Rate My Professor Letava Thompson

Letava Thompson is the Programme Co-ordinator (Media) at Va’a o Tautai – Centre for Pacific Health in the Division of Health Sciences at the University of Otago. She also holds the position of Library Engagement Assistant (Pacific) and acts as an administrator for Pacific Health modules within the medical curriculum. In her media role, she delivers support for the Pacific Opportunities Programmes at Otago (POPO), working to increase social media engagement among prospective students, current Pacific students in Health Sciences, and families sending children to Otago for tertiary education. Her contributions emphasize the real-life support and vibrant Pacific community available at the university.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Health Sciences degree, majoring in Pacific and Global Health, minoring in media film and communications as well as environment society, Letava was eager to seek out meaningful work. Her search led her right back to the Pacific student support service that guided her through her studies at the University of Otago; the Pacific Opportunities Programmes at Otago (POPO). Here Letava received a position at the Va’a o Tautai – Centre for Pacific Health as the Programme Co-ordinator (Media). Her skills in media stemmed from her background of working with Women in Business Development Inc in Samoa as their communications officer for several years. She is passionate about the role that she plays in engaging and supporting the future Pacific health workforce of Aotearoa and Pacific Island nations. Letava is now completing a Bachelor of Law and a Diploma in Public Health at the University of Otago where she hopes to bring together her passions of healthcare, environmental sustainability, and public policy to improve Pacific health both here in Aotearoa New Zealand and in the Pacific Islands. Of Tainui iwi, she actively supports Pacific initiatives at Otago.