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<h1 align="center" style="text-align:center;background:white"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:17.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">Pacific Disability Forum (PDF) Appoints Director Operations<o:p></o:p></span></h1>
<h1 style="background:white"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:17.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></h1>
<p style="background:white"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color:black">The Pacific Disability Forum (PDF) has recently appointed Ms. Laisa Vereti as its Director Operations.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="text-align:justify;background:white"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color:black">“PDF welcomes Laisa to this very senior management role and are delighted to have her take up the position with her vast experience in program coordination, research, policy,
capacity building, lobbying, resource/project management and research on a regional and international setting.”, said PDF CEO, Mr. Setareki Macanawai<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="text-align:justify;background:white"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color:black">“The Director Operations is a critical position in PDF, and I am confident that Laisa will not only add much value to the role but will be instrumental in driving PDF to meet
its strategic goals as we move into the new phase of the organisation guided by the PDF strategic plan 2021-2025”, added Mr. Macanawai<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="text-align:justify;background:white"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color:black">Prior to this appointment, Laisa was the Manager Planning, Policy and Advocacy for the PDF where she primarily managed PDF programs, led the facilitation of the Strategic
Plan and managed PDF’s annual budget. In addition, she has extensive experience in Conventions on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and disability inclusion to mainstream development programs and policy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="text-align:justify;background:white"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color:black">Laisa’s achievements include, leading the work at PDF on the legal harmonisation with UNESCAP, disability disaggregated data with UNICEF and SPC.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="text-align:justify;background:white"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color:black">“I am excited about the challenges ahead and my ability to add value both in operational and strategic capacity”, said Laisa. She hopes to use her over 10 years’ working at
regional and international level to further the work of the Pacific Disability Forum.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="text-align:justify;background:white"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color:black">In her new role, she is responsible for providing oversight of all programmes including emergency response, gender, youth, DPO and inclusive development, policy, research
and finance and corporate services for the Pacific Disability Forum.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:white"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color:black">-ENDS-<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-NZ">Setareki S. Macanawai</span></b><b><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-NZ"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-NZ">Chief Executive Officer</span><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-NZ"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-NZ"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-NZ">Pacific Disability Forum</span><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-NZ"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-NZ">Ground Floor, Kadavu House, Victoria Parade<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-NZ">GPO Box 18458, Suva, Fiji
</span><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-NZ"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-NZ"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-NZ">Tel: +679 331 2008; +679 773 0200</span><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-NZ"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-NZ">Mob: +679 992 1486; +679 708 2891</span><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-NZ"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-NZ">Fax: +679 3310469</span><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-NZ"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-NZ">Skype: setareki.macanawai</span><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-NZ"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-NZ">Email: ceo@pacificdisability.org</span><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-NZ"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-NZ">Web:
</span><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-NZ"><a href="http://www.pacificdisability.org"><span style="color:#0563C1">www.pacificdisability.org</span></a><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:#002060;mso-fareast-language:EN-NZ">Facebook:
</span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/PacificDisabilityForum/"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:#0563C1;mso-fareast-language:EN-NZ">Pacific Disability Forum</span></a><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:#002060;mso-fareast-language:EN-NZ"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:#002060;mso-fareast-language:EN-NZ">Twitter: @pdfsec<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-NZ"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><img border="0" width="204" height="69" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D64946.2C8684C0" alt="cid:image001.jpg@01D60A29.68C18C20"></span><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-NZ"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-NZ"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><b><i><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-NZ">Organisation in special consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Commission since 2012.
</span></i></b><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-NZ"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-NZ">The information contained in this email message is intended only for the addressee(s). If you
<b>are</b> not the intended recipient, you must not use, disclose, copy or distribute this message or the information in it, including any attachments. If you receive this email in error please notify the sender immediately</span></i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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