Congressman Faleomavaega announced today that after consultation with some of the community representatives, he is happy to welcome Upuolevavau Afatasisamoa A. Lili’o as one of his senior aides within his District Office following the retirement of Dr. Oreta Togafau last month.

“Tasi, as she is popularly known, comes highly recommended from the people I talked to, and I am thankful that she has accepted my offer to work for me.  She is someone who has committed herself to serving the community for close to 30 years she has been with the American Samoa Government and various organizations.  I could use this experience of hers, especially with the range she has had working from the youth level up to the older people,” Faleomavaega said.

“She was recently elected National President of the Young Women Christian Association (YWCA), an organization of which she was one of the founding mothers for American Samoa.”

“She started her career with the local government in 1984 at the American Samoa High Court, after eight years of being a deputy court clerk with the Los Angeles Superior Court, county of Los Angeles.  After ten years there, she became a coordinator for the Drug Free Program with the Department of Education.”

“In 1997, Tasi was appointed Director of the Department of Youth and Women’s Affairs, a position she later vacated when she became the Governor’s Special Projects Coordinator at the Governor’s Office the following year under the late governor, Tauese Sunia.  When I asked her a few weeks ago to work for me, she was the manager for the Small Business Development Center at the American Samoa Community College, a job she has had since the beginning of the year,” Faleomavaega related.

“Tasi Lili’o graduated in 1971 from Compton High School in California.  She got her AA degree in Education from ASCC in 2002 and a BA degree in Vocational and Business Education two years later from San Diego State University.  She is currently working on her Masters degree at Phoenix University.”

“She was bestowed the chiefly title Upuolevavau by her family, Leutele, in Falefa, Samoa in 1993.  She is the daughter of the late Sagisagi Alo Lili’o of Fagasa and Lemasani Tapopo Satele of Alao.

“I am happy again to welcome her on board, and I know she will be vital in enhancing my office’s service to our people,” Faleomavaega concluded.