Centre for Pacific Languages (CPL) stalwart Tuiloma Gayle Lafaiali’i (pictured) has resigned from her role as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at the organisation.
The CPL Board has confirmed Ron Viviani will take up the reins as interim CEO March 23.
Tuiloma has been with the Trust since September 2018, when the organisation was in Otara.
The Board has acknowledged Tuiloma’s commitment to delivering on the strategic objectives of CPL and the passion she has shown as CEO, ensuring our beloved Pacific languages are sustained for many generations to come.
Tuiloma’s key achievements, among many others, include the relocation of CPL’s head office into its own permanent home in Manukau, and the re-branding from Pasifika Education Centre to CPL in February 2022.
“I am deeply grateful to the CPL Board for the opportunity to have led the organisation and have appreciated the positive working relationship with the Board over the past four and a half years,” Tuiloma says.
“I’m especially proud of the wonderful team I leave behind and know under Ron’s leadership they will continue to serve our communities with excellence.
“It has been a blessing to be able to make a difference, and position CPL for the opportunities the ongoing Ministry for Pacific Peoples (MPP) funding will bring for the next three-year period.”
Meanwhile, the new interim CEO also has a long relationship with CPL, having started as a Trustee in May 2018, and been Chairperson since June 2019 up until recently.
Ron has a very strong business and education background and is ideally positioned to see the organisation through the next few months as they begin the process to recruit for a new CEO.
The Centre for Pacific Languages offers free Pacific language courses under its education arm, but also runs a number of business services including professional translation services in nine languages, Pacific cultural competency workforce development workshops and plays a leadership role in advocating for the revitalisation and maintenance of Pacific languages here in Aotearoa.
Additionally, CPL has numerous innovation projects nearing completion, including the development of an App, available in seven Pacific languages to support the delivery of our free online introduction level courses, along with five new bilingual books in gagana Tokelau and the inaugural CPL Languages Symposium.
Visit the CPL website for more information.