Dr Louise Vella is a development professional with over ten years’ experience in the Pacific region. She has worked extensively in Solomon Islands, and also in Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Kiribati and Federated States of Micronesia. She has a PhD in Peacebuilding and Transitional Justice, which focused on the Solomon Islands Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the lessons for peacebuilding in Melanesia. Louise specialises in education, management, gender, research and evaluation. She is an experienced facilitator and trainer, and currently lectures at the Masters level at James Cook University.

Dr Vella is a Team Leader for Beyond Essential, working on the Tupaia project.