Dr Mafile'o is a social researcher who has led interdisicplinary, international, and community-engaged research and consultancy teams across Oceania. As co-director, Tracie has visionary and strategic oversight of Mana Pacific's research, evaluation, coaching and facilitation consultancy work.
"I am committed to research being a gift that keeps giving - this happens when we as people of the Moana/Pacific identify the research questions which are important to our communities, and when we lead our own research innovatively weaving Pacific and other methodologies."
Tracie is New Zealand-born of Tongan (Te'ekiu village) heritage from her father's side, and palangi ancestry on her mother's side. She is passionate about community-engaged research and using story approaches to elevate Pasifika voices to shape positive futures. Her work traverses community, practice and policy. With a background in social work (including youth development, child protection and women's refuge work), Tracie has worked extensively in universities across the region, including being a Deputy Vice-Chancellor at a University in Papua New Guinea, Associate Professor in social work at a New Zealand university, and now a Research Professor and Associate Dean (Research and Research Training) at Avondale University, Australia (working remotely), alongside her Mana Pacific role.
The work Tracie is proud of includes:
- Leading the Rising Stories research (commissioned by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade), to investigate climate mobility in the Pacific through multigenerational family stories. Using Pacific-Indigenous and arts-based methods, the project was conducted across six Pacific countries (Kiribati, PNG, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga and Tuvalu). Tracie led a team of 26 researchers and filmmakers. The research contributes to policy action for climate mobility in the region.
- Leading the development of a Cultural Humility Framework to grow the capability of the Aotearoa New Zealand children's workforce to work with Pacific children and their families. Collaborating with Jean Mitaera, Selina Ledoux-Taua'aletoa and Silou Temoana, this research (commissioned by the New Zealand Oranga Tamariki Ministry for Children) conducted talanoa with Pacific youth and families who had engaged children's services, as well as the children's workforce. The framework has been taken up by several social service organisations in New Zealand to guide their Pacific practice and workforce development.
- Leading research training opportunities as the inaugural Director of Research and Postgraduate Studies at a University in the Pacific. Developing the research culture and research higher degrees enabled more Pacific people to complete research masters degrees and to work collaboratively with international researchers to enhance research skills and opportunities.
