PRIDE: Tafilisaunoa Toleafoa, Director of the Pacific Community of Alaska

 Tafilisaunoa Toleafoa was born and raised in the islands of Samoa in the the South Pacific.  She moved to Anchorage 20 years ago to join the rest of her family who were already here. Ms. Toleafoa serves as Executive Director at the Pacific Community of Alaska. She serves as co-chair for the board of directors for the National Association of Pasifika Organizations (NAOPO)  and member of the board of directors for the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA); she also serves as an officer for United Territories of Pacific Islands Alliance Alaska ( UTOPIA ), an organization focused on supporting Queer and Trans Pacific Islanders. Her professional background encompasses a diverse range of expertise, including housing interventions for the houseless population, advocacy for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, & human trafficking, and working with folks suffering from  substance abuse and behavioral and mental health challenges.