About Us
Leading global health research from the Pacific.
Our Vision
Healthy and thriving Pacific communities built on Pacific research excellence and leadership.
Our Story
Te Poutoko Ora a Kiwa – Centre for Pacific and Global Health exists to help activate some of the world’s most innovative health solutions.
It’s commonly known that the health of Pacific communities across the Pacific region is under served and in need of a transformative effort to turn things around.
We believe it’s possible.
Te Poutoko was formed to help lead this change and drive global health progress. Through exceptional collaboration and Pacific-led knowledge and methodologies, our research and training creates tangible impacts in our communities and fosters research excellence across the region.
The approach is new, but long overdue. We’re committed to seeing our Pacific communities thrive in this lifetime, and together with our extensive network of partners across the region, we’re confident in creating lasting change for future generations.
Our People
Directors
Professor Sir Collin Tukuitonga
Director
Sir Collin Fonotau Tukuitonga KNZM is a Niuean-born New Zealand doctor, public health academic, public policy expert and advocate for reducing health inequalities of Māori and Pasifika people. He has held several positions in public health and government in New Zealand and internationally.
He was appointed a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to Pacific and public health, in 2022.
Sir Collin has held several highly influential offices, including Director General of the Pacific Community (SPC), Commissioner and Co-ordinator for WHO Geneva, Chief Executive of the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs and Director of Public Health, Ministry of Health. He was also instrumental in establishing Pacific Language weeks as an Aotearoa New Zealand government initiative, and in his home of Niue, he established the biannual Niue Culture and Arts Festival.
Sir Collin is one of our most prominent Pacific figures in the health sector in Aotearoa and globally. His voice was crucial in advocating for Pasifika during the Covid crisis in Aotearoa, and he has been consistently vocal in pointing to inequities for Pasifika in the health system and pushing for policy to impact Pasifika in better ways.
His current positions at the University of Auckland are Associate Dean Pacific, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences Administration; Associate Professor, Population Health; and Director – University Research, Centre for Pacific and Global Health. He is currently President of the New Zealand College of Public Health Medicine.
Li’amanaia Dr Roannie Ng Shiu
Director
Roannie is Samoan from Leone, Apia and Savaia, Lefaga. In 2021, Roannie joined the University of Auckland, where she helped to establish the University Research Centre for Pacific & Global Health as a Co-Director. She is also a Principal Analyst for Malatest International, an organisation specialising in progressive evaluation and market research.
She has previously held research positions at the Australian National University, where she led Pacific capacity-building initiatives and was involved in large-scale Pacific development research projects.
Roannie has 15 years of research experience specialising in human geography, and Pacific health, education, and development.
With a strong background in research design and conducting research projects of all types, including qualitative, mixed-methods, longitudinal and cross-sectional studies. She has strong project management, stakeholder engagement and evidence-based policy development skills.
She has vast research experience in the Pacific region, Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia and the United States. Her most recent research collaboration with the University of West Indies and the Lancet Countdown focused on the development of climate change and health policy for Small Island Developing States.
Chairperson
Dr Ashley Bloomfield
Governing Council Chair
Sir Ashley Bloomfield trained in medicine at the University of Auckland and specialised in public health medicine. He has 25 years’ experience in public policy and health leadership, including at the World Health Organization in Geneva.
Sir Ashley was New Zealand’s Director-General of Health from June 2018 to July 2022 and led the country’s health response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was appointed a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (KNZM) in the 2023 New Year’s Honours for services to public health and is now a Professor at the University of Auckland’s School of Population Health. Sir Ashley’s professional areas of interest are non-communicable disease prevention and control and addressing health inequities.
Professor Judith McCool
Director
Judith is Head of School of Population Health and co-Director for Te Poutoko Ora a Kiwa l Centre for Pacific and Global Health and is an Associate Professors in Epidemiology and Biostatistics. Areas of expertise include youth tobacco and e-cigarette marketing and promotions, tobacco industry interference and commercial determinants of health.
Previous work has focused on assessing risk perceptions among vulnerable populations, and the application of social and digital media as a communication tool for social and behaviour change and health equity.
Recent work has concentrated on the impact of global health institutions, including governance arrangements to support health equity, including contribution to debates around decolonising global health through alternative ways of supporting indigenous led research, scholarship, and workforce development.
