MES Staff
- Betani Salusalu
- Project Manager
- Betani took up the post on the 21st of May 2007. Previously, he worked as the Director for the Community-Based Conservation Programme with Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) for 5 years. He has also worked for various organisations like National Trust of Fiji, WWF, Birdlife International, UNDP’research, Republic of Fiji Military Forces, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Justice, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ).
Betani is originally from the Island of Lakeba in the Lau group and received his secondary education from Ratu Mara College. He then moved to Suva to pursue and complete his tertiary education from the University of the South Pacific (USP).
- Diana Nagatalevu
- Project Officer
- Diana joined MES in March, 2007 as an attachment trainee and has been the Project Officer since October 2007. She is now the Senior Research Officer for MES and has been instrumental in the technical component of the organisation. Diana graduated with a science degree from the university and worked concurrently as a research assistant during her final semester before joining the Society.
Most of her tasks involved laboratory analysis, numerous field visits, creating a geological map of a selected reef, liaison with experts and key individuals from the university and regional organisations and assisted with the collection of data needed for compiling technical reports. Having received her education and work experience from USP, Diana is enthusiastic about being part of a dynamic team and contributing to the betterment of the Mamanuca environment. Some of her interests include analysis of seawater quality, bringing environmental awareness to primary schools and resorts and investigating the health of coral reefs through reef check surveys. She intends to further her studies in Climate Change.
- Soropepeli Seru
- Project Officer
- Soropepeli Seru who is the new Project Officer for MES holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography and Tourism Studies and is continuing his studies part time with his Postgraduate Diploma in Geography. A Kadavu born lad who came to Viti Levu in 2001 to attend Lelean Memorial School and further his education at USP, he comes to MES with experience in conducting research work on biodiversity & biogeography of marine & terrestrial ecosystems having conducted this at the Navakavu Marine Protected Area. He enjoys volleyball, rugby, snorkelling, socialising but most of all family time with his relatives.
- Anthony Apao
- Marine Education Officer
- Anthony who is a boat man by profession is also very familiar with conservation work. From 1999-2002 he was a snorkel guide for the Waitabu Marine Park, which is located on the island of Taveuni in the northern part of the Fiji Islands. Then in 2005 Anthony was appointed the Project Manager for the Waitabu Marine Park where he managed the park for two years. At the same time he was appointed the Project Manager for the Bouma Qoliqoli survey also in Taveuni, this he did for a year.
In 2008, Anthony joined South Sea Cruises and worked as a boat man as well as snorkelling and reef tour guide for South Sea Island for two years before being promoted to Environment Officer for South Sea Island in 2010. Shortly after this promotion, Anthony was approached by MES to take up the role as Marine Education Officer, which he accepted and is now a part of.
MES is excited to have him as part of our dynamic team and we wish him very well during his time with us.
Volunteers/Attachment Workers
The Society currently accepts volunteers who have also helped in many ways in the undertaking of the Society’s work. Most individuals have lent a hand in recognition of how much this fragile resource means to them, while some have utilised the opportunity as a tool to further their work in contributing to environmental management.
Previous Members
- Alifereti Qauqau
- Previous Project Manager (2005-2007)
- A graduate of the University of South Pacific, Qauqau was also a former employee of the Institute of Applied Science (IAS) at the University of the South Pacific, where, he worked under the Environment Unit’s Integrated Coastal Management project, as well as the Department of Fisheries as Project Officer for Inshore Fisheries Research.
- Fesi Isimeli
- Previous Project Assistant
- Fesi joined the Society in December, 2005 bringing with her a network of contacts from key institutions and organisations such as the University of the South Pacific (USP), World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Department of Fisheries and Department of Environment to name a few.
Prior to her involvement with MES, Fesi worked with the LạjeRotuma (pronounced lecherotooma) Initiative of which she was also a founding member. Highlights of her work include raising environmental awareness, visiting and assisting communities in Rotuma on implementing conservation management plans and facilitating workshops on community-based management. She also assisted her colleagues in training regional students from USP be better facilitators in applying Participatory Learning and Action Plan or PLA approach, a tool used in community-based management.
Fesi graduated from the University of the South Pacific with a degree majoring in Marine Affairs and History and Politics. Some of her interests include an extensive research on turtle conservation, improving the sustainable management of crown-of-thorns starfish removal programmes in the Mamanucas and bringing about positive behavioral changes in the region through environmental awareness programmes delivered in schools, communities and at resort levels.
- Filomena Serenia
- Work Attachment
- Filo is the new Work Attachment who hails from Naivicula, Tailevu. She studied Environment Science majoring in the Biology and Ecology of Marine, Terrestrial, and Freshwater Environments at the Fiji Institute of Technology. She has completed her studies and is awaiting graduation day! Filo will be attached with the MES team for the next 6 months and we look forward to working with her.
- Delana Tomasi Tikoibua
- Clerical Officer
- Tomasi is a graduate of the Fiji Institute of Technology (FIT) and holds a Bachelors Degree in Applied Science majoring in Environment Science. Tomasi joined the team on the 25th of October 2008 and is specifically responsible for handling MES accounts and office administration.
During his studies at FIT, he conducted extensive researched on coral life forms and selected sea snail distribution on various village shorelines. Tomasi was also involved in conducting Management Plans for Momi Bay Resort. Forest sampling and water sampling are also his specialties.
Tomasi hails from Raviravi in Beqa Island and enjoys socialising, playing rugby and snorkelling.
- Ame Tuisavusavu
- Project Assistant
- Ame is the new Project Assistant who hails from Kubulau, Bua. He graduated with a Bachelor in Applied Science Degree majoring in Environmental Studies at the Fiji Institute of Technology under the Auckland University of Technology online course. He was previously doing voluntary work with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) team in implementing community-based conservation network in the Kubulau District in Bua along with educational awareness, identifying fish species and data entry. During his diploma years, Ame was attached at the National Water Quality Laboratory under the Ministry of Works and Energy where he assisted in the physical analysis of water and wastewater samples. While completing his degree he worked for one year at the Department for Mineral Resources assisting in a chemical project that involved the disposal & discharge of chemicals according to the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) standards and also analysing environment water samples.
