Our Team
Our team of enthusiastic professionals have a diverse range of skills and industry experience. We work collaboratively to understand your needs and expectations creating solutions and positive outcomes.
Executive
Leaupepe Legaoi Ta'ala
Ralph Elika
Chief Executive Officer
BA/LLB, MInstD
Leaupepe has a passion for people, leadership and innovation which has allowed him to create and maintain a strong network in both the public and private sectors in NZ, the Pacific and Asia. He has a diverse career, from civil litigation and NZ foreign affairs to business strategy, evaluation and communications. As a transformational leader, Leaupepe can quickly assess issues and create immediate and sustainable solutions for different clients which are customized for their specific sectors and industries.
Leadership:
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Asia NZ Foundation - Leadership Network Member 2018
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NZ Delegate. Inaugural Emerging Leaders Dialogue Asia (ELDA) in Malaysia (Johor Study Tour) 2016
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NZ Delegate. Pacific Leadership Foundation (PLF) Emerging Pacific Leaders Dialogue. Established under the auspices of Commonwealth Study Conferences (Australia) Incorporated (PNG Study Tour)
Governance experience:
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Co-Chair Pacific Cooperation Foundation as a Ministerial Appointee 2020-2022
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Sport NZ Integrity Working Group, Ministerial Appointee 2021-2022
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Board member on the Commonwealth Study Conferences (CSC) NZ Charitable Trust, 2019-2022
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Board member, Association of Emerging Leaders Dialogues (Commonwealth) 2019-2022
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Chair- Pacific Peoples Advisory Panel for Auckland Council, 2017-19
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Chair of Liston College (Auckland) 2016 & Board member 2016-2022
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Founding Board Member, Tuputoa Trust: 2016-18
Sara-Jane Elika
Executive Director
BA(hons),BA/LLB
MInstD
Sara-Jane is an admitted Barrister and Solicitor to the High Court of New Zealand and a strategic management consultant with a background in media, creative enterprise, education. For over 20 years her passion for contemporary Pacific music has gained national and international recognition including published academia in ethnomusicology. She values stakeholder engagement and through innovation applies best practices to enhance inclusive relationships and create engaging solutions.
Leadership:
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Duke of Edinburgh’s Commonwealth Study Conference (CSC), Canada; 2023
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Celebrity Speakers; 2023
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Breakthrough Leaders programme, Global Women: 2022
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NZ Women of Influence - Arts and Culture: 2021
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40 Under 40 Business Leader, University of Auckland Alumni: 2020
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Leadership New Zealand Alumni: 2018
Governance experience:
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Board member, Ministerial Appointee - Foundation North: 2021-2024, Member Audit, Finance, Risk and Compliance
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Director, Good Shepherd NZ, 2019-2022
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Board member, Ministerial Appointee, Pacific Media Network / National Pacific Radio Trust: 2017-2021
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Chair, Community Law South Auckland: 2017-2022
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Trustee to Community Law Aotearoa’s national body: 2020-2022
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Chair, Failoa Famili Charitable Trust: 2019-2022
Sabrina Tian
Chief Operations Officer
MBus(hons), BTour
Sabrina is a versatile leader who excels in developing system efficiencies and project management. She has over a decade of experience working in the Pacific region where she has led and coordinated projects in Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji and Tahiti. In her previous role she worked directly with 200 Pacific broadcasters from 14 Pacific countries and territories, where she supported the design and delivery of capability workshops and networking events. Sabrina has also worked in international logistics, which took her to Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen and other international ports around Asia. She is fluent in Mandarin and holds a Master of Business degree with Honours.
Consultants
Dr. Charmaine 'Ilaiū Talei
BAS, BArch(Hons I), MArch Research (Hons), PhD University of Queensland
Senior Research and Evaluation Consultant
Dr Charmaine 'Ilaiū Talei is passionate about action and transformative research that benefits Pacific peoples here in Aotearoa, New Zealand, and the wider Pacific region.
As a registered architect (NZRAB and BOAQ), Charmaine brings diverse experience in corporate leadership, project management, client and stakeholder engagement, brief and report writing, codesign with Indigenous communities, and applying architectural design to solve sociospatial problems. Coupled with over 17 years of academic research, Charmaine brings honed skills in research design, data analysis, writing and communication.
She has worked as an architect and researcher across the South West Pacific Islands, Aotearoa, and Australia. Charmaine proudly traces her Pacific ancestry to the kāinga of Tatakamōtonga, Houma, Ha'alalo, and Pukotala, Ha'apai in the Kingdom of Tonga, and the Moana beyond: Sāmoa, Uvea (Wallis and Futuna) and Fulaga, Lau Islands, Fiji.
Tupe Crawley Lemisio
MIntBus, BA
Research and Evaluation Consultant
Tupe Crawley Lemisio brings expertise in project coordination, policy research, and data analytics, particularly focusing on economic development and private sector advancement for women and youth.
With extensive experience at organisations such as the United Nations Development Programme in Samoa, Samoa Chamber of Commerce and Pacific Trade Invest NZ, Tupe looks forward to contributing to ECG's strategic and management solutions in New Zealand's multicultural environment.
Sina Gloria Aiuli Ah Sam
BCom, Accounting & Commercial Law
Research and Evaluation Consultant
Sina is a dedicated professional, who has built an impressive career in international finance, compliance, and public service. She is experienced in policy development, regulatory supervision, and financial governance, where she has had the opportunity to attend international regulatory forums and contribute to financial supervision initiatives and improving financial governance frameworks. Sina is adaptable, detail orientated and enjoys collaborating with clients and stakeholders to develop meaningful and impactful solutions for their organisations. Her passion for learning, research and community empowerment, led her to pursue a Master of Public Policy from the University of Auckland, which will be completed in 2025.
Su’emalo Joe Farani Faga
AdvDipVPP
Senior Media & Communications Consultant
Su’emalo has over 40 years working as a digital and media content creator. He is the graphic and titles designer behind many of the leading Pacific Film and TV series in New Zealand and the Pacific. Su’emalo has worked in corporate and international media delivering training programmes in the Asia Pacific region. He specialises in film promotions, interviews, trailers, motion graphics and animation.
Jordan Farani
Media & Communication Lead
Jordan Faga is a versatile media and communications specialist with expertise in digital content creation, multimedia production, and stakeholder engagement.