Tara Chetty works on human rights, gender and social inclusion, supporting Pacific governments and civil society across the region. She has spent much of the last decade supporting the delivery of regional gender equality programming in the Pacific. Tara previously worked for feminist and human rights organisations in Fiji on policy reform and advocacy for women’s human rights, sexual and reproductive rights, and young women’s leadership. Tara holds a Master of Arts in Women’s and Gender Studies from Rutgers University and is a Fulbright alumnus. In her current role as Deputy Director of the Pacific Community’s Human Rights and Social Development Division, she gets to work with a diverse team of Pacific Islands experts on governance, human rights, institutional strengthening, equity and inclusion, providing support to SPC’s 22 Pacific Island countries and territories. Tara is from Suva, where she’s currently learning new things about gender from her ten-year-old gamer and his thirteen-year-old sister.

Noelene Nabulivou (she/her) is from Dravuwalu, Naceva, Kadavu, Fiji, with maternal links to settler Australia and Europe. She is a lesbian and has been a Pacific gender and sexuality expert and feminist analyst, activist, advocate, community organiser and trainer for over 40 years. As a co-founder and co-Executive Director (co-ED) of Diverse Voices and Action (DIVA) for Equality, Noelene holds many social movement roles. She has degrees in peacebuilding and international relations and is well-known for careful cross-cutting work across feminist approaches to embodied development justice; human rights; SOGIESC, SRHR; EVAWG, feminist economics, peacebuilding, and more, from local to global. Noelene lives and works in Nadi, Fiji.

Kris Prasad (he/they) is an Indo-Fijian, fifth-generation descendant of Girmitiyas, and queer activist who has been part of human rights and social justice movements in Fiji and the Pacific for over 15 years. He began his journey with the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement before pursuing a Master of Arts in Sexual Dissidence, an interdisciplinary queer studies programme at the University of Sussex as a Chevening Scholar. As a GEDSI specialist, Kris has worked closely with queer activists and networks across the Pacific through his roles with ILGA Oceania and the Pacific Sexual & Gender Diversity Network, supporting decriminalisation advocacy, resourcing SOGIESC-led initiatives, and coordinating the 3rd Pacific Human Rights Conference on SOGIESC. He is also the co-founder of Chai and Chat, an intergenerational social support space for queer Indo-Fijians.

Alex is a lawyer by profession. He has been practicing as a lawyer since 2005 to date. He is a partner of Stowers & Su’a Law Firm in Mulivai, Samoa. He has been the President of the Samoa Law Society since 2020 – 2025. His areas in legal practice are criminal defence and civil litigation.

Alex also has a passion for working with the community. As a very proud Samoan fa’afafine, he was one of the founders of the Samoa Fa’afafine Association in 2005. He was the legal mind behind its inception since then and has been its honorary legal advisor until 2018 when he was nominated and elected as its President to date.

Alex always believes in ‘being resilient and to serve with love.’

Emily Rudland (she/her) manages the Inclusion and Equality Fund at the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Announced by Foreign Minister Wong in 2023, the Inclusion and Equality Fund supports LGBTQIA+ civil society and international networks. Dr Rudland has worked on Australia’s international development program since 2028, specialising in Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion, aid performance and evaluation. Dr Rudland was awarded a PhD in International politics from the Australian National University.