SPC Water, Sanitation and Hygiene : Staff

Staff

Email: rhondar@sopac.org Extension: 36259	Rhonda Robinson Deputy Director - Water & Sanitation Programme Rhonda Robinson is the current Deputy Director for the Water and Sanitation Programme (WSP) of the SOPAC Division of SPC. She graduated from the University of the South Pacific (USP) in 1998 with a Bachelor of Science Degree majoring in Biology and Chemistry and started working for the SOPAC Commission in 1998 through to 2004 as a Sanitation Officer primarily dealing with sanitation and hygiene technical programmes and community and awareness related campaigns. Rhonda resigned from SOPAC in 2005 to pursue a postgraduate Masters programme and graduated from the Australian National University in 2006 with a Masters in Environmental Management and Development as well as a Masters in Diplomacy. She rejoined the SOPAC Commission after completing her studies as a Project Adviser working with a small team of people to design the GEF funded Pacific IWRM Project currently being implemented in the Pacific region. Following the design of the Pacific IWRM Project, Rhonda coordinated the Pacific IWRM Programme funded by the EU and supporting countries with their Water Governance needs until she was successfully recruited into the position of Deputy Director of the WSP in 2011 following the departure of the previous position holder, Marc Overmars.
Email: arieta@sopac.org Extension: 246	Arieta Sokota Water Project Officer Arieta joined SOPAC in October 2003, providing admistrative/technical support to the Water Sector. She graduated from USP with a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Geography and Population Studies in 1998 and completed Diploma studies in GIS in 2000. Previously she was employed at the Ministry of Agriculture - GIS Unit as a GIS Senior Technical Assistant..
Email: kamal@sopac.org Extension: 36223	Kamal Khatri Water Services Coordinator Kamal joined the Applied Geoscience and Technology Division (SOPAC) of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) as the Water Services Coordinator in August 2012 with overall responsibility of water services component which includes drinking water safety planning, water quality monitoring, water demand management, WASH and wastewater management. Prior to this role, he worked as the Technical Officer (Water Quality) within the Environmental Health unit based at the World Health Organization’s South Pacific Office, providing support to member countries (Pacific region) in relation to environmental hazards, water resources, water supply and sanitation and ensuring major health risks and sector priorities are managed during emergencies. Within this time he was also involved in climate change and health initiatives in Fiji and 11 Pacific island countries including health risk assessment and planning linked to impacts of climate change to public health. Between 2005-2008, Kamal managed the WASH programme of SOPAC which included components on education and hygiene awareness, community participation and gender mainstreaming in WASH and provision of technical support for wastewater/sanitation initiatives.
Email: christopher@sopac.org Extension: 228	Christopher Paterson Chris joined SOPAC as the Mainstreaming and Indicators Advisor (MAIN) for the UNDP/UNEP/GEF Pacific IWRM Project in 2009. Prior to this he worked for UNEP on the South China Sea Project from 2004-2009 and as a Lecturer in Marine Policy and Management at the Australian Maritime College, and for the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center, before that. Chris is a graduate of Southern Cross University's Centre for Coastal Management and AMC's Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Environment. He is undertaking a post-graduate research degree with the University of Wollongong's Faculty of Law in his spare time.
Email: dave@sopac.org Extension: 309	Dave Hebblethwaite Dave Hebblethwaite joined SOPAC in 2010 after three years leading an Asian Development Bank project tasked with strengthening the capacity of the Vietnamese government to address pollution in one of the country’s most populated river basins. Prior to this, Dave’s work focused on the protection and sustainable use of Australian rivers, wetlands and coastal waters, including the development and implementation of water policy and regulation in New South Wales and Victoria. His experience in Australia, Asia and the Pacific has given him a strong appreciation of the need for policy makers to work closely with those responsible for implementation on the ground, to ensure that policy tools are matched to both local issues and local capacity. His move to the region honours a promise he made himself during his first travels in the Pacific as a young lad.
Email: arunc@sopac.org Extension: 218	Arun Chand Arun Chand is the Water and Sanitation Programmes assistant project officer.He is responsible for supporting the programme with technical and administrative tasks.
Email: fane@sopac.org Extension: 287	Fane Waqa Project Officer IWRM Fane joined SOPAC in February 2007, providing administrative support to the IWRM Project – Water Sector. She is a final year student from USP pursuing her Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in Economics and Banking & Finance. Previously she was attached to TPAF as a Reconciliation Officer, than received her Certificate in Business Accounting at NZPTC while assisting a privately owned transportation business.
Email: iva@sopac.org Extension: 262	Iva Bakaniceva Programme Officer-Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene Iva joined SOPAC in October 2008 as a Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene Officer. The WASH programme aims to improve the lives of the Pacific Island people access to water resources and sanitation through improved management of water resources and the development of adequate and sustainable water supply, improved facilities and hygienic practices for all. Iva graduated with a Degree in Environmental Science from the Auckland University of Technology in 2003. Before joining SOPAC, she was a Senior Field Trainer with an NGO Live & Learn Environmental Education for the last 5 years working in schools and communities.
Email: m.wilson@sopac.org Extension: 258	Marc Wilson Regional Project Manager (GEF Pacific IWRM) Marc Wilson joined SOPAC as the Regional Program Manager for the GEF-IWRM program in January 2009. He holds an MSc and has worked as a natural resource researcher, manager and development aid consultant in over 30 countries in many regions of the world. He has lived and worked for extended periods in both Melanesia and Polynesia. He has worked as a CEO in both the public and private sectors and has extensive consulting experience with national, regional and international organizations. He established and was the foundation Director of the Australian Maritime College’s Graduate School of Marine Resource Management and has published widely in natural resource development and management. He has a particular interest in integrated management of natural resources and the challenges of institutionalizing real stakeholder participation in decision making and in developing non government stakeholder participation capacity. In 2002 – 2007 he was the Australian Team Leader for the AusAID funded Tonga Integrated Fisheries Management Project and prior to joining SOPAC he worked as a strategic planning adviser for RAMSI in the Solomon Islands.
Email: peter@sopac.org Extension: 231	Peter Sinclair Project Adviser - Pacific HYCOS Peter joined SOPAC as the Project Advisor for the Pacific Hydrological Cycle Observing System, HYCOS project in November 2006. He holds a BSc in Geology and MSc in hydrogeology with 15 years experience in Australia working on the assessment, development and management of a range of groundwater systems including large alluvial systems and fractured and porous rock systems. He is interested in developing localised solutions relevant to local needs.
Email: verenaisi@sopac.org Extension: 274	Verenaisi Bakani Senior Administrative and Travel Officer Verenaisi joined SOPAC in May 2009 as Senior Administration and Travel Officer for the GEF Pacific IWRM Project.She graduated from the University of the South Pacific (USP) with a Diploma in Public Administration in 1995 and is pursuing her BCom degree, majoring in Management & Public Administration. Previously she was employed at the University of the South Pacific as Personnel Assistant to the Dean, Faculty of Islands & Oceans.