Rate My Professor Fran Cockerell

Fran Cockerell is the Manager of Va’a o Tautai – Centre for Pacific Health in the Division of Health Sciences at the University of Otago. Born and raised in Dunedin, she is Tokelauan, with her mother born and raised on the island of Nukunonu to Elena and Nikolao. Fran holds a Bachelor of Applied Management (BAppMgt) completed in 2016 and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration at the University of Otago. Her career history includes roles at the Ministry of Justice, the Dunedin School of Medicine as Finance Manager for the School of Biomedical Sciences, and community positions. She joined the Va’a o Tautai team in 2017, applying strategic, operational management, and organisational skills honed through these experiences.

In her role, Fran supports Pacific success and wellbeing, rooted in Tokelauan cultural practices of inati and whatupaepae, engaging staff and students to ensure they feel supported and benefit from university resources. She served as Vice President of the Dunedin Tokelauan community from 2020 to 2024 and continues providing active engagement and pastoral support to preserve Tokelauan culture. Fran's academic contributions include presenting on traditional Tokelauan female leadership concepts within a Western tertiary institution at the Pacific Voices Symposium. She co-authored the verbal presentation 'Extra just got more extra: Leaning on Pacific values to lead our team through uncertainty' with Rosalina Richards, Kalameli Fagasoaia, Monique Lameta, Ben Weastell, Latu Pereira-Moeono, and Fa'afetai Sopoaga at the COVID-19’s Impact on Teaching and Learning Symposium in November 2022. Through Va’a o Tautai, she has facilitated community initiatives, including handing over first aid supplies to the Kiribati community and supporting aid drives for Tonga.