Four American Samoans complete leadership development program

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs (OIA), congratulates the twenty-three new Pacific Islands graduates who successfully completed the Executive Leadership Development Program (ELDP) and participated in a commencement ceremony on Thursday, March 10, 2022. Program participants represented American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau.

OIA Director Nikolao Pula delivered welcome remarks to over one hundred alumni, family, and friends who joined the twenty-three graduates to celebrate their graduation. In his remarks, Pula acknowledged the challenge of participating in an ELDP virtual program, given travel restrictions due to the pandemic, and encouraged the graduates to utilize their new skills in service to their islands.

American Samoa’s 2021-2022 Executive Leadership cohort:

• •          Faith Availepule, Environmental Protection Agency, AS
• •          Marcella Fitisone, Department of Education, AS
• •          Mikaela Saelua, Department of Education, AS
• •          Jasper Tuiasosopo, Department of Education, AS

The Department of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs contracted the Graduate School to develop and implement the ELDP to assist the Insular Area governments with developing and retaining the qualified and skilled staff needed to lead insular governments into the future. Since 2008, OIA has supported the participation of 178 young leaders who have completed the program.