Mr Viliami Teumohenga, of Ashurst, Honorary MNZM for services to education and the Pacific community
Viliami Teumohenga is the founder and Director of Amanaki STEM Academy (ASA), an initiative he established alongside his wife to address the underrepresentation of Pacific students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields. Since ASA became a trust in 2017, he has mentored more than 1,800 Pacific students. His leadership has been instrumental in establishing a pipeline for Pacific students pursuing careers in STEM. Mr Teumohenga is a vocal advocate for systemic educational reform, and he has presented at national symposiums hosted by Massey University, NZQA and other organisations, where he has highlighted the need for education policies that address the unique challenges faced by Pacific learners.