Alissa Takesy comes from a diverse Micronesian background and grew up in a multilingual household, which has enabled her to work in a variety of sectors including government, civil society, education, and retail. In her last assignment with the national government of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), she oversaw the complex institutional arrangements of the agriculture, forestry, biosecurity, coastal fisheries, and tourism sectors. Alissa’s work has focused on integrated management of FSM’s natural resources and maintaining partnerships to achieve collective goals in the region.

Rosalie Masu was born in Honiara but grew up in a rural coastal village and her earliest memories are of fishing and gardening with her parents to meet their family’s subsistence needs. She holds a Master of Applied Science Degree in Marine Biology from James Cook University and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology and Chemistry from the University of the South Pacific. She is currently the Deputy Director of the Inshore Fisheries division at the Solomon Islands Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources.

Presley Kokwaiye is a fisheries socio-economist with Papua New Guinea (PNG) National Fisheries Authority, which manages and regulates commercial fisheries in the country. He holds a Bachelor of Economics Degree from the University of Papua New Guinea, a Master of Applied Science Degree in Fisheries and a post-graduate Certificate in Coastal Community Management from the Australian Maritime College.

Obed Timakata is the Operations Manager for the private company Timakata & Associates in Vanuatu. Timakata & Associates established the first Marine Protected Area (MPA) on Emae Island in 2004; as a result, there are now seven Marine Protected Areas surrounding the island, all implemented by local fishing communities that recognized the benefits of the first MPA.