Having led from the front in a range of sectors dedicated to supporting and enabling Pacific peoples to grow and thrive, accepting the Ministry for Pacific Peoples Northern Regional Manager role presents a great opportunity for Toleafoa Ray Tuala to continue to positively affect Pacific communities.
With a young and growing population in Aotearoa, and the majority of Pacific peoples residing in the upper North Island, Ray is determined to make a strong contribution towards building strong and resilient Pacific communities in the region.
“This includes working with the Northern Regional Advisory team to facilitate and enable more opportunities for Pacific people to achieve their goals and aspirations,” Ray says.
Auckland is home for the New Zealand-born Samoan, who was raised in South Auckland by his parents who migrated from Samoa in the early 1960s.
“My father is from the village of Matafa’a, Lefaga and my mother is from Malaela, Aleipata,” he says.
“Raised in Mangere, I attended Auckland Grammar School and then went onto University of Auckland where I graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce (BCom), and Graduate Diploma in Commerce (GDipCom).”
Prior to accepting the role at MPP, Ray was a Programme Manager at Integrated Services at Alliance Health Plus Trust, a Primary Health Organisation (PHO), where he was dedicated working with key stakeholders to ensure services were achieving visible and demonstrable health and social outcomes for Pacific and high needs families.
Before that, he was Director at CARE Waitakere Trust in West Auckland, and he brings over 15 years’ experience to the Regional Manager role.
“I have experience in leadership and management roles in various sectors all dedicated to serving Pacific peoples.
“This experience and skills include stakeholder/relationship management; team management and leadership; financial management; and cultural engagement with Pacific communities.”
Ray started his new role just before Christmas, and was welcomed to the MPP ‘aiga with an ‘ava ceremony.
Chief Executive Laulu Mac Leauanae says with his wealth of experience, Ray is a valuable asset to the MPP team and has no doubt he will achieve his goal of contributing greatly to the Pacific communities in the north.