WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) — The U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs, congratulates the 23 new Pacific Islands graduates who successfully completed the Executive Leadership Development Program or 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 23 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.
The 2021-2022 Executive Leadership cohort, listed by Insular Area:
Faith Availepule, Environmental Protection Agency, AS
Marcella Fitisone, Department of Education, AS
Mikaela Saelua, Department of Education, AS
Jasper Tuiasosopo, Department of Education, AS
Bradford Mori, Chuuk Environmental Protection Agency, FSM
Nicole Babauta, Small Business Development Center, CNMI
Antonio Borja, Commonwealth Ports Authority, CNMI
Janice Castro, NOAA, CNMI
Christopher Concepcion, Office of Planning & Development, CNMI
Bobby Cruz, Public School System, CNMI
Padwick Gallen, M.D., Pohnpei State Hospital, FSM
Serleen Hadley Walliby, Pohnpei State Legislature, FSM
Ramona Duenas, Department of Education, Guam
T’Nelta Mori, Office of Congressman Michael F.Q. San Nicolas, Guam
Jesse Quenga, Ethics Commission, Guam
Myra Adelbai-Fraser, Ministry of Health, Palau
Kimberly Idip, Ministry of Health, Palau
Jovalyn Ilong Koshiba, Housing Authority, Palau
Martin Moore, Office of Insular Affairs, DOI
Rachel Bigler, Health and Human Services, RMI
Tamera Heine, Office of the Consul General in Hawaii, RMI
Malie Tarbwillin, Ministry of Finance, RMI
Ayako Yamaguchi-Eliou, Ministry of Finance, RMI
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.
A similar program for students from the U.S. Virgin Islands called the USVI Executive Leadership Program takes place in Washington, D.C. and other locations along the East Coast where students join U.S. federal employees for training. There is a USVI 2022-2023 cohort that is expected to complete their studies next summer. For more information on the Executive Leadership Program and the Graduate School’s Pacific Islands & Virgin Islands Training Initiatives, visit their website at https://pitiviti.org/about-the-eldp
