Maureen Mariner Fepuleai

Position

Lecturer Academic Research; BAC Practicum Facilitator

Teaching area

Counselling

Biography

Maureen is a graduate of the BAC programme, having returned to study as a mature student many moons ago. Maureen is the proud Mum of five adult children (and adopted in-laws) and seven (and counting) grandbaby-heartbeats.

After graduating with her counselling degree, Maureen decided to follow her passion for addressing family and sexual violence issues within her Samoan community. She completed her Master’s research study with Te Wananga o Aotearoa, focusing on the Samoan cultural practice of Feagaiga.

Maureen started her doctoral studies with UoW, later transferring to the University of Otago where she graduated in December 2025 with her PhD.  She understands the pressures, fears, and challenges of being a mature Pasefika student.

In her spare time, Maureen wears multiple hats that focus on aiga (family), church, community and wellbeing service.

Why I love MIT

I love MIT because this is where I started to find my voice again. The lecturers we were blessed with, during the time I studied, encouraged and challenged me to heights that I never thought possible before I started my study journey with MIT. To say I am grateful I chose MIT as my port of return to study years ago, is an understatement.

I love MIT because we are located within the Pasefika Heart of Aotearoa New Zealand. We are in South Auckland; the largest population of Pasefika in Aotearoa. This location makes it accessible so they can heed the call to enter through our doors and feel welcomed; to find their own voices, establish and nurture their own identities, discover and magnify their talents, skills, and magnificent gifts.

I am now on the other side of the study space, as a staff member of the School of Health & Counselling, and I remember each day in this role to provide for our students, the same (if not more) level of genuine care, empathy, safety, support, professionalism and mana-enhancing challenge, as I was given during my time as a student of the BAC programme.

Publications

Research interests

  • Pasefika. Disability. Pasefika and Education. Family and Sexual Violence. Indigenous. Wellbeing. Pasefika Identity