The following nominations have been received for the 2022 – 2023 PICISOC Board elections.
Andrew Molivurae (Vanuatu)
Andrew Molivurae is Ni-Vanuatu working as Senior Internet Governance Officer with the Telecommunications, Radiocommunications and Broadcasting Regulator (TRBR). Prior to that he has spent more about 20 years in the ICT and Telecommunication industry.
Apart from the full-time jobs he had, he was member of various NGOs. He has been a member of the Pacific Chapter of the ISOC since 2004, was a Board member from 2007 to 2011 and was Chair and Vice Chair of the PICISOC Board from 2009 to 2011. He has participated in many international ICT meetings that included a number of ICANN meetings, APrIGF meetings, Pacific IGF meetings, one IETF meeting, PICISOC events (PacINET) and some other International events. Andrew joined the board again in 2018 and is the current Co-Chair of Pacific IGF an event that was successfully hosted in 2021 under his leadership with the collaboration of PICISOC and APTLD and the support of other partners. During his time on the PICISOC board, Andrew also drafted a number of key PICISOC documents including the community’s strategic plan.
His current role at TRBR mainly deals with Internet Governance issues under the .vu ccTLD and two key achievements so far are the finalization of the Regulation for the Management and Administration of the .vu ccTLD and the successful transition of the ccTLD management from Telecom Vanuatu Ltd to TRBR in 2020.
Andrew is keen to serve on the PICISOC board again and would like some if not all of following items achieved in the near future;
- Pacific IGF to become the leading ICT annual event for the Pacific Islands region similar to the previous PaciNET events with proper set up and funding.
- Increase in memberships especially getting young graduates into the membership and have them exposed into the international arena.
- Increase in the number of Pacific islanders taking leadership roles in the international Internet Governance space.
- PICISOC become a fully funded NGO so that it can serve the community better.
Brent Carey (New Zealand)
Legally qualified former overseer of the .nz ccTLD and domain name space as part of the InternetNZ group. Now CEO of New Zealand’s twenty-five year old online safety charity Netsafe.
Previously served as Vice Chair of the Asia Pacific Top Level Domain Name Association, stepping down in March 2022 after a three year term on the Board.
Have held senior positions in Australia at the Telecommunications Ombudsman and the Victorian Department of Justice. Worked for two global Privacy Commissioners and an Australian Senator.
I’ve been a member of PICISOC for four years and assisted in 2020 with the joint APTLD PICISOC internet governance forum hosted in Fiji.
Involved at ICANN through the CCNSO and ALAC and APRALO communities and supporter of APRIGF and internet governance forums in the APAC region. Currently a member of the Transparency Working Group of the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism.
I bring 20 years of experience in the Asia Pacific region working in the Government, Telecommunications, tech and not for profit sectors.
I have strong professional relationships with online content hosts and social media companies and not for profit organisations in the region.
I bring to the table collaboration and partnership opportunities through a series of programs we are developing for online safety direct to the end user of the internet across the Pacific. For example, I am involved in a foundation partnership between Netsafe, Save the Children Australia and Meta determining best approaches to tackle online child sexual abuse imagery and suitable pilot countries. Through the New Zealand Government’s Pacific Partnership Program I am involved in examining ways New Zealand can better support the Pacific with civil society and government requests for processes, systems and resources to tackle cyberbullying and harmful digital communications.
I am very interested in:
- how social technologies can minimise online harms
- how best to support social media useage in the Pacific and around the world to create safe and positive online spaces and
- Translating international human rights for the digital context and local communities.
Hold a Bachelor of Laws and Arts from Victoria University of Wellington and a Graduate Certificate in Dispute Resolution from Box Hill Institute Melbourne. More background at https://nz.linkedin.com/in/brentpcarey
For PICISOC
Willing to roll up my sleeves and volunteer my time and resources to work with the PICISOC Board to serve the members of PICISOC.
Bring international governance and not for profit operational experience to the role.
Able to write submissions, manage social media posts, post website content and arrange events in the region.
Have a broad network of contacts able to be approached for funding opportunities to enable folks from the Pacific opportunities to participate in internet governance forums. Worked with many of the organisations that PICISOC holds strategic partnerships with to support the interests of the people in the Pacific.
