Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Department of State, in partnership with Cultural Vistas, is pleased to announce that 30 Leaders and 4 Alumni Facilitators were selected to attend the Young Pacific Leaders (YPL) Regional Workshop on Unlocking Funding: A Comprehensive Grants Workshop for Success this October 2025 in Brisbane, Australia, through a competitive application process open to applicants from Australia, the Cook Islands, Fiji, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Islands of French Polynesia, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Norfolk Island, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn Islands, Rapa Nui, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Taiwan, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna, and U.S. partners from the American-affiliated Pacific including American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Hawai’i.

The YPL 2025 Unlocking Funding Workshop will bring together emerging leaders from throughout the Pacific Islands, Australia, and New Zealand to enhance their financial management skills, identify and pursue funding opportunities, and collaborate in a regional network that grows opportunities to address complex challenges. This workshop applies creative approaches from intersecting aspects of the core YPL Pillars (Education, Environment and Resource Management, Economic and Social Development, and Civic Leadership) to help identify funding opportunities and build effective financial management strategies for successful outcomes. The program will consist of pre-workshop virtual asynchronous activities for preparation, the in-person Workshop to be held in Brisbane, Australia, over the dates of October 7-9, 2025, and a virtual debriefing discussion in 2026.

For a list of the Workshop Attendees selected to attend the 2025 YPL Unlocking Funding Workshop, please see below:

Anastasia Lei Sam (Samoa)	Jayson Neime Kassar (Papua New Guinea)
Atama Tamanilo (Fiji)	Kanaan Ngutu (Kiribati)
Bauro Lambourne (Kiribati)	Liam Mento (Vanuatu)
Bertha Mochieg Reyuw (The Federated States of Micronesia)	Mary Maselina Harm (Australia)
Brittany Leanne Papera (The Cook Islands)	Melenani Wai’alae (Hawai’i)
Camila Pakarati (Rapa Nui)	Natalia Fiona Wi (Aotearoa New Zealand)
Daphine Wase (Republic of the Marshall Islands)	Rosalee Tela (American Samoa)
Elsei Tellei (Palau)	Rosina Kaimbang (Vanuatu)
Filomena Serenia (Fiji)	Shem Livai (Republic of the Marshall Islands)
Grace Malie (Tuvalu)	Shiloh-Faithe Pasisi (Niue)
Gus Krau (Papua New Guinea)	Suemay Alexander (Guam)
Hendrick Kaniki (Solomon Islands)	Tina Taitaifono Mareko (Samoa)
Hina Morgant (French Polynesia)	Tu’iLautala Ma’u (Tonga)
Indy Giles (Aotearoa New Zealand)	Victoria Matsunaga (The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands)
James Clifford Meimana (Solomon Islands)	Yvy Dombal (New Caledonia)

For a list of the Alumni Facilitators selected to attend the 2025 YPL Unlocking Funding Workshop, please see below:

Hoku Kaaekuahiwi Pousima (Hawai’i)

Petti Matila (American Samoa)

Yolarnie Amepou (Papua New Guinea)

Casuallen Fale (American Samoa)

For questions about the 2025 YPL Regional Workshop on Unlocking Funding, please contact ypl@culturalvistas.org.

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About Young Pacific Leaders

Launched in 2013, the Young Pacific Leaders (YPL) Initiative is the U.S. Government’s signature program to strengthen leadership development and networking in the Pacific. Through programs and engagements, including U.S. educational and cultural exchanges, regional exchanges, and seed funding, YPL seeks to build the leadership capabilities of young leaders and strengthen ties between the United States and the Pacific. YPL focuses on critical topics identified by youth in the region: Education, Environment and Resource Management, Civic Leadership, and Economic and Social Development.