dr Percival is a Samoan Consultant Paediatrician working at KidzFirst Childrens Hospital in South Auckland. She is also a Senior Lecturer at the School of Population Health, University of Auckland. Dr Percival has worked in Auckland as a Paediatrician for over 15 years with particular interests in Pacific people’s health, Community child health and child protection. She has worked in the Pacific region in both a Clinical and research role with research focus on Maternal and Child Health, Climate Change and Health, Child Obesity, Health Systems and informatics. Dr Percival holds a number of leadership roles in the Pacific Health Sector. Her work was recognized in 2006 with a Pasifika Medical Association Service award. In the 2010 Queens Birthday Honours, Dr Percival became a companion of the Queens Service Order for her services to the Pacific Community. Dr Percival is married to John McEnteer. She has three children and one grandchild.

Lemalu Silao Vaisola-Sefo

Languages: English, Samoan

Lemalu Silao Vaisola Sefo is the Chief Executive of South Seas, appointed in June 2016, responsible for overseeing the growth of the organisation and providing leadership as South Seas Healthcare takes the next step in developing our services and its vision. Silao has been a key member of the South Seas Executive Management and Leadership Team since 2013, when he initially joined as Operations Manager, having moved from Counties Manukau District Health Board. Silao has a background in professional rugby, which he sees as providing the building blocks to his professional career. Silao aims to ensure that a key part of his role is to strengthen and build relationships with community and partners to ensure the healthcare developments are in line with future growth and aspirations. Silao was born in the village of Gagaifo o le Vao in the district of Lefaga in Samoa, was educated in New Zealand and is a graduate of the University of Otago. Silao's chiefly title Lemalu is from the district of Matautu, Lefaga.

Dr Deborah (Debbie) Suitafa Ryan-Nicholson

Dr Debbie Suitafa Ryan-Nicholson is the principal of Pacific Perspectives, a policy and research consultancy specialising in Pacific health, which she founded in 2008. A founding member of South Seas Healthcare, she served as a Board member, the establishment leader for the organisation, and Clinical Director for the General Practice Clinic. From 2001 to 2003, Debbie was the organisation’s first Chief Executive. At South Seas Healthcare she managed the establishment of TaPasefika, the first Primary Health Organisation established in New Zealand.

Dr Ryan has a long career in public service, attaining Ministerial appointment to numerous Boards, including the first Counties Manukau District Health Board, the NZ Lotteries Community Committee, and the Minister’s Education Guardians Group. She was Chief Advisor Pacific Health at the Ministry of Health from 2003 to 2008.

Debbie’s current work interests combine her commitments to Pacific health workforce development, and strengthening the evidence base for improving Pacific health in Aoteroa New Zealand. For the past seven years, she has co-led the successful Aniva Nursing Postgraduate Leadership Programme. Her team at Pacific Perspectives are leading research and evaluation projects using Pacific cultural research methodologies to record the views and experiences of Pacific patients and families as an input to improving the health system.

Dr Ryan was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2018 for services to the Pacific community and health. She is a recipient of the Prime Ministers Award for public management at Victoria University. Her work was recognised by the Pasifika Medical Association with a Life Award in 2016.

Tagaloa Dr Andrew Chan Mow

Languages: English, Samoan

Tagaloa Dr Andrew Chan Mow is the Clinical Director of South Seas Healthcare. He has a wealth of experience in Pacific primary healthcare having worked as a general practitioner in South Auckland over the last 20 years. An Otago University graduate he has previously worked in hospitals in Dunedin, Palmerston North, Auckland and Samoa. Dr Chan Mow was one of the founding members of South Seas Healthcare Trust formed in 1999 in response to an unmet need for a Pacific health provider in Otara. His passion remains in Pacific primary healthcare, one which encompasses cultural values and community engagement in providing excellent health outcomes for all Pacific people.

