Meet Our Team

The Pacific at Waikato team is here to provide strategic leadership, direction, programs, advice, and resources that can support staff as they help Pacific learners achieve success.

You can contact the Dau ni Talitali - Pacific Engagement Manager at monicamegan.faasu@waikato.ac.nz.

Through her mother, Keaka is Kanaka Maoli, Kanaka 'Ōiwi from Na 'Ohana o Kalama of La'ie, Hawai'i. Through her father, she is Cherokee from Boyd Mountain in Northwest Arkansas ... and a few other things.  

Keaka is a Waikato alumna, having done her Bachelor of Laws with first-class honours and her PhD in Law at the University. She taught and was the Associate Dean Undergraduate at Te Piringa prior to being appointed as the first Assistant Vice-Chancellor Pacific at the University of Waikato in February 2019.  

The AVC Pacific role provides strategic leadership for the university's ongoing efforts to improve success for Pacific learners, staff, families and communities through tertiary education. The AVC Pacific is the chair of the Pacific Strategic Committee, sits on other committees and boards, and works closely with the University Leadership Group, Research and Enterprise, Human Resources, and Business Intelligence and Analytics.  

The AVC Pacific looks after the Lo'i Pacific Research and Innovation Hub.

Read more about Keaka's leadership, teaching and research experience on her staff profile.

Iresh Lal is a Fijian professional with ancestral links to India, born in Rakiraki and raised in Ba province of Fiji. He is multilingual and brings a strong understanding, appreciation, and respect for Pacific cultures.

He is committed to advancing human development and capability building through impactful education and research. Iresh has extensive experience working with Pacific communities across Fiji and the wider region, through development initiatives with the United Nations Development Programme and the International Labour Organization.

His professional background includes managing medium to large-scale development programmes, with expertise in strategic planning, budgeting, administration, partnership development, and grant management in compliance with contractual agreements. He has developed strong technical knowledge across key thematic areas, including disaster risk management, civic education, local governance, education, disability inclusion, enterprise development, and labour standards, while effectively navigating relationships between governments, worker representatives, and employers.

Iresh brings significant experience in the higher education sector, having served as Manager Development Cooperation at the University of the South Pacific and as Research Grants and Contracts Manager at the University of Auckland. In these roles, he led the development and management of strategic partnerships, mobilised donor funding, and oversaw contractual agreements and grant delivery across multi-campus environments, ensuring accountability and high-quality reporting to international partners including Australia, New Zealand, the European Union, and Japan.

Currently, as Pacific Strategy Manager within the Pacific leadership team at the University of Waikato, he leads the development and implementation of the Pacific Strategic Plan. His responsibilities include overseeing programme delivery and performance, managing strategic initiatives, supporting Pacific student recruitment, retention, and success, and providing high-level strategic advice to senior leadership.

Iresh holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Literature & Language, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Social Policy Administration from the University of the South Pacific. He was also awarded an Excellence Award for his Master of Business Administration (General Management) from the University of Fiji.

He is a collaborative and effective team player with strong interpersonal, communication, and negotiation skills. Iresh demonstrates proven leadership, advanced research and analytical capability, and adaptability in diverse environments, with a deep respect for local knowledge and cultural contexts.

The Pacific Strategy Manager leads the development and delivery of organisation‑wide strategies that advance Pacific aspirations, strengthen Pacific capability, and ensure Pacific perspectives are embedded in planning, policy, and decision‑making.

The role provides high‑level strategic advice, builds strong partnerships with Pacific communities and stakeholders, and drives initiatives that improve outcomes, visibility, and influence for Pacific peoples. Through evidence‑based planning, cross‑team collaboration, and culturally grounded leadership, the Pacific Strategy Manager ensures the organisation’s work aligns with Pacific priorities and contributes to long‑term, sustainable impact.

Hennah is originally from the Eastern Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea. Through her mother, Hennah is connected to the mountainous people of the Faiyantina area, Henganofi District, and through her father, she identifies with the peace-loving people of Korofeigu in the low-lying plains of Bena Unggai District.

The name of the Taki Ako role has been gifted by our Tongan community. The name refers to a teacher of teachers, in this case, a teacher and researcher who will support Pacific learners and various teachers to improve Pacific learner success.

