Vaka Atafaga
Pacific Nursing Service
Meet Our Team
Kupa Kupa
RN, BN, PG Dip Health Mgt, MA Health Care
Co Service Leader & Specialty Clinical Nurse
Kupa is a Specialty Clinical Nurse for the Vaka Atafaga Pacific Nursing Service.
Kupa is passionate about his Tokelau/ Tuvalu/ Cook Islands heritage and he is committed to
supporting all Pacific families to receive quality health care when they need it most. He has many years of clinical and managerial experience in a variety of health specialty areas and, actively supports community initiatives that improves and promotes the safety and wellbeing of Pacific families.
Kupa’s role includes working with families taking a holistic approach to address the many complex challenges that impacts on their health and wellbeing and, is solutions-based. Families can expect to be treated with fairness, with respect, and with strong advocacy skills. Kupa is proud to be a member of the Vaka Atafaga Pacific Nursing team.
=============================
Matt Southwick
RN, BN, PGDip Specialty Care
Specialty Clinical Nurse
Matt is a Specialty Clinical Nurse with the Vaka Atafaga Pacific Nursing Service and is of Tuvaluan/European descent. He has been a registered nurse since 1996 and has experience in both hospital and community-based settings.
With his clinical expertise and ability to develop effective professional relationships within the health system, Matt is determined to support and improve the health and well-being of Pacific families in the Porirua region.
=============================
Asenati Kupa-Apolinario
RN, BN, PG Cert Mental Health
Specialty Clinical Nurse
Asenati is a Speciality Clinical Nurse for Vaka Atafaga Pacific Nursing Service and is of Tokelaun and Samoan heritage and a Graduate of Whitireia New Zealand Bachelor of Nursing Pacific programme
Asenati has wide range of clinical nursing experience working across the lifespan in both hospital and community settings in Mental Health and Medical Nursing. This includes expertise in Acute Inpatient Mental Health within the Mental Health Addiction and Intellectual Disability Service (MHAIDS) and in caring for Acute medical preterm and unwell infants and supporting their families.
In the community Asenati worked for Plunkett ensuing that the health and wellbeing of Children under five years of age was maintained while working alongside their families to provide education to support them during their journey as a parent or caregiver. An interest in mental health and aged care led Asenati to working in a Level 5 Psychogeriatric Care unit at a Private Hospital where she gained experience in caring for older adults with dementia and a range of other mental health issues which are experienced by older adults. Prior to joining the Vaka Atafaga Pacific Nursing Service Asenati had returned to working in the Community Mental Health addictions and intellectual Disabilities (MHAIDS) team.
Asenati understands the cultural challenges Pacific people's face when presenting with composite health and cultural issues. She is motivated to improving health outcomes for Pacific and is a strong advocate for positive change where the need has been identified. Asenati would like to support Pacific clients to be independent in navigating their way through the complexity of the health system, particularly with the expected changes as we move into a new restructured health system.
============================
Veroniccah Angel Patelu
RN, BNP, PG Cert Mental Health
Specialty Clinical Nurse
Veroniccah is of Samoan descent who's parents migrated to New Zealand in search for a better future. Veroniccah was born in Porirua along with her 3 brothers. In 2021, Veroniccah graduated with a degree in the Bachelor of Pacific Nursing through Whitireia New Zealand.
Veroniccah has worked in the Mental health sector where she also completed her Postgraduate Certificate in Mental Health. She has also worked in the swabbing and vaccination clinics under Tū Ora Compass Health.
Veroniccah recently joined the Vaka Atafaga Pacific Nursing Service team and wants our Pacific communities to thrive in all aspects of health and wellbeing.
Veroniccah will work alongside our Pacific communities to deliver quality care and also help remove the barriers and challenges that our Pacific communities are faced when trying to access the health services and health system.
============================
Gail Omeri
Business Manager
==========================
Wendy Scott.
RN, BN, MA (Applied) Nursing
Co Service Leader & Specialty Clinical Nurse
Wendy is of European, Irish Ngā Puhi descent and works as Speciality Clinical Nurse for Vaka Atafaga Pacific Nursing Service.
Wendy has a long commitment to the Porirua community and Pacific and Māori families. She has worked both in clinical practice at our local and regional hospital where she developed a passion for health education with a regard to amending health and education inequities.
Wendy has worked in Nursing Education helping to establish the first Bachelor of Nursing Pacific Programme at Whitireia NZ and eventually becoming the Academic Leader for the programme. Her return to clinical practice within Vaka Atafaga Pacific Nursing Service has enabled her to continue to use her knowledge and skills in relation to Medical, Aged Care, Mental Health and Addiction nursing, Therapeutic Communications, Anatomy and Physiology and Nursing and Health Education.
With over 30 years nursing experience as a Registered Nurse Wendy is aware of the health challenges that face our communities and the need for our families to receive quality care and support. She is a strong advocate for human rights and values the notions of relationship building, respect and honesty.
=============================
Linon Nanai
RN, BN, PG cert
Specialty Clinical Nurse
Linon is a Specialty Clinical Nurse for Vaka Atafaga Pacific Service
Linon is of Samoan decent. Born and raised in Porirua.
Linon was one of the pioneer students studying the first Bachelor of Nursing (Pacific) in Aotearoa 2004. She has clinical experience in Oncology, Renal and Haematology. Recently she has worked as a District nurse in Porirua. Linon spent some time in Australia working in Alice Springs, Darwin, and Cairns where there is high population of Indigenous peoples.
Linon is aware and familiar with the ongoing challenges that are faced by Pacific Island families when accessing health care. She is passionate and keen on finding solutions that improve health care for Pacific families.
=============================
Litia Lealemisa
RN, BA, PG Cert
Specialty Clinical Nurse
Litia is of Samoan decent, however born and raised in Porirua. She has work between Wellington Hospital and Kenepuru Hospital, she has a nursing background in rehab, geriatrics, medical and surgical. She is new to community nursing, but has quickly learnt that there is a great need for Pacific nurses in the community, to help our people navigate through the health system and connecting them to other services.
She is excited to have the opportunity to use her nursing skills to service our people in the community
============================
Jenny Spiers
RN, BN, PG Cert
Specialty Clinical Nurse
Jenny is a Pakeha New Zealander raised in Nelson, living in the Wellington region for nearly 30 years with her husband and their 2 adult daughters.
Jenny initially worked at Wellington Hospital and has then spent most of her career working in the community in the northern suburbs and Porirua.
Jenny's nursing background is in geriatrics, medical and community nursing. She has a lot of experience working, advocating and assisting Pacific Peoples. Jenny is really keen to learn more and to work more broadly in assisting people to be as healthy as they can be.
============================
Bronwyn Ahhoi
Dip-EN
Enrolled Nurse
After nine years in various roles at the Whitby Lakes retirement village in Porirua, Bronwyn Ahhoi felt a calling to pursue nursing. She completed her Diploma of Nursing at Whitireia New Zealand in 2023 and joined Vaka Atafaga Pacific Nursing Service in January 2024 as an enrolled nurse.
Born and raise in Porirua, Bronwyn has cultural connections to the Cook Island (Aitutaki), Samoa, Tokelau and Scotland. This diverse heritage motivates her commitment to serving and advocating for communities in healthcare.
============================
Raumataillen Salale
Team Administrator
==========================