Emele Palamo

Emele Palamo was born and raised in Samoa. She migrated to New Zealand in 1982 and completed High School up to 7th Form at Waitakere College. Emele has been working in the banking industry for over 25 years and has held a variety of roles including team management, high valued clients’ portfolio management, business development management, and her current role as Mobile Mortgage Manager for Westpac. Emele loves the opportunity to help families achieve their financial goals in property ownership and property investment. She holds a Certificate in Management Studies in Property and Finance from the University of Waikato. In addition to Emele working in the finance sector, she and her husband are heavily involved in their local community and church, coaching leaders and mentoring. Emele’s main passion in life is her marriage and family. She believes that it is a privilege to partner with couples and families, so that we may all live God-centred and fulfilling lives that will have a positive impact now and on future generations. In her opinion, healthy marriages and families are reflected in healthy communities and a legacy for future generations, which further supports the mission of South Seas Healthcare Trust.

Dr Sirovai (Siro) Fuata’i

Dr Sirovai (Siro) Fuata’i is a long time general practitioner (GP) and General Manager of Bader Drive Healthcare in Mangere. His practice, Bader Drive Healthcare, is a pioneer of the one-stop-shop approach to primary healthcare for vulnerable communities. Dr Fuatai is also a founding member of South Seas Healthcare and has served as Chair of the Board.

Dr Fuata’i has held numerous leadership roles in the Pacific and South Auckland healthcare communities, and led the establishment of important primary care and Pacific workforce organisations. A strong advocate for general practice, Dr Fuata’i was the first Pacific GP teacher in the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners training programme.

In 1996, Dr Fuatai was the inaugural President of the Pasifika Medical Association upon its inception. He has made an outstanding contribution to general practice and Pacific health. In 2017, Dr Fuatai was one of the first Pacific GPs to gain distinguished fellowships as a recipient of the 2017 Royal New Zealand College Awards, along with Dr Apisalome Sikaidoka Talemaitoga. Dr Fuata’i has led efforts to attract more medical graduates into general practice and championed Pacific health workforce development.

For the last 25 years, Dr Fuatai has held numerous positions in the Pacific health sector and wider healthcare community, and has been an innovator in expanding general practice services to better meet the needs of Pacific communities in Aotearoa New Zealand. He is currently providing General Practitioner services in Mangere Town Centre.

Seiuli Dr Juliet Walker

Seiuli Dr Juliet Walker was born in Samoa and raised in Tauranga. Her secondary school years were spent in Wellington and in her final year, she was Head Girl at Wellington Girls College and won a National Māori and Pacific scholarship to attend Auckland Medical School. After graduation and doing a post-graduation diploma in Obstetrics, Dr Walker travelled overseas to the UK for a few years. When she returned to New Zealand she went into General Practice.

Dr Walker spent 20 plus years working in Mangere, South Auckland. It was hard work, with huge patient workloads with nearly 100% being Samoan patients. She became committed to Pacific Health. It was during this time Governance opportunities presented. South Seas Healthcare was established and Dr Walker was a board member for 10 years. She was also an inaugural member of the Pasifika Medical Association. With the involvement at this level, opportunities became available at national level and Dr Walker represented Pacific on the Boards of Counties Manukau District Health Board then Auckland District Health Board.

As a GP, Dr Walker represented Pacific on many National Advisory Boards, including Breast Screen, Bowel Screen, and Children’s and latterly Maternity. Women’s health and well-being has always got special attention from Dr Walker. Eventually she got her General Practice Fellowship with the College of GPs and then went on to help with mentoring and education within the college, encouraging other Pacific GPs to obtain fellowship.

South Auckland has been Dr Walker’s work home all her life and she is currently working in Manukau with a wide variety of ethnicities. If Dr Walker wasn’t working, she would read novels, do gardening, and spend more time at the beach. She has 2 sisters, 2 grown up sons, 2 little granddaughters, and a husband of 35 years. Dr Walker is a founding member of South Seas Healthcare.

