(Picture caption: Dr Lupe Taumoepeau is the newest Director of the Pasifika Medical Association Group Board.)
As the only Pacific female vascular surgeon in Australasia, Dr Lupe Taumoepeau FRACS (Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons) continues to break barriers and inspire those following in her footsteps.
Adding another string to her bow, Lupe has been announced as the newest Board Director of the Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) Group Board.
Of Tongan descent, Lupe says she is humbled to be joining the PMAG Board and is looking forward to the new opportunity.
"My exposure to PMA dates back to when I was a medical student where I attended a few of their networking events,” she adds.
“I don't think I had a real understanding of how big the organisation was and its reach and capability in terms of helping to support the pipeline of the Pacific health workforce.
"I grew a close relationship with Dr Kiki [PMAG President] and Debbie [PMAG CEO], and after I finished all my training, completed my specialist training, I was then approached to be part of the Membership Board.
“I served on the Board for three years and it has been an amazing experience of growth.”
She says her aim is to bring some balance as a woman and younger director, and perhaps bring a different perspective around the direction of the organisation with regards to mobilising youth.
As New Zealand’s first female vascular surgeon and the only Pacific female vascular surgeon in Australasia, Lupe has an extensive background in leadership and a passion in developing the Pacific health workforce.
Having graduated from the University of Auckland, Lupe spent four years at Waikato Hospital as a junior doctor, where she was motivated to become a vascular surgeon, after recognising the lack of female representation.
She became the first female New Zealander accepted into the competitive five-year vascular training programme, which accepts only 11 doctors a year across Australasia.
Lupe currently practices as a vascular and transplant surgeon and says her purpose in pursuing a career in the field of medicine is her family.
"My why has always been my family,” she says.
“My grandfather was an eye surgeon in Tonga and my mother in particular emphasised the value of education.
“I think that in combination with wanting to help people in my community, I saw a career in medicine as a very practical application of that.”
Pasifika Medical Association President, Dr Kiki Maoate ONZM, looks forward to Lupe offering her expertise and knowledge to the Board, while Chief Executive Officer Debbie Sorrensen says Lupe’s ambition as a leader will see her as an asset to the PMAG board.