Taunu'u Ve'e
Racial Equity Initiative Program Manager
Taunu'u Ve'e, MA, is the manager of the Racial Equity Initiative Program for the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF), a national health justice organization which influences policy, mobilizes communities, and strengthens programs and organizations to improve the health of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.
Tau works with emerging Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander leaders to be more effective advocates at the local, state, and national levels. One of her key responsibility is to provide technical assistance to the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Alliance, a national non profit organization in its effort to implement the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander health agenda. Her work is also to provide guidance, training, and education in the areas of fund development, advocacy, and collaboration.
Prior to APIAHF, Tau was the executive director of a 23-year old non-profit organization in Hawai'i. She has over 20 years of experience in both leadership, public relations, business, and community development. Her strength comes from the private or business sector in "building relations and developing businesses" in both domestic and international markets.
She has a MA in business administration from the University of Phoenix where she also worked for 10-years and was later appointed to oversee business development in the state of Hawai'i. Her success was to help develop campuses throughout the state including the development of the health care and nursing programs (LPN to BSN, MSN, FNP) in both undergraduate and graduate studies.
While in Hawai'i, Tau was an active member in the community, including serving on the board of directors for organizations such as Foster Children's Program of Hawai'i, YMCA Armed Services, Executive Women International, Rotary Club of Kahala Sunrise (former member of Honolulu Rotary), Navy League, and American Association of University Women, to name a few. In 2007, Tau was nominated by Pacific Business News for its Woman's Community Leader of the Year Award.