Executive
Phillie Julai Marai - Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Phillie served as PAYA’s Co-CEO from 2024 to 2026, before stepping into the CEO role from 2026 onwards.
She is from East New Britain Province in Papua New Guinea and graduated in 2022 with a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in PNG Studies and International Relations at Divine Word University (DWU). Phillie is an alumni of the Young Pacific Leaders program.
In 2021 Phillie was elected as the DWU Student Representative Council (SRC) president. She made history for DWU by signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on behalf of DWU to create new partnerships for students.
Phillie is currently employed with Papua New Guinea Tribal Foundation as the National Coordinator for the Senisim PNG program, a Leadership Nation Transformational movement in partnership with John Maxwell Leadership Foundation.
Feagaimaalii Soti Mapu - Chief Communications Officer
Feagaimaalii Soti Mapu is a passionate advocate for youth development, civic participation, women’s empowerment, and cultural preservation in Samoa and across the Pacific. She currently serves as Miss Samoa 2025–2026 and works with the Samoa Tourism Authority, using her platform to champion initiatives focused on youth leadership, safety & justice for women & girls, education access, and the promotion of Samoan culture on a global stage.
As Samoa’s National Youth Delegate to the Commonwealth, World Literacy Foundation Youth Ambassador, a Board Member of the Samoa Youth Advisory Board, and the Pacific Youth Ambassador to the Pacific Youth Ministers Meeting, she leads and supports initiatives that amplify young voices and foster inclusive development across the region. An Australia Awards Changemaker, scholar and graduate of the University of Adelaide with a Bachelor of Philosophy, Politics and Economics, Feagaimaalii brings a strong background in leadership and advocacy. She continues to co-facilitate Youth led Initiatives, promoting personal and professional development among youth while contributing to national conversations on youth empowerment and sustainable development.
Josie Nicholas - Chief Financial Officer
Josie hails from the Central Province of Papua New Guinea. She is passionate about community engagement, culture, fashion, and business, and is always ready to lend a helping hand where needed.
She is an accountant with a Bachelor's degree in Accounting from Divine Word University in Madang. She is currently employed with Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, one of the Big Four accounting firms, at their Papua New Guinea branch, and is working towards obtaining her Certified Practicing Accountant (CPA) certification.
In addition to her professional career, Josie has been a prominent advocate and ambassador for Papua New Guinea and the broader Pacific region. She held the titles of Miss Papua New Guinea 2023 and Miss Pacific Islands 2024, serving as a cultural ambassador. In these roles, she promoted the Pacific as one of the best tourist destinations with so much to see, promoted the culture, people, and lifestyle, while advocating for key issues affecting communities across the region. Her international engagements included representing the Pacific at the Seatrade Cruise Global event in Florida, the South Pacific Tourism Exchange in Christchurch, New Zealand, Solomon Islands for the Pacific Games, and the Heilala Festival in the Kingdom of Tonga, among others.
Josie is also a committed member of Toastmasters International. She currently serves as Area 41 Director, overseeing four Toastmasters clubs within various organisations. In this role, she mentors individuals to develop their confidence, public speaking, and communication skills.
Driven by her deep connection to the Pacific community and a passion for empowering others, Josie joined the PAYA Network to continue her advocacy and leadership across the region.
Chrisam Habu - Chief Programs Officer
Chrisam Rapata Habu is an undergraduate student at the University of the South Pacific (USP) and is passionate about youth empowerment, entrepreneurship, and creating meaningful opportunities for young people across the Pacific.
In 2025, Chrisam volunteered as the Summit Director for the Youth Leadership Summit Honiara 2025, leading the local implementation and coordination of PAYA’s flagship regional event, which brought together 35 young leaders from across the Pacific. Through this role, he supported program delivery, stakeholder engagement, logistics coordination, and delegate engagement, helping deliver one of PAYA’s most impactful summits to date.
In May 2025, Chrisam also co-founded a partnered online shop with the vision of empowering young people to explore entrepreneurship, while responding to one of the Solomon Islands’ greatest challenges — the shortage of employment opportunities for youth.
Chrisam’s educational journey began in the Solomon Islands at St. Nicholas College and later continued in Fiji at Vatuwaqa Primary School. In Year 6, he was awarded a scholarship to study abroad at William Clarke College in Sydney, Australia, where he completed his studies from Year 7 to Year 12. His experience living abroad exposed him to diverse perspectives, leadership approaches, and innovative ideas that continue to shape his vision for youth development and social impact in the Pacific.
After returning to the Solomon Islands in 2024, Chrisam enrolled in Form 7 at King George VI National School, where he served on the Organising Committee. During this time, he contributed to the planning and logistics of major school events. One notable example was a cultural night where he successfully secured support from Solbrew, which donated unused palettes that were repurposed into stage decorations. He also coordinated team members to source and transport additional materials, demonstrating strong leadership, initiative, teamwork, and problem-solving skills.
Through his leadership roles with PAYA and his growing involvement in entrepreneurship and community engagement, Chrisam is committed to supporting youth across the Pacific to become empowered, connected, and future-ready leaders.
Wendy Kakaraya - Chief Operating Officer
Wendy Kakaraya is a governance, procurement, and operations professional with over five years of experience supporting Australian Government-funded initiatives across Papua New Guinea and the Pacific. She currently serves as Procurement Manager at Abt Global in Papua New Guinea, leading procurement, compliance, and operational coordination across multiple donor-funded programs. Her experience includes governance, stakeholder engagement, financial oversight processes, and people management within international development programs.
Wendy holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Southern Queensland and was admitted to the Supreme Court of Queensland in 2020. She also served previously as a volunteer Executive Committee Member with the Young Port Moresby Chamber of Commerce and Industry, contributing to governance, policy development, and youth-focused initiatives.
Passionate about youth empowerment and regional collaboration, Wendy is committed to strengthening opportunities for young people across the Pacific and Australia through effective leadership and strategic partnerships.