It’s the people surrounding the Governor and Lt Governor who will mostly influence decisions and control access to the two leaders on a daily basis.
A changeover in administration brings a new slate of staffers in the Governor’s Office.
KHJ News asked Chief of Staff Tuimavave Tauapai Laupola for a list of key staffers who will be working at arms length with Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga and Lt Governor Talauega Eleasalo Ale.
The following is the list Tuimavave provided and KHJ News has added brief general information about the named individuals.
Chief of Staff, Tuimavave Tauapa’i Laupola, was acting Chief Procurement Officer and Director of the Office of Public information/KVZV-TV under the Lolo/Lemanu Administration. He is a close friend of Governor Lemanu having served together in the American Samoa Army Reserve.
Deputy Chief of Staff, Lydia Amisone, an educator, was most recently head of the ERATE Division of the Department of Education.
The Executive Assistant to the Governor, Timusa T. Lam Yuen, served several terms as House Representative for Tuala-Tai but was unseated in the 2020 general elections.
The Executive Assistant to Lt. Gov Talauega is Neil Pilcher, who moves from the American Samoa Environmental Protection Agency where he was the Manager of Administration.
The Executive Assistant to the Chief of Staff is Melesio Gurr who worked in the Office of Political Status, Constitutional Review and Federal Relations during the Lolo Lemanu administration.
Appointed as Policy Advisor is Patrick Ti’a Reid, who transfers from the Department of Commerce where he was Planning Coordinator. Reid is also Chairman of the American Samoa Democratic Party.
The Communications Officer is Fiafia Sunia, who handled press relations in the Governor’s Office during the Tauese/Togiola and Togiola/Faoa administrations.
The Finance Manager is Victor Tuiasosopo, another recruit from the ASEPA where he headed the Finance Division.
The Personnel Manager is Mealefu Tausaga, who headed the Personnel Division of Treasury. She is the wife of Acting Treasurer Malemo Tausaga.
Plans & Operations Manager is Tiana Trepanier, a former principal of South Pacific Academy and former principal of Manumalo Academy.
Appointed as Chief Legal Counsel is Jason Mitchell who was a prosecutor and Director of the Consumer Protection Bureau of the Department of Legal Affairs before he went into private practice last year.
Governor Lemanu’s Executive Secretary is Sally S.L. Faumuina, who held the same position when Lemanu became Lt Governor in 2013 up to last year.
Faumuina was fired on orders if then Governor LOlo Moliga over information that was leaked on FaceBook about the overtime pay of a daughter of former Director of Human Resources Eseneiaso Liu. An allegation that Faumuina denied.
The Executive Secretary to Lt Governor Talauega is Filoi Fuavai Burgess, who was Secretary to Talauega when he was Attorney General during the Lolo/ Lemanu government.
Photo:Leua Aiono Frost