The Taki Ako looks after cultural legacy-based learner success and leadership initiatives, namely the Calling the Island, Challenge the Horizon and E Tasi Teaching Toolkit programmes. Hennah is our lead on first-year Study Advising and she works closely with the Centre for Tertiary Teaching and Learning and the Library to develop culturally responsive programmes in teaching and learning.

The Taki Ako also supervises the Palu Undergraduate Navigators programme.

Read more about Hennah's leadership, teaching and research experience on her staff profile.

Monica, born in American Samoa and from the village of Fagaʻitua, is proud of her Samoan, Tokelauan, and Wallisian heritage, which deeply shapes her commitment to Pacific strategy and student success.

Her cultural identity grounds her dedication to creating inclusive environments where Pacific learners feel valued, represented, and empowered. With a Bachelor of Communication Studies and a Master of Management Studies, she brings strong capability in strategic outreach, cultural engagement, and leadership. In her role at the University of Waikato, Monica designs and delivers initiatives that support Pacific students academically, socially, and culturally, while also championing Pacific perspectives through digital advocacy and community‑centred strategy.

Monica fosters Pacific student success at the University of Waikato through cultural engagement, strategic outreach, and digital advocacy. In her role, she designs and delivers initiatives that empower students academically, socially, and culturally. 

The name of the Dau ni Talitali Pacific Engagement Manager has been gifted by the Fijian community. The name refers to a master weaver, in this case, a weaver of people. The role is focused on connecting Pacific learners and their families and communities with learning, culture and community on campus. The role leads out for the AVC Pacific team on cultural events, connections with high schools, pastoral care, social media and the website. This role works closely with the Student Services, Future Students and Marketing teams.

The Dau ni Talitali oversees programs and initiatives which includes Tupaia Challenge and 'Āiga on Campus. She also coordinates and delivers the FoE High School STEM Navigators programme, alongside organising events.

Read more about Monica's leadership, teaching and research experience on her staff profile.

Dr Agatha Gibbons was born and raised in Suva, Fiji. She is a high-performance athlete and was a NCAA collegiate product, playing volleyball in the United States of America.

Today, Dr Gibbons is currently a doctoral researcher whose work centers on the intersection of gender, culture, and health in sport. Her research focuses on the menstruation-related knowledge and experiences of Pacific sportswomen—an area often overlooked in mainstream sports science, which has traditionally been dominated by white, Western frameworks.

Dr Gibbon's doctoral research examines Pacific sportswomen’s experiences of menstruation, highlighting their absence in existing discussions. Using a culturally grounded Masi Methodology, she engages with Fijian sportswomen and Pasifika athletes through talanoa sessions. Her study reveals challenges such as pain management, cultural stigma, and limited support from coaches, with participants calling for systemic change to foster more informed and supportive environments in sport.

Dr Gibbon’s research is a call to expand the field of sports medicine and science to include diverse cultural perspectives and lived experiences. By doing so, she aims to improve support systems for Pacific sportswomen and ensure their knowledge, values, and health needs are fully acknowledged and addressed.

A Pacific Health Science Academy Coordinator plays a vital role in supporting Pacific students to pursue careers in health sciences. They develop and manage programmes that provide academic support, mentoring, and career exposure, ensuring students have the guidance and resources needed to succeed. This includes coordinating events such as hospital visits and guest lectures, fostering collaborations with schools.

UoW students from STEM act as Navigators for the high school students in the FoE High School STEM Programme — sharing their love of their cultures, presenting information on degrees and programmes, talking about their own experience, and designing and leading learning.  

Their goal is to enhance interest in and knowledge of STEM study and careers amongst Pacific high school students and their parents through weekly shared kai and learning activities based on cultural legacies of STEM.

Read more about FoE High School STEM Navigators

One-on-one peer support and mentorship

Palu are master navigators from Micronesia who have led the revitalisation of voyaging in places like Hawai'i and Aotearoa by passing down their precious knowledge and teaching others.

This program provides culturally responsive, one-on-one support to Pacific undergraduate students. It connects them with central and divisional services and resources.

Senior Pacific students act as more experienced navigators of study, helping other students navigate study, services and opportunities.

Our team of Palu Navigators can be found at set times on Level 2 of Te Manawa and at the Tauranga campus for walk-ins during teaching periods.

View the profiles of our 2025 Palu Navigator team.