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You will receive a confirmation email by Friday, April 24th at 5pm if room becomes available.
6th Annual Oceans Manifesting And Organizing CHange (OMAOCh) Conference Hosted by the Pacific Islander Initiative at UC Berkeley
Keynote Speaker
Dr. David Ga'oupu Matthew Palaita, Ph.D., is professor of Critical Pacific Islands & Oceania Studies and Ethnic Studies at the City College of San Francisco (CCSF). He is Chair of the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies at CCSF. He earned a Bachelors of Arts in Cultural Geography from the University of Washington in Seattle and a Masters and doctoral degrees in Ethnic Studies from the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Palaita's academic career spans several colleges and universities across the U.S., building curriculum, giving lectures, teaching, and developing Critical Pacific Islands Studies programs centered on the lives of U.S. diasporic Pacific Islander/Oceania communities. His work on Critical Pacific Islands & Oceania Studies extends into K-12 school districts in California and into the San Francisco County jails bringing Pasefika knowledge and educational opportunities to justice-impacted students. He is currently editing his dissertation for publication entitled, "VĀSĀ (Ocean): The Space that is Sacred: Pacific Islanders in Higher Education.
Workshop Organizer
Kalisi Biaukula (she/her/oirā) is an Indigenous Vakasalewalewa from Viti. She has over 15 years of experience working across the Asia-Pacific region on MVPAFF+ advocacy in the HIV & AIDS response. Kali also serves as a core member advancing the transgender agenda for liberation, contributing to both the Trans Law Centre and the QTPI Village.
Workshop Organizer
Kerri Ann Na’puti Borja (familian Kaderon yan Daso) is an indigenous CHamoru womyn with roots in Guåhan, Sa'ipan, and Belau. She is an educator, community organizer, photographer, and creator of CHamoru body ornamentation. Living on unceded Chochenyo Ohlone land, she has been an educator for 20 years, currently as an Ethnic Studies teacher in SFUSD and lecturer of Critical Pacific Islander and Oceania Studies at CCSF. Kerri Ann is actively involved in Guåhan's decolonization movement as co-chair of the OD committee in Independent Guåhan.
Workshop Organizer
Jason Finau is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and mental health advocate with over 15 years of experience supporting individuals and families in diverse settings, including the San Francisco VA Hospital, SF’s Office of the Public Conservator, SFUSD, and UCSF Health. He is currently the Senior Director of Health and Clinical Services at GLIDE where he supports a variety of teams and initiatives focused on reducing barriers to mental health and substance use treatment. A co-founder of the Black Pacific Alliance, he combats anti-Blackness and colorism while empowering the PI community. He holds a Masters in Social Work from NYU, a BA in Sociology from CSU San Marcos, and an AA in Behavioral Health Sciences from MiraCosta Community College. Off the clock, he can be found practicing self-care by baking something sweet in his kitchen or practicing community care by eating his way through a new city with his family and friends.
Workshop Organizer
Kekoa (Koa) Lopez-Paguyo is a mixed Native Hawaiian Māhū from Kalihi on O‘ahu. She has over 10 years of experience working in the field of public health focused on Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) community health with an emphasis on addressing health disparities through health promotion in chronic disease management (i.e., diabetes, cancer) and infectious disease surveillance (i.e., COVID-19, tuberculosis) with Pacific Islander community health workers serving in Alameda & Santa Clara Counties. Koa serves as behavioral health grants manager at California Pan-Ethnic Health Network (CPEHN). Koa also serves as a core member of QTPI Village and focuses on the Mental Health workgroup.
Workshop Organizer
Maya Toluk Ito (She/her/hers), also known as Toluk, is a first-generation, Palauan-American college graduate who serves as the Program Coordinator for TRIO TEACH and Dual Enrollment. She also helps support Nesians Unite (NU) and Indigenous Peoples Club (IPC) at Chabot College. Outside of academia, Toluk is also a personal trainer, and loves to paddle, lift weights, rock climb and occasionally goes to a ninja gym. Toluk was an alumni of UC Berkeley and the Pacific Islander initiative, so she’s happy to be back. :)
Workshop Organizer
Tamia Maree Newman is an artist, academic, and devout community advocate. Upon graduating high school in 2020, this transfer student hailing from the Inland Empire in Southern California had no aspirations of what she wanted to be—no goals of transferring or climbing any ladder. She just wanted community. Seeing her presence as pivotal to bringing student life back to her community college in 2021, Tamia joined the student community simply wanting to help and get involved—through grassroots service like supporting clubs here and there— doors began to open for her. This evolved into her full-blown affair with student advocacy: election as Student Body President and Regional Delegate for her school (serving thousands of students, each with a unique identity as vibrant as her own), board meetings alongside Chaffey College's executive leadership, meetings with congressional representatives, and lobbying on local, state, and federal policy in Washington, D.C. By the time Tamia left her previous institution, she was formally recognized by Chaffey College for her role in expanding basic needs support, advancing mental health resources and harm reduction programs, increasing student scholarships, and redrafting her college's student government constitution—helping it become one of the largest student senates among Southern California community colleges.
