SPPEEx COMMITTEE

PRESIDENT

A Project Manager at Watercare, Isileli (Isi) has served on the SPPEEx committee since 2022 and was appointed as President in 2026. Isi is of Tongan decent from the villages of Ma’ufanga and Kolomotu’a, Tongatapu. Isi is passionate about encouraging more Māori and Pasifika youth to choose engineering at a tertiary level and believes SPPEEx has a responsibility to contribute to this. “We as Māori and Pasifika in the industry have an unspoken responsibility to support and encourage our youth to pursue higher achievements”

VICE PRESIDENT

Harota is a Civil Engineer at Beca, with heritage connecting to the villages of Faleloa (Ha’apai) and ʻUlutau (Tongatapu), as well as the iwi of Ngāti Maniapoto and Ngāi Tahu. Harota’s experience spans general civil engineering, including geometrics, land development, stormwater, and utility design, with a strong focus on delivering notable projects across Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific. Harota is deeply passionate about uplifting and growing Māori and Pacific engineering networks throughout New Zealand and the wider Pacific region.

TREASURER

David Hansen is a civil engineer at Tonkin + Taylor (T+T) with three years of experience under his belt as a graduate. Outside of his technical expertise in the civil field, David facilitates internal T+T meetings detailing the on-going work in the Pacific region and takes an active role in voluntarily managing social events at work to cultivate a connected culture. As a new member of the SPPEEx Committee, David looks forward to leveraging these skills to further support and strengthen the network of Māori and Pacific engineers.

SECRETARY

Abraham is a civil engineer of Samoan descent with 7+ years of industry experience; Abraham has mostly worked in 3-waters projects for various clients (public and private) particularly in potable water and stormwater space. His skill sets include civil design, project management, monitoring, cost control, contract administration, and construction supervision. He has also contributed to stormwater drainage and culvert projects, master plans, and policies in collaboration with government entities in the Pacific. Throughout these endeavors, Abraham has always engaged in public consultation and community involvement, ensuring that projects move forward with the support of all stakeholders.

PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER

Niureta Uili-Sofe is a Water engineer at Beca with over eight years of experience delivering climate‑resilient water infrastructure across Samoa and New Zealand. Reta studied as a Mechanical Engineer and began her career in Samoa in project delivery roles on major water, flood mitigation, and heavy civil infrastructure projects supporting Pacific communities. At Beca, Reta works in project management and design management for water infrastructure projects. She is committed to using her skills to support Pacific communities through resilient infrastructure that protects people, culture, and the natural environment.

SPORTS OFFICER

Aisea is of Tongan/Kiwi descent, from the villages of Haveluloto (Tongatapu), Pangai (Ha’apai), and ‘Eueiki. Aisea is a Project Engineer for Fulton Hogan, currently working on the Papakaura to Drury project. Aisea completed his studies in 2020 and has since worked on numerous construction projects at Treatment Plants, the Airport, and Wind Farms. Aisea was involved in the 2025 mentoring program for SPPEEx, where he felt compelled to contribute more to the SPPEEx community and has taken on the illustrious role of Sports Officer in 2026.

LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

Maruia Willie is a Civil Engineer at Beca and is proud to serve as the Learning & Development Officer for SPPEEx. After previously serving as the Social Officer, she is excited to shift her focus toward supporting Māori and Pasifika engineers through meaningful development opportunities, guided by the foundations laid by those who have led and served before her. Maruia is committed to doing her part to foster growth, confidence, and excellence across the SPPEEx community.

SOCIAL OFFICER

A structural engineer at MSC Consulting Group, specialising in the design of buildings from residential to industrial commercial buildings across New Zealand.

PACIFIC INFRASTRUCTURE REPRESENTATIVE

Charlie Sofe is a Civil Structural Engineer with over seven years of experience in the construction monitoring of heavy civil infrastructure and in structural design. Born and raised in Samoa, he completed his primary and secondary schooling locally before moving to Christchurch, New Zealand, to pursue his engineering studies. He later returned to Samoa to begin his engineering career, working across government and consultancy roles on key national infrastructure projects. Charlie moved back to New Zealand in 2023, gaining further structural engineering experience at Tonkin + Taylor before joining Beca in the Ports and Coastal Team. Charlie is passionate about giving back to his community and supporting the next generation of Pacific and Māori engineers.

WOMEN IN ENGINEERING/ CONSTRUCTION REPRESENTATIVE

Jamie Pye (Ngāpuhi, Ngati Wai) is a Māori Engineer, who is passionate about supporting a more diverse industry through her work as a past president of SPPEEx, and a current trustee of the Engineering NZ Foundation. Jamie spent the early years of her career working as a design engineer on industrial projects for a variety of clients. Jamie is now an Associate at RCP, a project management consultancy. As the Lead Project Manager for Auckland International Airport's East Terminal Extension and the Operation Control Centre, she and her team are contributing to the largest redevelopment in the Airport’s history.

Jamie is excited for this new committee role, and the opportunity to support our women in construction.

AUTMAPS Representative

Posesi is a third year Mechanical Engineering student at the Auckland University of Technology. He is the Engineering Representative for AUT MAPS. MAPS (Māori and Pacific in STEM) is a club that stands to support Māori and Pacific students through their STEM-related studies at AUT. AUTMAPS offers the students support in the form of internship advice, 'Ako nights, networking events, and social gatherings to support one another (culturally, academically, and socially) through exciting experiences at the University.

SPIES Representative

Aman is a fourth-year Civil Engineering student at the University of Auckland. He currently serves as the Industry Representative on the South Pacific Indigenous Engineering Students executive team, a student group that supports and connects Pacific engineering students, as well as the SPIES representative on the South Pacific Professional Engineering Excellence executive team. His role focuses on maintaining strong connections between both organisations, particularly around industry engagement, student opportunities, and professional development initiatives.

TOTEM Representative

Julio is a fourth-year Mechanical Engineering student minoring in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Canterbury. He is the Māngai Pūhanga, Engineering Rep for Te Akatoki, the formal body that represents all Māori students at the University of Canterbury and a general executive member of TOTEM. TOTEM (Tohunga/Tufuga o Te Moana), Experts of the Ocean, is the Māori and Pasifika Engineering Students Association at the University of Canterbury, established in 2024. Our association provides academic support, cultural engagement opportunities, and professional development pathways to support and strengthen a connected community of Māori and Pasifika engineering students on their journey at the University of Canterbury.