There’s a big difference in numbers between men and women in the field of Information Technology (IT) but in the Pacific region they are slowly gaining acceptance and confidence as more women are being entrusted to executive IT positions.
Easter Asi-Bruce, IT Director and first Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the American Samoa Government highlights this phenomenon for Samoa News as the territory plays first-time host to the Pacific Network Operators Group (PacNOG) 7, an annual training for IT and networking professionals from around the region.
Bruce says when PacNOG 7 kicked off Monday there were a few women in attendance but not necessarily from an IT background.
“The women that did attend were working in a non-IT capacity and do not have specific IT background education and training,” she said. “In short, there were few, or no IT administrators or engineers registered to attend PacNOG 7.”
Having recently returned from attending the Pacific Region Information & Communications Technology (ICT) Ministers & Officials Meeting in Tonga, Bruce provided Samoa News with the names and background of a few Polynesian women who are leading the way in IT around the region, although they were unable to attend the PacNOG 7.
ESETA FUSITU’A
Eseta Fusitu’a is Tonga’s first IT Director who welcomed attendees for the Pacific Region Information & Communications Technology (ICT) Ministers & Officials Meeting held several weeks ago in Tonga.
With a rich background in Education and historical experience in Parliament since 1982, she heads Tonga’s Ministry of Information and Communications, a ministry that is just a year old. Minister Fusitu’a recounted the early days of creating a new Ministry overseeing IT, as many lacked confidence and support especially in the midst of economic difficulties, Bruce recalled.
In her address at that meeting, Fusitu’a said: “break our silence and the information poverty of our world. Let the technicians deal with the technicalities of ICT. Let us focus on getting the information out to people.”
“Governments have a responsibility to make information available in affordable ways,” Fusitu’a added.
SAFUNEITUUGA PAAGA NERI
Safuneituuga Paaga Neri is Minister of Communications and Information Technology for Samoa. She was appointed in November of 2006 and, embracing technology, continues to lead and further Samoa’s progress well into the 21st century.
Like Fusitu’a, Neri is a former teacher. She became a Member of Parliament in March 2001 and was appointed as Associate Minister for the Ministry of Justice and Courts Administration in 2001.
In November 2006, she was appointed as Minister of Cabinet during her second term in Parliament and continues to proudly serve alongside other women in the Parliament of the Independent State of Samoa.
GISA FUATAI PURCELL
From Samoa, Gisa Fuatai Purcell is an IT Project Manager working for the International Telecommunication (ITU)—European Commission (EC). Her latest project is titled “Capacity Building and ICT Policy Regulation and Legislative Frameworks for Pacific Island countries.”
Prior to working for ITU, Purcell was the Secretary of the National ICT Committee of Samoa, responsible for developing Samoa’s National ICT Strategic Plan that was approved by Cabinet in late 2004 and launched on March 23, 2005.
Purcell is a member of the Internet Society (ISOC) and an active member of the Pacific Island Chapter of ISOC. She was a financial and ICT consultant in New Zealand for 15 years before she returned to Samoa to help her country advance forward in the information and knowledge economy.
GRACE TULAFONO
Grace Tulafono is Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the American Samoa Community College (ASCC), who holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s in the Management of Information Systems.
With 12 years of IT under her belt, Tulafono continues to thrive as evidenced by the completion of three major ASCC projects: 1) installation of computer labs throughout the college as part of a Congressional technology grant; 2) the implementation of a major higher education administrative software system; and 3) the creation of an instructional (ICT) department to consolidate IT college courses.
Grace is a member of the Strategic Planning Subgroup and Broadband Working Group. She contributed to the Comprehensive Information Technology Development Strategy for American Samoa document.
EASTER ASI-BRUCE
Samoa News would be re-miss if Easter Asi-Bruce were not included in this article as she is American Samoa’s first ever IT Director and CIO for ASG.
Bruce is reluctant to talk about herself but she left an executive IT position with the Defense Intelligence Agency and returned home to serve her country by sharing her passion for IT.
Bruce’s IT experience stems from serving nearly 15 years in the Department of Defense. Her experience and training run the spectrum of IT disciplines: Web Development, Systems/Network Analysis & Administration, Help Desk, Configuration & Asset Management, Business Intelligence & Analytics and Network Security.
Her educational credentials lie in the areas of Management of Information Systems and Information Assurance. Bruce has extensive training in ITIL and Six Sigma business practices with certifications in Project Management and Configuration Management.
Bruce presented during the PacNOG 7 opening and is organizing several events to promote IT in American Samoa. First up is the all-day IT Pep Rally set for Saturday, August 21, 2010.
The Pep Rally is to energize interested youth and their parents to support a potential club or official organization of young “techies.”
During the event, young fans of technology will be able to express such uncontained interest laying the foundation for the island’s first technology club, says the all-new “American Samoa Loves IT!”, web site created by Bruce to invigorate technology on the island.
For more information and to check out upcoming IT events for American Samoa, go to www.americansamoalovesit.net.
