New Zealand born and Australian raised, Mellisa is of Samoan heritage – passionate about Culture, Community, Youth, Communication and Rugby.

She has worked in various areas stemming from being an entertainer at the Polynesian Cultural Centre in Hawaii, fruit picker, retail and hospitality to teaching in the islands of Samoa as a Year 11 English Teacher.

Mellisa has worked as a frontline staff at GV Health and in Health Promotion where she led the Hospital Tours for GV Health and she developed and implemented the My Health in Shepparton – A guide to health services throughout Greater Shepparton. She currently works for Primary Care Connect as an Media and Communications Coordinator as well as at Ethnic Council Shepparton & District as a Social Cohesion Project Coordinator.

Mellisa is the Founder of Know Your Roots Inc  and is also the Co-Founder of the Point of Difference Studio located on Yorta Yorta and Bangarang Country in the town of Mooroopna, Victoria.

Mellisa is passionate and active in helping youth in the Pacific Island community reconnect with their cultures, in order to better live, respect and embrace their new home and community, through her Know Your Roots program, developed and running in schools since 2014.  Her passion of culture and supporting youth extends beyond her Pasifika community and over the years has worked with a range of young people and their families from all communities.

Mellisa was part of re-establishing the Shepparton Rugby Union Club in 2013 and has been part of the Shepparton Rugby Union Club as a Former President, Secretary and currently as a Club Facilitator, Public Relations & Media and Communications Officer.

Mellisa attended Brigham Young University – Hawaii and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Intercultural Communication Studies, holds a Diploma of Community Services as well as a Graduate Certificate in Management and a Masters of Business Administration (MBA). She is also a graduate of the Fairley Leadership Program – Class of 2017.

She is forever grateful to Mooroopna Secondary College for challenges as it has given her the drive she needed to go abroad and learn.  She attributes her work ethics to her parents and the Orchards of Varapodio in Ardmona and Kaso’s in Coomboona that taught her that dust and sweat provides abundance if you put in honest time and give it your all. When she is not busy with work and Community, she smoothers her son and husband with all the baking and love they can manage and practices her faith in order to keep her grounded.

Born and raised on the beautiful island of Samoa in the South Pacific, Leativa made Australia home with her growing family in 2010.

She is first and foremost a dedicated mother to her four strong warrior daughters and wife to her hardworking husband Malo.

Leativa comes to our board as an cultural expert in the Samoan culture as well as a qualified Early Childhood Educator and supports our board and space in ensuring that the safety of our young people.

She loves mentoring and teaching the Samoan culture to anyone who would like to learn and looks forward to working with everyone in building harmony where she lives.