Who We Are

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 Hi, I’m Jonny.

I come from the Tangiki tribe in the Southern Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea. Raised between PNG and Australia, I’ve seen the deep divides in opportunity, trust, and infrastructure.

After completing a Master of Development Practice, I began to question the effectiveness of traditional development models. Although grounded in good intentions, they often struggled to deliver meaningful outcomes, limited by bureaucracy, competing interests, and a lack of transparency.

In 2021 I turned to blockchain not just as a tech curiosity, but as a philosophical answer: a system that could redistribute trust and challenge the old hierarchies. I completed a graduate certificate in Blockchain Enabled Business in 2022

If AI is going to shape our future, it needs to reflect the best parts of who we are, not just our knowledge but our wisdom, kustom and traditions. Through my work in the South Pacific and beyond, I am contributing to that vision. A future that is more advanced but also more just, more caring, and more human.

 I’m a creative, culturally grounded educator and learning designer with nearly 10 years’ experience in primary and secondary education space. Born in New Zealand, with Papua New Guinean roots and raised in Australia, my evolving relationship with culture and place continues to shape my personal and professional journey.

At South Pacific Futures, I design inclusive, future-focused learning experiences that empower students, families, and communities through culturally responsive, ethical, and accessible tech-integrated education.

At home, I’m guided by motherhood and family, carrying the lessons of care, patience, and curiosity into every learning space - reminded always that human connection and technology can coexist in thoughtful balance.

  Call me Lokie - I’m a Longai/Titan man from the Manus Islands of PNG, and I grew up on Buluwai Country in Far North Queensland. Going back-and-forth between both places has shaped who I am and where I feel most connected.

I’ve been passionate about PNG and in general this South Pacific region for a good while now. I ended up doing a PhD looking at governance systems in PNG’s petroleum sector, and now I work with Traditional Owner groups and businesses across Far North Queensland and parts of the Great Barrier Reef, focusing on community development, self-determination, and better ways of doing business.

South Pacific Futures is my way of exploring how emerging tech like blockchain and AI can be grounded in culture, local knowledge, and real community impact. It’s about creating practical, Indigenous-led solutions for the future of our region.