Jacinta is the Chief Executive Officer for Moana Research, a consultancy company focused on the early years of life, particularly for Pacific peoples. Having completed her Master of Public Health (Honours), Jacinta is studying part-time towards a PhD exploring resiliency among Pacific children within the Growing Up in New Zealand Study, in which she is also a Pacific Advisor.
Jacinta’s passion to ensure all children have optimal opportunity to thrive in New Zealand, especially Pacific children. This determination has allowed her to serve on various advisory groups which include the Child Poverty Monitor Advisory Group. Jacinta worked for five years at the Ministry of Health in various roles, her last one as Senior Advisor, Pacific for the Public Health Group. She arrived at the Ministry after four years’ experience at the Health Research Council where she worked as Manager, Pacific Health Research and prior to that was Quality Improvement Coordinator at WestFono.