Grassroots Leadership

LMMA Network International is governed by a Council made up of representatives from its Country Networks. Representatives from the Country Networks are best connected with communities, and best able to keep the LMMA Network grounded in the people it serves.

LMMA is also registered in Fiji as a charitable trust and has established a Board of Trustees to provide additional institutional oversight.

The Council

Consisting of representatives from each country network – governs the overall network.

Alifereti Tawake

Chair & FLMMA Council Member

Alifereti has a deep history with LMMA being as co-founder of Fiji’s LMMA Network and the overall regional network. He has been a key architect of the LMMA Approach and has been instrumental in the success LMMA for over two decades. Alifereti has also held many roles across the region working as a consultant and researcher with the University of the South Pacific, Foundations of Success (USA), Australia’s peak scientific body CSIRO, and the United Nations University-Institute of Advanced Studies and the Coral Reef initiative of the South Pacific (CRISP). Alifereti has been a recipient of numerous prestigious awards including the UN Equator Initiative Award at the 2002 World Summit for Sustainable Development (WSSD) for his work coordinating the Veratavou project, and the Whitley Foundation (UK) International Awards and WWF’s Duke of Edinburgh Conservation Award for his tireless advocacy supporting communities throughout the region to better manage the land and sea. Alifereti is currently completing a PhD in Earth and Environmental Science at James Cook University.

Joyce Beouch

Belau Palau LMMA Network

Having a background in social science and sociology from Western Oregon State College, Joyce brings a wealth of experience with a broad understanding of communications, adult learning, and community development. Through her coordinator role for the Babeldaob Watershed Alliance through the Palau Conservation Society, Joyce coordinates activities for the steering committees at the state and community level. She also coordinates a technical committee made up of resource agency partners who support the steering committee. She has also held management roles in national government, including the Multimedia Lab Manager at Ministry of Education.
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Simon Morin

Indonesia LMMA Network

Simon has been supporting LMMA in the Indo-region since 2002 and was one of five Papuan participants who participated in the first LMMA Network Gathering Workshop in Fiji back in 2004. He is referred to as one of the “best community mappers and facilitators” and works with Indonesia’s LMMA Network to support programs such as The Nature Conservancy’s Raja Ampat and WWF’s Community Development Program.

Billosane M Badal Jr.

Philippines LMMA Network

‘Sonny’, as Billosane is fondly called by friends and colleagues resides from the barangay (village) Malabrigo, Lobo, Batangas but was born on the island of Mindoro. He has over two-decades of experience delivering development programs with communities, first working in his barangay as Chair of the Barangay Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (BFARMC) and Municipal FARMC Secretary and currently the Chair of the Malabrigo Fisherfolk Association, Vice Chair of Lobo Bantay Dagat (Fish Warden) Task Force. After a US Peace corps cross site visit to a successful marine sanctuary in Looc, Romblon, Sonny recommended establishing a sanctuary in his village to help bring back an abundance of fish. This recommendation was accepted, and the Malabrigo Marine Sanctuary was established in 2002. Sonny believes through unity and cooperation, and improving our knowledge and skills organisations can protect and manage marine resources for future generations.
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Kisokau Pochapon

Papua New Guinea CLMA

Kisokau is from M’Buke in Manus Province and has a long history working in at the community-level and within government and has served boards for various organisations and institutions including the PNG Law Reform Commission and National Land Transportation Board (PNG). He holds a Bachelor of Technology in Surveying from University of Technology PNG and was the first Papua New Guinean appointed as the Surveyor General in charge of surveys and mapping for the country in 1974, a position he held until his retirement from national government in 1981. From 1985 to 1989 he was a member of the Manus Provincial Government, and in 1998 became an Executive of the Pobuma Local Level Government of the Manus Province for 10 years. His experience in conserving marine resources started in 1994 when his community started the M’Buke LMMA, which is recognised for being a successful marine management and adaptation program.
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Mike Chipen

Pohnpei LMMA

Mike is from Island of Pakin and brings lots of experience having held diverse roles in many organisations and agencies as a youth coordinator, a librarian, business manager and elementary school teacher and executive committee member. In his role of Vice President for Pakin Community Association, Mike has been a key driver behind pushing Pakin forward through the process to be part of Pohnpei LMMA and is currently Vice Chair of the Pohnpei MPA Executive Committee.

Jimmy Qoloni Kereseka

Solomon Islands LMMA

Jimmy brings experience in science and conservation education and traditional owner land management. From 1999 – 2004 he was a teacher in Honiara for math, physics and biology subjects and was a member of the Science Syllabus review panel at the Curriculum Development Centre. In 2006 he joined The Nature Conservancy and serves as the Secretary of Lauru Land Conference of Tribal Community Environment and Conservation committee from 2006 to 2017. He is currently the Provincial Airports Upgrade Project Coordinator and Safeguards officer, under the Ministry of Communication and Aviation in Solomon Islands Government.

Board of Trustees

Established in 2017 when the LMMA Network International became legally registered in Fiji as a charitable trust, the Board of Trustees provides additional institutional oversight.

Kesaia Tabunakawai

Kesaia is one of Fiji’s renowned women conservationists and is driven by her passion for community based natural resource management in the Pacific. She started her career in conservation with the Ministry of Fisheries and Forestry in Fiji and joined WWF in 1996 to serve as manager of the Fiji Country Programme and in 2008 led the South Pacific office. She is also a pioneer member of FLMMA and drives collaborations between governments, NGOs and communities to improve collective impact in the region.
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Napolioni Batimala

Napolioni Batimala

Randolph ‘Randy’ Thaman

‘Randy’ is Emeritus Professor of Pacific Islands Biogeography at The University of the South Pacific and has long championed the need for building synergies between indigenous and local knowledge (ILK) and modern, scientific knowledge (MSK) as the basis for sound community-based fisheries and biodiversity conservation and management. Joining USP in 1974, he was the longest-serving staff member and co-founder of the environmental science degree programme. He was made an Honorary Member of IUCN at the IUCN World Conservation Congress, Jeju, Korea, September 2012, and was a co-recipient of the Inaugural Pacific Islands Leadership Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013 for his environmental leadership in motivating students to understand the interconnectedness of nature and human life, which is key for conservation and sustainable use of our island environment.

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