Salā Marie Young

Founder & Managing Director, PEP

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Previous Governance Experience: 

Board Trustee | LifeChurch (NZ) Community Trust

Founding Trustee | Multimedia Community Trust

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Salā is a professional leader and educator with extensive experience working with international teams, diverse groups, and multinational companies. Her dedication to governance includes serving as a Board Trustee for LifeChurch (NZ) Community Trust and as a Founding Trustee for the Multimedia Community Trust. She also consults with Pacific Early Childhood Education (ECE) boards, helping to strengthen governance practices and ensure sustainability.
 

Salā’s governance approach is deeply human-centred, combining cultural intelligence with relational trust. Drawing on her Samoan heritage and her role as a matai (chief) from Le’auvaa in Upolu, she integrates Pacific cultural values with modern governance practices. This unique blend fosters collaboration, inclusivity, and effective decision-making.
 

Salā has worked across cultural boundaries throughout her career, aligning diverse perspectives, building strong connections, and achieving impactful outcomes. Her extensive experience with international teams equips her to navigate complexity and cultivate trust in dynamic environments.
 

At the core of her work is the Koko Model™, a model she developed during her Master of Technological Futures thesis. Inspired by Samoan cultural practices, the model facilitates complex conversations, encourages collaboration, and honours a shared foundation of understanding and connection.
 

Salā is pursuing a Doctorate in Business Administration at Otago University, focusing on Samoan Indigenous Governance in Aotearoa’s Pacific Early Learning Centres. Her research advocates integrating Pasifika and Indigenous governance models with existing frameworks, ensuring representation, equity, and sustainable success across sectors.​