Workshop Organizer
Tupou Lātūkefu (she/her) is the Oceania Scholars Program Coordinator at San Francisco State University, a student success program within the ASPIRE Office, where she supports Pacific Islander and all students through culturally grounded programming and advising that fosters belonging and academic success. A Bay Area native raised on Ramaytush Ohlone land in San Bruno, CA, she is proudly Tongan, with roots in Kolovai, Haveluloto, Talafo’ou, and Nomuka Ha’apai.
Her academic genealogy is rooted in City College of San Francisco and deepened through Ethnic Studies at UC Berkeley, including her time as an intern with the Pacific Islander Initiative at Cal, shaping her commitment to Pacific Islander education, research, and student advocacy. She has also worked extensively with Pacific Islander communities in San Francisco, including at the Samoan Community Development Center, supporting youth development, community research, and capacity-building for Pacific Islander organizations.
Her work is grounded in tauhi vā, the practice of nurturing relationships, and centers ensuring students are supported, celebrated, and connected to community throughout their educational journeys.
Workshop Organizer
Cecilia Otuhiva, known as Ceci, is a current second-year at the University of California, Berkeley and an intern under the Cal Pacific Islander Inititative. She was born and raised in the Bay Area (Hayward, CA) with ancestral roots from the island of Tonga. Early on in life, Ceci was exposed to advocacy through the leadership of her older sister and mentors who dreamt and fought for resources and retention. Since then, Ceci understands the vital impact community and accessibilty has on the success of Pasifika students in educational spaces.
On her free time, she enjoys rugby, coffee/matcha, runs, the beach, long-walks, and sunsets. She is extremely excited to be to learn from other Pasifika scholars and be in community with you all!
Workshop Organizer
Chris V. Pangelina, who is also known as Pangie, identifies as a first-generation college graduate, multiracial queer educator in the field of Student Affairs.
Chris began his journey at UC Davis in 2014 in Student Housing and Dining Services working with first-year residents in student housing. In 2018, he joined the Center for the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) supporting first-generation and low-income undergraduate scholars. Chris has 10 years of experience working in higher education and continuously advocates for access, equity, and inclusion for hxstorically marginalized and underrepresented students. In every role Chris has held, he has had the privilege of directly supervising and developing undergraduate scholars, which has kept him grounded in student-centered work and making sure student's voices are heard and uplifted. He takes pride in his role to support students in the Asian and Pacific Islander diasporas across campus.
Chris identifies as mixed with ancestral ties to the CHamoru (indigenous people of Guam), Costanoan Rumsen Ohlone, Purépecha and Spanish peoples. He was born and raised in the Bay Area, where he attended Laney Community College and then transferred to UC Berkeley, where he received his bachelor's degree in American Studies with a concentration in social justice, public policy and poverty in the U.S. He later received his master's degree from San Diego State University in Postsecondary Educational Leadership with a specialization in Student Affairs.
Chris is an avid music listener with an eclectic taste in music. He believes that sharing music is a love language and is always open to a new song recommendation. Chris is also Virgo through and through. One of his passions is dancing hula for Hālau Ka Waikahe Lani Mālie and Hālau Kahulaliwai.
Workshop Organizer
Hafa Adai everyone! Noelle Patwarran is of Chammorou/Filipina descent, born and raised on the island of Guahan(Guam). She is a current second-year at the University of California, Berkeley and the Graphics Design intern under the Cal Pacific Islander Initiative majoring in Mechanical Engineering. During her freshman year of high school, her and her family moved from their home in Guahan to San Diego, CA. On her free time, Noelle enjoys going to the beach, spending time with friends/family, trying new foods, and answering questions—so do not be afraid to ask any questions throughout our workshop!
Workshop Organizer
Håfa adai! My ancestral roots reach to the village of Asan, Guåhan and to Nha Trang, Vietnam. I was born in San Diego, raised in the Inland Empire, got my degree in the Bay Area, and am now back in Southern California. Coming from a long lineage of creators, I am an artist, passionate about using my talents to uplift my CHamoru and Pasifika communities.
My love for working in Pasifika community spaces began as an undergraduate in UC Berkeley’s Pacific Islander Initiative. I now serve as an At-Large Board Director at Inafamaolek.us.
Biba CHamoru! Biba Oceania!
Workshop Organizer
Mālō e lelei! Laila Soakai-Zovich is from the Inland Empire and is a Tongan-American student with roots in the islands of Vava'u and Kolomotu'a. She is currently a freshman at the University of California, Berkeley, and this is her first year interning with the Pacific Islander Initiative. She is excited for the opportunity to connect with and learn from such empowering Pasifika individuals, and looks forward to hearing the many meaningful stories that will be shared within this space. Laila is continually striving to become a better ancestor, as well as a better sister, daughter, and friend, so if you have any guidance or wisdom to share, she warmly welcomes it.
Outside of academics, Laila enjoys singing, crafting, and baking, as well as traveling near and far in search of great frozen yogurt.
