Due to the sensitive nature of our work, we do not publicly promote most staff members names or images. You can learn about some of our publicly known staff members, board members, patron and supporters here.
Board
Femili PNG is registered as a NGO (incorporated association) in PNG. Key to its success is a well-respected, independent, technically competent and representative Board.
Our Board has the following members:
Professor Stephen Howes
Chair
Director of the Development Policy Centre, Australian National University (ANU)
Dr Eric Kwa
Deputy Chair
Secretary of the PNG Department of Justice and Attorney-General (DJAG)
Ms Marcia Kalinoe
Secretary
National Coordinator, Family and Sexual Violence Action Committee, Port Moresby
Ms Enid Barlong Kantha
FSV/SARV/GEDSI Adviser, Australia-Papua New Guinea Law & Justice (APLJ) Partnership, formerly Counter-trafficking Specialist at the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), PNG.
Ms Stephanie Copus Campbell
Australian Ambassador for Gender Equality, former Executive Director of the Oil Search Foundation Board and former head of AusAID in PNG
Ms Kelly Williamson
Experienced Social Worker and Audit Director at the Australian National Audit Office
Staff
Daisy Plana
CEO
Daisy Plana is an experienced social worker and manager, and previously was project coordinator for MSF in Lae.
After starting out as a social worker helping street children in Manila, Daisy worked with Medicines sans Frontieres (MSF) for more than a decade in locations such as Zimbabwe, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Indonesia and Nigeria.
Read more about Daisy’s experiences in Lae and her belief in the importance of case management for FSV survivors in this interview.
Rose Walen
Port Moresby Operations Director
Ms Rose Walen worked as Family and Sexual Violence Action Committee Coordinator in Porgera, Enga Province from 2018 to 2022, addressing the issue of FSV, sorcery related violence and internal displaced people due to tribal fighting.
She worked in partnership with other CSO and NGO like OxFam, Femili PNG, UN women, UNDP, Caritas PNG, Jiwaka Voice for Change and National FSVAC.
Before that, she worked with Department of Rural Development in 2015.
Rose started working with Femili PNG in January 2023 as the Operations Director for Port Moresby Case Management Centre.
Hannah Wheaton
Development Adviser
Hannah joined FemiliPNG Australia as the Development Adviser in April 2024. She provides strategic, operational, policy and program support to Femili PNG.
Hannah has a background in program management, tropical agriculture, climate change adaptation, GEDSI and economic development. She has worked in Papua New Guinea since 2012, initially in the private sector until transitioning into development in 2015. Hannah has consulted for many NGOs in the region including The World Bank, International Women’s Development Agency, Wildlife Conservation Society, Global Green Growth Institute and Oxfam.
Patron
His Excellency, Mr John Ma’o Kali, CMG OBE
Femili PNG Patron and PNG High Commissioner to Australia
His Excellency Mr John Ma’o Kali, High Commissioner to Australia for Papua New Guinea, is Femili PNG’s patron. Mr Kali has been a longstanding champion for gender equity and inclusion in PNG, lending strong support to Femili PNG’s calls to end gender-based violence.
Professor Stephen Howes, Chair of Femili PNG, described Mr Kali’s work as “inspirational and closely aligned with our vision, mission and values”.
Prior to be appointed as PNG’s High Commissioner to Australia in 2017, Mr Kali was the longest serving Departmental Secretary in Papua New Guinea’s Public Service, serving as Secretary for Department of Personnel Management for over a decade.
Supporters over the years
Femili PNG has benefited greatly from board members, volunteers and former staff who have provided us with their technical expertise. Here we thank only a select few, but there are many more people whose work is not credited here.
To all of those who have supported Femili PNG, we say thank you.
Dr Kamalini Lokuge
Dr Kamalini Lokuge was Femili PNG’s founding Director and served as a member of the Femili PNG Board from its inception until February 2016. Kamalini then served as Femili PNG’s Research Director until April 2017. Kamalini’s contribution has been instrumental in setting up and guiding our organisation.
Kamalini is a Research Fellow at the National Centre for Epidemiology, Population and Health at The Australian National University and leads a program researching health service delivery in complex settings.
Ume Wainetti MBE
Ume Wainetti was the National Coordinator of the PNG Family and Sexual Violence Action Committee (FSVAC), a role in which she worked tirelessly to support survivors of violence.
She conceived the need for a Case Management Centre in PNG and played a critical role in getting Femili PNG off the ground.
We thank Ms Wainetti for her work. Her support to Femili PNG has been invaluable.
Ashlee Betteridge
Ashlee Betteridge supported Femili PNG as a Communications Consultant. She established the Femili PNG website, its social media channels and has created a wide range of publications and other materials to disseminate Femili PNG’s work, support reporting, fundraising and advocacy.
She also provided substantial administrative and secretariat support during the establishment of the organisation, and has written extensively on the FSV issue in PNG for the Devpolicy Blog.
Ashlee is now an independent development consultant and an experienced writer, communicator, researcher and project manager with a strong interest in international aid and development policy and the Asia-Pacific region.
Serena Sasingian
Serena Sasingian played a vital role in the creation of Femili PNG by serving as Femili PNG’s Secretary from 2014 to 2018. At the time, Serena was the Executive Director of The Voice Inc, a home-grown Papua New Guinean NGO working to empower young people to contribute to their communities and development.
She now works as the CEO of Digicel PNG Foundation.
Melanie Olano
Melanie Olano volunteered as Femili PNG’s Case Management Technical Expert in February 2017. She is a registered social worker from the Philippines and has been working in the field of social development for two decades.
She provided technical assistance to the case work team on case management, and mentored them as they worked on their cases. She also developed and delivered training modules which assisted case workers to handle their cases.
Fiona Gunn
Fiona Gunn was the Development Advisor for Femili PNG and CEO for FemiliPNG Australia from late 2018 to mid 2023. She oversaw the growth of FemiliPNG Australia, the support organisation for Femili PNG, from one to five staff, and obtained ACFID and ANCP accreditation for FemiliPNG Australia, which in turn provided the funding source to enable Femili PNG to open its Goroka office. Fiona continues her involvement as a Board Member for FemiliPNG Australia.
Lindy Kanan
Lindy Kanan was Femili PNG’s Development Manager from May 2016 to December 2018. With Femili PNG she lead on projects including our #Trek2Protect2018 Kokoda fundraiser and Rosie Batty’s visit to PNG.
Lindy has also been involved in research relating to protection orders in PNG. Lindy is an experienced international development practitioner and continues to work in the family violence policy sector.
Anna Raymond
Anna Raymond served as a member of Femili PNG’s board from 2014 to 2016. She also worked as Femili PNG’s in house lawyer, assisting countless survivors of violence to access legal support.
Her support as both a board member and lawyer has been instrumental in promoting Femili PNG’s mission.
Anna Raymond has extensive legal experience throughout PNG, and is a senior and respected leading member of the legal fraternity. She continues to be a tireless advocate for the rights of women.
Late Anna Wissink
Late Anna was the Treasurer for Femili PNG from 2019 to her untimely passing in May 2024. Anna was a Human Resources Specialist and Council Member of the PNG University of Technology in Lae. A prominent business woman, based in Lae. She was a long-term supporter of Femili PNG and a constructive, positive and committed Board Member and Treasurer. She is missed greatly.
Late Josephine Romokau
Late Josie was with Femili PNG since its beginning in Lae in 2014. She took on increasing financial and administrative responsibilities and became Finance Coordinator in 2021. Tragically, she died in November 2023. Her contribution to the organisation was immense and she is dearly missed.
