FAOA AITOFELE TOESE FITI SUNIA

Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa

Born March 27, 1943 in the village of Fagatogo to Rev. Fiti and Mrs.Savali Alesana Sunia;  He was later adopted by Mr. Toese Namu Sagapolutele and Mrs. Samanu Alo Sagapolutele. 

He attended Marist Elementary School, Feleti Memorial Demonstration Junior High School and Samoana High School.  He later relocated to Honolulu, Hawaii where he attended Roosevelt High School and graduated from in 1962. He then attended Concord College in Athens, West Virginia from 1962 to 1965. 

In 1965, he became a Court Interpreter for the High Court of American Samoa until 1968; from 1968 to 1969 he worked as a Mediological Technician for the American Samoa Weather Station. In 1970, he decided to further his education and attended San Francisco State University. 

In 1971 to 1972, he attended University of San Francisco (USF) and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Government; 1973 to 1975 he attended the University of San Francisco Law School where he received his Juris Doctorate degree in Law.

From 1976 to 1978 he was an Assistant Attorney General in American Samoa; 1979 to 1983 he became Legal Counsel for the Legislature of American Samoa and later director for the Legislative Reference Bureau.

In 1983 to 1988 he was a partner in the private law firm of Kruse, Sunia & Ward. From 1986 to 1988 he served as Judge pro-tem. He again became an Assistant Attorney General for American Samoa Government from 1988 to 1992. 

In 1993, he was appointed Treasurer of the American Samoa Government until 1994  he was again selected as Legal Counsel for the American Samoa Legislature for the second time. 

In 2001 he was appointed Treasurer for the second time. 

Then in 2003, he was selected Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa after the untimely death of Governor Tauese P. Sunia.  In 2004, he was elected to continue as Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa to the present.

He has served as a member of the Lions club, Mason and the Shriners.  He served on the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council for 6 years.

He is married to Elisapeta Pula Nikolao Iuli and they have seven children and one grandchild.