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
Dr Eric Kwa
Deputy Chair
Secretary of the PNG Department of Justice and Attorney-General
Ms Marcia Kalinoe
Secretary
National Coordinator, Family and Sexual Violence Action Committee, Port Moresby
Ms Anna Wissink
Treasurer
Human resources specialist and Council member of the PNG University of Technology, Lae
Ms Stephanie Copus-Campbell
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
Ms Enid Barlong Kantha
Counter-trafficking Specialist at the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), PNG
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.
Denga Ilave
Lae Operations Director
Ms Denga Ilave is the Operations Manager of Femili PNG’s Lae Case Management Centre, which she joined at its inception in 2014.
She previously worked with the Angau Hospital Family Support Centre as a mental health counsellor from 2011 to 2013. Before that she was a secondary school teacher in Rabaul, and a curriculum development officer.
Konnie Saronda Yoifa
Port Moresby Operations Director
Ms Konnie Yoifa is the Operations Director of Femili PNG’s Port Moresby Case Management Centre and safe house under the Bel isi PNG initiative.
Konnie worked as a nurse until 2008 when she decided to take up the challenge and work in mental health counselling with Medecins Sans Frontieres. In 2014, she obtained a Diploma in Guidance and Counselling from the University of Goroka.
She has been with Femili PNG since 2014, first working as a Child Protection Officer then Training Coordinator. In 2019, she transferred to Port Moresby, starting as the Case Work Manager and later Operations Director for the project.
Fiona Gunn
Development Manager
Fiona Gunn took up the joint role of Femili PNG’s Development Manager and Friends of Femili PNG’s CEO in December 2018. Fiona is based in Canberra and provides strategic, operational, policy and program support to Femili PNG.
Fiona has a Masters in International and Community Development from Deakin University and has worked in international development, legal policy and cultural heritage roles at the National Archives of Australia, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Australian Public Service Commission and the National Film and Sound Archive.
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 of 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 Executive Director of The Voice, a home-grown Papua New Guinean NGO working to empower young people to contribute to their communities and to development.
She now works as the CEO of Digicel PNG Foundation.
Melanie Olano
Mellanie 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.
Kath Taplin
Kath Taplin was Femili PNG’s Senior Development Manager from early 2015 to mid-2016.
She is a practising lawyer who has worked on aid and development initiatives in the Asia Pacific for the past decade.
She now advises a range of organisations on law and development, including Femili PNG pro bono.
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.