Eager to further activities like the hackathon event, ‘hub and spoke outreach events’ and webinars.
Keen to identify fellowship opportunities and sustainable strategic partnerships and continue the forward momentum of the membership which has seen it grow significantly since 2020 to more than 700 members. Want to see if it is feasible to host some fellows from the Pacific as part of the transtasman e-safety conference in New Zealand 24 and 25 October 2023.
Learning and development and capacity building forums for members and securing tools that work for local communities will be a key focus of mine. I want to do more than just ‘survey’ the Pacific for their needs and advocate for Pacific ICT issues in larger Asia Pacific regional forums where often the voice of the Pacific can not be heard.
Will seek to implement practical co-designed programs and solutions to the most pressing issues faced by local internet communities across the Pacific and strengthen ties across the Pacific.
Crystal Kewe (PNG)
Crystal is the Co-Founder and CEO of Crysan (Krai-sen) Technology Ltd, a Port Moresby-based Software Company she started with her father at 15. Crystal is also the entrepreneur behind “Biluminous” (Bee-loom-in-ous), a regional platform for artisans of traditional handicrafts in the Asia-Pacific that won two (2) APEC Awards in 2018.
Crystal is a Software Engineer by Profession. In recognition of her as an industry expert, Crystal was invited during the 2018 APEC PNG to present at numerous dialogues on bridging the digital divide and digital inclusivity, the role of tech in the tourism industry for women, and insights into PNG’s developing culture of innovation.
Crystal has worked with international organizations like Google, the Asia Foundation, Westpac and MasterCard on various regional initiatives in the areas of financial inclusion, digital literacy and inclusivity, and socio-economic development.
Crystal is a staunch supporter and advocate of STEM, where she visits provinces in PNG and also travels abroad to promote STEM for girls, young women and men as well. Outside of her company, Crystal is passionate about building the next generation of software engineering professionals. As such, Crystal has delivered guest lectureships at the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG), and currently serves as an Academic Advisory Board Member at the International Training Institute (ITI).
Mele Manitisa (Tonga)
Mele Manitisa started her ICT career in 2015 as a Computer Programmer/IT Administrator at the Office of the Public Service Commission in Tonga for 4 years before she continued to pursue postgraduate studies in 2019.
She is one of the founding members of the Tonga Women in ICT in 2018, which is a Non-Government Organization that focus on empowering young people, especially women to pursue a career in ICT/STEM field. Mele also worked closely with Tonga’s National Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT Tonga) since its establishment in supporting their training and awareness programs.
Mele returned to Tonga after completing her Master of Analytics (Data) Degree and started working at the Tonga Statistics Department in February 2022. She is responsible for establishing international statistical standards and methodologies for the Department, as well as the capacity building and statistical policies for the Tonga National Statistical System.
Mele’s biggest aspiration is to see how technology can enhance data quality, and promotes data-driven changes.
Qualifications
• Master of Analytics (Data)
Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand
• Graduate Diploma in Computer Sciences and Information Technology
Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand
• Bachelors of Computing System
Unitec Institute of Technology, New Zealand
Savenaca Siwatibau (Fiji)
Savenaca Siwatibau is a Fijian cybersecurity and digital forensics specialist who has worked in Fiji’s Police Force and Ministry of Defence.
My passion in IT and Technology has driven me to work in this field for the past 22 years. 13 of these years, I have spent in the field of Digital Forensics and Investigation and this has furthered my understanding and knowledge in securing technology and the risk it has without proper security measures.
I have spent most of my time raising cyber security and internet security awareness in Fiji. I have worked with international NGOs such as Get Safe Online Fiji, Cybersafety Pacifika and PACSON CyberUP Pacific program in conducting awareness training to communities, schools, and business society.
I have dedicated my personal time also in training Adventist youth on digital media evangelism and discipleship and cyber safety issues. I’m an active member of international organizations in Cybersecurity awareness and policymaking like the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), (APNIC)Asia Pacific Network and Internet Community, Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum (APrIGF) to name a few. This helps me to be involved in the national, regional, and international development and best practices of Cybersecurity and Internet Technology.
I am on secondment to the Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration as a technical advisor to various program that the Ministry are currently undertaking. The programs are for national security providing an overarching framework to the various mandatory work of the Ministry such as Border Security and Critical Infrastructure. With this program Fiji has become a leading nation in the Pacific Region for Border Security and now advising and guiding other Pacific Islands countries on the same.
