Bernadine Tuisavalalo Tavita is the youngest of six children born to parents from the villages of

Toamua and Vaiala in Upolu, Samoa. Although born in American Samoa and raised in the Bay

Area, CA - she is a proud resident of Fresno, CA on Yokuts land at the heart of the Central Valley.

Her love of public service grew from volunteering with various nonprofit organizations and was furthered during her time as a Senior Legal Assistant at Pasifika Immigration Law Firm. During the day-to-day, she saw firsthand manifestations of the ways policies and systems directly impact vulnerable communities, especially communities of color.  As one of the co-founders of the Central Valley Pacific Islander Alliance, she’s grateful for the leadership role CVPIA has trusted her with and even more grateful to witness the collective work it executes to elevate NHPI voices in the Central Valley. She is a proud wife and dog mom to Storm and Appa.

Vio Stanley is a first generation Samoan American. Since graduating with her B.A. in Poli Sci, Vio has dedicated close to ten years working in the nonprofit and education sector. Her passion lies in workforce development and supporting individuals connect their skills to roles that align with their passions. She is proud of her Samoan heritage and loves spending time with her family and friends outside of work.

Tia Aga Tevaseu was born and raised in American Samoa. She now lives in Lemoore on Tachi Yokut land with her husband and two sons. They enjoy living in the Central Valley as it has so many fun outdoor adventures for young families. Tia earned an M.P.H. in Health Policy and Services from University of Southern California and a B.A. from Columbia University. She has more than 10 years of experience serving Pacific Islander communities in California, American Samoa, Washington, and New York. From when she was young, she always knew that she wanted to support people in attaining the knowledge, skills, and resources to grow into their best selves. This way, people can have the best options and can make the healthiest decisions for them and their families. 

Uriah Kishon Ikaika Napaepae Blackwell is the Advocacy Coordinator for CVPIA. He identifies as Kanaka Maoli and Black. As the oldest of nine siblings, the importance of being service-oriented has long been clear to him. He began his organizing journey while attending UCLA from 2016 - 2020 with UCLA’s Pacific Islands’ Student Association (PISA). The organization rallied for issues such as low Pacific Islander college retention rates on and off campus as well as the movement to protect the sacred Mauna Kea volcano in Hawai’i and much more. His work with UCLA led to more opportunities with other nonprofits such as EPIC, AIFM and SoCal PICRT just to name a few. He envisions a future in which the NHPI community can succeed in the mainland states, while remaining connected to roots back home on our islands. He feels he is able to help create that reality daily.

Born in American Samoa and raised in the Bay Area, Luti Lago’o has always been surrounded by a community of Pacific Islanders. He grew up in community through family, church, school, and Pasifika community organizations. Growing up in community fuels his passion to serve by following CVPIA’s mission to help create a network of NHPI organizations and community members across the Central Valley. He currently serves as the Administrative Assistant for CVPIA and supports the team through a variety of projects and activities.

Uriah Kishon Ikaika Napaepae Blackwell is the Advocacy Coordinator for CVPIA. He identifies as Kanaka Maoli and Black. As the oldest of nine siblings, the importance of being service-oriented has long been clear to him. He began his organizing journey while attending UCLA from 2016 - 2020 with UCLA’s Pacific Islands’ Student Association (PISA). The organization rallied for issues such as low Pacific Islander college retention rates on and off campus as well as the movement to protect the sacred Mauna Kea volcano in Hawai’i and much more. His work with UCLA led to more opportunities with other nonprofits such as EPIC, AIFM and SoCal PICRT just to name a few. He envisions a future in which the NHPI community can succeed in the mainland states, while remaining connected to roots back home on our islands. He feels he is able to help create that reality daily.