Dr Florina Chan Mow

Dr Florina Chan Mow is a Paediatric Doctor currently working at Kidz First Hospital, Counties Manukau DHB. Born and raised in Samoa, she remains passionate about the health and well-being of children and young people especially among our Pacific communities here in New Zealand. Florina shares the vision of South Seas Healthcare to support our Pacific communities towards good health, success and happiness. Florina graduated from Otago University Medical School and her brother Dr Andrew Chan Mow is the Clinical Director of South Seas Healthcare.

Aiono Dr Alec Ekeroma

Aiono Dr Alec Ekeroma is a founding member of South Seas Healthcare and a founding member of the Pasifika Medical Association.

Dr Ekeroma's teaching and course development contribution spans the past 21 years and his approach has evolved from observation, feedback and reading. For about 10 of these 21 years, he was the only academic obstetrician and gynaecologist in Middlemore Hospital, responsible for scheduling and delivering the undergraduate teaching programme.

In April 2018, the National University of Samoa (N.U.S) announced the appointment of Dr Ekeroma as the founding Professor at the School of Medicine. Dr Ekeroma played an instrumental part in establishing the medical school at the N.U.S and also played a lead role in the curriculum committee responsible for developing the school’s initial curriculum in 2014.

Prior to his appointment in Samoa, Dr Ekeroma was appointed by the University of Otago as the Head of Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. The prestigious appointment came shortly after completing his PhD in 2017. He is the first academic of Pacific origin to hold a professorial role in a specialised area of medicine in New Zealand, and also the first to head a University of Otago department.

Previously, he was an Associate Professor at the University of Auckland and has held many leadership roles in the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, along with Pacific health organisations both within New Zealand and in the Pacific Islands. His areas of expertise include the fields of stillbirth, research capacity building, Pacific women’s health, vitamin D, medical curriculum development, gestational diabetes mellitus, and global health.

Dr Ekeroma is very passionate and committed to working on improving the health of Pacific communities in the region and New Zealand, particularly serving as a mentor to the next generation of Pacific health leaders. Recently, Dr Ekeroma received the Pasifika Medical Association Life Award, which recognises members for their outstanding service to Pacific health, and he also became the new Editor in Chief for Pacific Health Dialogue magazine.

Dr Sam Fuimaono

Dr Sam Fuimaono is a founding member of South Seas Healthcare and has previously served on the Board.

Dr Sam Fuimaono’s parents are Samoan immigrants and he was born in Christchurch. He was one of the first Pacific students to graduate from Auckland Medical School back in 1981. After graduating from Auckland Medical School, he worked in hospitals in Apia and Auckland, before establishing a general practice in Manurewa in 1986. He also obtained his Law degree from Auckland University in 2008. In 2012, he moved from general practice to work in urgent care medicine at Takanini and Papakura, but is still involved part-time in general practice in Papatoetoe.

Dr Fuimaono is a long-time GP member of ProCare, and was recently a Director in Procare Network Limited, and chair of ProPa Pacific Advisory to Procare. He is also a founding member of the Pasifika Medical Association and a past Director of South Seas Kids. In 2010, Dr Fuimaono was inducted as a Fellow of the Pasifika Medical Association. As well as being a Fellow of the Royal College of GPs, Dr Fuimaono has recently become a Fellow of the Royal College of Urgent Care.

Dr Tiso Faletoese

Dr Tiso Faletoese is a founding member of South Seas Healthcare and is now residing overseas.

Rudolf Laumatia

Rudolf Laumatia is an experienced leader in the financial industries sector. He worked for Westpac NZ for many years with his last role as Regional Manager South Auckland.

He is currently the Chief Executive of Credit Union Auckland. Rudolf has a MA in History from Auckland University. He always has had a desire to help in the community and saw the opportunity to join the South Seas Board as a way of giving back to serve our Pacific Island people. As a parent of a special needs child, he also is interested in healthcare for people with disabilities and is keen to understand how care in this sector can be improved. He is looking forward to helping contribute to the board and making a meaningful difference to the growth of South Seas Healthcare.