I was also part of the Cybercrime Enhancement program from 2020 collaborating with Australian Federal Police and this year have accomplished our entire project plan. This includes organizing training and mentorship and the upgrade of the Digital Forensics Unit in Equipment and Capacity. Also working with Online Safety Commission in reviewing the Online Safety Act and Awareness program. I initiated the MOU with OSC that has led to the Fiji Police In prosecuting offender on the Online Safety Act.
Sereana Narayan (Fiji)
Sereana Narayan is a communication consultant having worked as a communication practitioner for 15 years in regional organisations working in Pacific Islands countries and territories to disseminate information to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women to address the imbalance and build more inclusive societies.
Sereana has been actively involved in the Pacific ICT space since 2010.
• She was a member of the Pacific Community’s (SPC) Pacific ICT Outreach Programme team that organised the inaugural meeting of Pacific Internet Governance Forum (IGF) and the regional meeting of ICT Ministers in Noumea, New Caledonia, 2011.
• She was a Fellow at the Asia Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC) 38 Conference in Brisbane, Australia, 2014 where she was a speaker in the “Women in ICT” event.
• She was a APNIC Pacific IGF Fellow in Port Vila, Vanuatu, 2017.
• She participated in the Asia Pacific Internet Governance Academy (APIGA) as a Fellow in Seoul, South Korea, 2017. APIGA is a capacity-development program focused on Internet governance that is targeted at youth leaders from the Asia Pacific (APAC) region.
• She was nominated by PICISOC to participate at the Asia Pacific & Middle East Regional Internet Chapters Meeting in Kathmandu, Nepal, 2018. The meeting focused on developing action plans aligned with the Internet Society campaigns and discuss and address regional and governance-related issues.
• Coconet II: Asia-Pacific Digital Rights Network and Platform Fellow in Manila, Philippines, At Coconet II, over 120 changemakers deepened the regional and cross-sectoral networks developed at Coconet I, fostering over 20 campaigns and projects. The second camp also launched a series of platforms to support ongoing campaigns and collaborations in the Asia-Pacific.
She has worked for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Pacific Community (SPC), UN Women’s Fiji Multi-Country Office (MCO), Australia Pacific Training Coalition (APTC).
Her background/experience is in Communications, Media, Information, Publication, Research, Reporting and Policy.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism and Tourism Studies and postgraduate qualification in Diplomacy and International Affairs from the University of the South Pacific (Fiji) and aims to pursue a master’s in the same field. Sereana has also completed e-courses in Internet Governance and Policy, and ICT Policies and Strategic Planning from DiploFoundation, Geneva, Switzerland.
Swaran Ravindra (Fiji)
Swaran is involved in the training of industry and academic programs, industry consultancy and research in ICT related areas at Fiji National University- National Training and Productivity Centre. She has over 15 years of work experience including substantial international experience with partnering universities such as University of West Indies where she served as an exchange lecturer for undergraduate and post graduate programs in ICT, research on Assistive Technology, program creation for Post graduate ICT/Education programs, training on Managing ICT professionals, Project Management and the establishment of Diversity and Inclusive Services. She has also taught Post graduate programs in Masaryk University (Brno, Czech Republic), and has been trained in National Institute for Rural Development and Punchayati Raj as well as Apollo Hospitals- Bangalore India.
She has had the opportunity to represent Fiji at Asia Pacific Organisation- Bilateral Cooperation between National Productivity Organisations- Mission to Sri Lanka and Korea (Productivity Promotion, Innovation and Industry 4.0) and been part of International Center for Democratic Partnerships-Pacific Dialogue for ICT Influencers and Entrepreneurs. She holds a Masters in Information Systems by thesis (Medical Informatics). She is currently pursuing her PhD in Information Systems, specializing in Assistive Technologies for Inclusion of Persons with Special Needs and Inclusion of marginalised communities in the South Pacific. She is also one of the fellows at Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum for 2020 and 2021. She is interested in designing, creating & utilizing ICT tools and techniques for Pacific Islanders in hopes to utilize ICT as an enabler and a catalyst for inclusion and positive change for rural development and for persons who are differently abled.