Our Village Warriors
Anna Kunawave (she, her)
Position: Village Navigator
Anna Kunawave was born and raised in Tulalip territory, but her family hails from the beautiful Fiji Islands. She attended Everett High School where she started the first ever Pacific Islander Club. Anna moved to Tennessee to attend Lee University. She began her work with the “Mosaic Council”, which is Lee’s diversity council educating her peers on Pasifika cultures as she worked towards her bachelor in Sociology. Anna wants to see her fellow Pasifika families excel in all that they do in Northwest Washington.
Adrianna Loeak (she, her)
Position: Village Navigator
Adrianna was born in the Tulalip territories, aka Everett from two Marshallese parents. Her ancestors are from the beautiful islands of Rimajol. She is one of five siblings - most recently she graduated from Everett High School. Adrianna coleads our Oceania Youth Collective in Snohomish County to support our many Marshallese and other Micronesian youth who are navigating the education systems.
Mackson Billy (he, him)
Position: Village Navigator
Mackson, a proud Chuukese, fares from the beautiful state of Chuuk, in the island of Wonei where he attended Chuuk High School in his early years. He emigrated to Duwamish territory in search of better economic oppotunities to support his family. He is a part of the St Thomas Catholic Church community in Tukwila as a devout Catholic. Mackson hopes that Pacific Islanders like himself who are new Americans can have better connections and resources to navigate the hardship of life here in the US Diaspora.
Salote Gaunavinaka (she, her)
Position: Village Navigator
Salote was born in Suva Fiji and raised in the Lau Islands. She emigrated to the US in 2001 to Tulalip territories and has been here since. In her early life, she was a journalist in the islands of Fiji and was also a part of the life of the missions in Fiji. Salote is a renowned cook in her community and is a health advocate, advocating for the well-being of our Pacific Islander communities through promoting a return to our indigenous diets. She believes our diets are intrisically connected to our well-being and health.
Amelia Bai (she, her)
Position: Co-Executive Director
Amelia was born in the Fiji Islands and is the second of five siblings. She migrated to Everett on April 1998. She currently resides in the city of Marysville. She shares her voice in offering cultural solutions in spaces like the Dept of Health’s (DOH) Community Collaborative, the Providence Institute for a Healthier Community (PIHC) & the Strategic Oversight Council (SOC). Amelia is committed to ensuring full Melanesian inclusion, advancing the wellness of Pasifika communities and advocating for immigrant rights, senior care and social justice issues.
Joseph Seia (he, him)
Position: Co-Executive Director
Joseph Seia was born in Los Angeles - Tongva Territory, moved with his ‘āiga to Sāmoa in 1987 and emigrated to Coast Salish Territory in 1994. He has 20 years of experience in program development, nonprofit leadership & administration. Joseph champions systems change work that centers the leadership of impacted communities in enacting social change through coalition building, anti-racism organizing, and creating inter-generational learning spaces. He is at his core an anti-racist community organizer and nurtures building the Beloved Community around him.
Our Thought Partners
Pastor Aseri Kunawave (he, him)
Position: Community Thought Partner
Aseri Kunawave was born and raised in the Fiji Islands and migrated to the United States in the late 90s and has lived in Everett the majority of his time here. He attended All Nations Bible College and COG School of Ministry and is now enrolled in PTS. He is the Lead Pastor at Everett Community Church leading a Fijian congregation providing in-language services. Pastor Aseri very much serves as a lead elder in stewarding the care of our Itaukei family in the Pacific Northwest and ensures Fijians have spaces to celebrate their Indigenous nationhood here in the Diaspora.
Shirley Laulu (she, her)
Position: Community Thought Partner
Shirley fares from the villages of Nu'uli, Tutuila and Sili, Savai'i. Shirley is one of 9 siblings. She graduated from Leone High School and relocated to Coast Salish Territory to seek further education & employment. Shirley is a very proud Samoan and engages in the Samoan community in Tacoma to further the wellness of queer Samoan women or traditionally called fa'atane. Shirley is an active Cricket player in the Feilo'ai Ma Uso Club in Puyallup territory.
Franky Erra (he, him)
Position: Community Thought Partner
Franky Erra was born and raised in Majuro in the Republic of the Marshall Islands where he graduated from Assumption High School. Franky has deep ties to the Marshallese community and is deeply committed to the healing of his peoples. He works as a community outreach lead for the King County Tuberculosis program where provides oversight to community navigators that are working to mitigate and prevent the spread of TB in the Marshallese and other Pacific Islander communities.