Dr Karaponi Okesene-Gafa
Director
Dr Karaponi Okesene-Gafa was born in Niue Island and raised in Samoa by her grandparents, Dr Moananu and Mrs Matelina Okesene. Of Niuean, Samoan, and Manihiki (Cook Islands) heritage, she is deeply committed to improving health outcomes for Pacific communities. Dr Okesene-Gafa’s educational journey began in Samoa, where she completed her schooling before being awarded an MFAT scholarship to study in New Zealand. She attended Nelson College for Girls before pursuing her medical degree at Otago University.
After graduating as a doctor, Dr Okesene-Gafa began her clinical career as a junior doctor at Auckland Hospital. She later transferred to National Women’s Hospital, where she specialized in Obstetrics and Gynecology. She completed her RANZCOG training at Wellington Women’s Hospital, followed by further training at Auckland’s National Women’s Hospital and Middlemore Hospital’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Dr Okesene-Gafa’s dedication to healthcare extended beyond New Zealand’s borders when she was seconded to Niue Island as the Director of Health for Niue Foou Hospital. After two years in this role, she returned to Middlemore Hospital and later took on the role of Clinical Lead for Diabetes in Pregnancy. She was also involved with the National Gynecological Cancer Foundation.
In 2014, Dr Okesene-Gafa embarked on a part-time PhD while continuing her clinical work as an obstetrician. She completed her PhD in 2020 and defended her thesis in September 2021, graduating in May 2022.
Currently, Dr Okesene-Gafa divides her time between clinical practice and academia. She is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Auckland, where she teaches undergraduate medical students and contributes to the Pacific Health Section within the School of Population Health. She also serves as Co-Director of Te Poutoko Ora A Kiwa, Centre for Pacific and Global Health Research.
Dr Okesene-Gafa is active in several professional organizations, including RANZCOG, the Pacific Society for Reproductive Health, the Pasifika Medical Association, and the Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand.
The Team
Nalei Taufa
Research Operations Manager
Nalei Taufa hails from the villages of Kolonga, Pangai Ha’apai, Tufuenga Kolomotu’a, and ‘Ohonua ‘Eua.
She is the Research Operations Manager for Te Poutoko Ora a Kiwa. She is passionate about Pacific health equity, and advocating for Pacific health and wellbeing gains through the modalities of research, evaluation, and media analysis. She previously worked at the Auckland Regional Public Health Service as a Health Promoter and Analyst. Further, she was research lead at Le Vā and Senior Researcher at Moana Connect. Prior to her role as a Research Operations Manager, Nalei was the project manager for the National Institute of Health and Innovation for the Pacific Mental Health Survey across the region and she serves in the Pacific Data Sovereignty Network.
Nalei’s studies includes a Bachelor of Health Science, Postgraduate diploma in Public Health (specialising in Pacific Health), Masters of Public Health (Hons), Graduate diploma in Applied theology, Bachelor of Science, Honours (majoring in Psychology) and she is completing a PhD in Public Health where she is exploring Healing through grief among Tongans in Aotearoa.
Lois Chu Ling
Senior Research Operations Coordinator
Lois is originally from the villages of Tanugāmanono, Saipipi, Manono and Sapunaoa in Sāmoa. She’s the Senior Research Operations Coordinator for Te Poutoko Ora a Kiwa | Centre for Pacific and Global Health, hosted by the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland. Upon completion of her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Pacific studies at The University of Auckland, she worked in child health and wellbeing projects and conferences with Moana Connect.
Become an Affiliate
If you’d like to be more involved or connected to our research, we welcome University of Auckland staff, academics, honorary academics and District Health Board staff to sign up as affiliates.
Our Partnerships
Our research is carried out in collaboration with an extensive and growing network of partners across the Pacific region and beyond.
Our Partnerships
Our research is carried out in collaboration with an extensive and growing network of partners across the Pacific region and beyond.
Our Values
Reciprocity and Friendship
We believe in relationships over transactions, building trust and respect with each of our partners for lasting, meaningful and collective impact.
Integrity and Honour
We have an unwavering commitment to doing what is right to uplift our Pacific communities and culture, choosing what is honourable over what is easy.
Flexibility and Open-mindedness
We continuously learn, adapt and grow in order to enrich our research practice and explore new ways of tackling wicked health problems.
The Gift of a Name
The name Te Poutoko Ora a Kiwa was gifted to the centre by Hemi Dale from the Māori Education Faculty.
Poutoko means leadership, to lead or a leader.
Ora refers to health and well-being.
Kiwa is the connection to the Pacific Ocean – Māori call it Te Moana nui a Kiwa.