Tepatasi Amanaʻiamaiʻita Vaina

(She/Her)

Program Director

Tepa Vaina was born and raised on the island of Tutuila in American Samoa. Proudly identifying as Fa’afafine, she serves on the staff of UTOPIA WA as the Program Director. Her work has been dedicated to human services; from supporting adults with developmental disabilities, mental health challenges and houseless communities to providing direct support for sex workers, she brings an array of experiences that help to inform the programs of UTOPIA WA. Tepa also holds a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology from Chaminade University of Honolulu, an accomplishment that she continues to use today if it means furthering her work and achievement. As a sex worker herself she sends out a strong message that sex workers are also educated and hardworking individuals. One of her passions is performing siva samoa, she believes that she feels most free and confident when she is dancing. One interesting fact about Tepa is that she is also a former beauty queen, in 2012 she was crowned Miss Society of Fa’afafine in American Samoa. When asked about her experience at UTOPIA WA, Tepa expressed that she has never felt this much fulfillment before, and that she is exactly where she needs to be at this point in her life.”

The road to authenticity is often glittered with tears.

Tepatasi Amanaʻiamaiʻita Vaina