Ualesi Ieremia

Languages: English, Samoan

Ualesi was born and raised in Samoa and she migrated with her family to NZ 15 years ago. Prior to working for South Seas, she worked for over 12 years at an NGO in their Drug and Alcohol Service. Ualesi wanted change and was fortunate to join the Gambling team of South Seas as a Gambling Practitioner. She has a degree in Social Work and is currently undertaking studies in Applied Addiction. She speaks Samoan and English fluently. Her passion is to work with people, who for some reason have been influenced/caught up with pressure/addictions in life. Ualesi likes dialoguing with people and has a listening ear for the issues they bring and working together to find the best solutions and options for them. She believes that working in partnership with people seeking help will steer them to achieving their goals, creating a brighter future.

Fonofili Parkinson

Languages: English, Samoan

Fonofili Sa’e-Parkinson is the Child and Maternity Manager for South Seas Healthcare. Before this, she was the Well Child Nurse Team Leader. She has a wealth of knowledge and experience having been nursing for more than 43 years, mainly in community nursing roles. She is a RGON, Midwife, Community Health Nurse, and now an NZ Registered Nurse. Fonofili has been in Well Child Nursing for more than 17 years, and as Team Leader she coordinates Well Child Services and also delivers them. Her role involves educating and supporting parents by providing health information to help improves their knowledge and skills so they can respond to their children’s needs at different stages of development. It also involves providing reassurance for parents that their children are developing normally through growth and developmental assessment, and providing care and support to help parents identify their children’s needs while caring for them. 

Irata Passi

Languages: English, Samoan

Irata Passi is a Registered Nurse and works with patients at our clinic. She is responsible for communicating between patients and doctors, observing and recording patient’s conditions, providing support to patients and their families, educating the community on disease management, nutritional plans and medical conditions. Irata did her initial nursing training in Samoa in the late 1980’s, before migrating to New Zealand in 1997 and transferring her qualifications through MIT. She has worked at Auckland Hospital and as a practice nurse in another South Auckland clinic, before joining South Seas in 2006. Irata speaks Samoan and English.

Jean Mata'afa

Languages: English, Samoan

Jean Marie Mataafa is the Well-being Manager at South Seas Healthcare. She works with families and individuals to make positive changes in life, empowering them to become independent and assisting them to live healthily and safely. She supports families to access health services and education opportunities, advocating and supporting them to access the appropriate services. Jean believes no matter the situation everyone needs help to work towards the right path, and people have the ability change with the right support and guidance. She holds a Bachelor of Social Work and speaks English and Samoan. 

Corrie Ioelu

Languages: English, Samoan

Corrie Ioelu is the Clinic Practice Manager. Before this she was the Non-clinical Lead for the Vaccination Team and joined the team at South Seas Healthcare as a Medical Receptionist in early 2018. She has worked in customer services related roles for the last couple of years, even enjoying a brief spell as an early Childhood reliever.  A highlight for Corrie is being able to work and give back to an organisation that registered her and her family when she was just a baby. She is passionate about her Pacific community and looks forward to delivering the highest level of customer service every day, because she believes that the initial face-to-face contact is a huge part of a patient’s wellbeing.

Amitesh Chand

Shaun Tautali

Languages: English, Samoan

Shaun Tautali is the Public Health Team Leader for South Seas Healthcare. Seeing positive changes in young people’s lives has always strengthened Shaun’s resolve to continue to support them in all facets of growth and development, particularly health and wellbeing. He is optimistic that providing key support services and working alongside the community and organisations that have the desire and vested interest to see realistic and achievable goals achieved, will bring about healthy bodies and healthy minds. Working in the coalface has meant that he has a realistic view on what is happening in the community and the impact it is having on our young people. Shaun believes the message of healthy living has not changed much; however, it’s how we deliver the message that will impact significantly to the communities that we serve.