Executive
Phillie Julai Marai - Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Phillie Julai Marai, from Papua New Guinea - East New Britain Province, is a passionate advocate for youth and women’s empowerment, leadership development, and nation transformation. A graduate of Divine Word University (2018–2021) with a Bachelor of Arts in PNG Studies and International Relations. Phillie currently serves as the National Coordinator for the Senisim PNG Program under the Papua New Guinea Tribal Foundation. This program, in partnership with the John Maxwell Leadership Foundation, focuses on promoting values-based and servant leadership across PNG. In her role, Phillie coordinates the program with government agencies, civil societies, schools, corporates, implement events, manages logistics, facilitates trainings, and ensures monitoring, evaluation, and sustainability of the Program.
Phillie is also the Operations Director of Romen Grammar School, overseeing the school’s operations from early childhood to primary education, implementing programs, and making strategic decisions to enhance educational outcomes. Her leadership skills were evident early, serving as Head Girl of Kokopo Secondary and representing East New Britain in athletics, winning gold in the 4x100m relay at the 2017 PNG Games.
A committed youth and women’s advocate, Phillie has engaged with multiple leadership programs including The Initiative Project, the Haus Kuk Initiative, PNG Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Program, and Junior Toast Masters Club, where she mentors, trains, and empowers students to become leaders and change-makers. She has represented PNG in regional and international forums, including the Regional Young Leaders Dialogue on Good Governance and Human Rights (Fiji, 2019), UN75 Dialogue (Port Moresby, 2020), APEC Voices of the Future (New Zealand, 2021), and the Young Pacific Leaders Conference (Hawaii, 2022).
As DWU Student Representative Council President (2021), Phillie initiated the DWU Pageant to support student development, established the Late Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare monument, and built platforms for student engagement and leadership across PNG universities. Her advocacy work includes facilitating workshops on women’s rights, good governance, leadership, and civic engagement in her community, empowering hundreds of youths and young women.
In her capacity as Chief Executive Officer of the Pacific-Australia Youth Association (PAYA, 2024–present), Phillie has led national and regional leadership programs, entrepreneurship and digital skills workshops, and youth summits in PNG, Australia, Nauru, and Solomon Islands. She has successfully mobilised resources, secured sponsorships, moderated panels, and ensured the operational success of multiple regional initiatives, including PAYA’s first-ever Regional Youth Summit in Port Moresby.
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.