BIOGRAPHY
Toa Sailusi is a skilled educator serving as an Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Business & Government at Brigham Young University–Hawaii (BYU–Hawaii), where he teaches economics and business-related courses.
Hailing from Tuvalu, Sailusi holds the distinction of being the first student from his home nation to enroll at BYU–Hawaii. This pioneering journey underscores his commitment to academic excellence and intercultural exchange.
He is presently pursuing a PhD at The University of Sydney, focusing his research on public financial management (PFM) in the Pacific region, with particular attention to the role of foreign investment in bolstering national budgets.
Sailusi earned his Master of Business Administration in Accounting and Finance from Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) in Japan, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Business, Finance from BYU–Hawaii.
His academic interests are wide-ranging and interdisciplinary, covering fiscal and monetary policy, economic development, and behavioral economics - especially within the context of Asia and Pacific Island nations.
Before entering academia, Sailusi dedicated over seventeen years to the financial services sector. His experience includes roles as a bank officer at Central Pacific Bank, First Hawaiian Bank, and the National Bank of Tuvalu (NBT). Additionally, he has worked with leading insurance and financial services firms such as Northwestern Mutual, New York Life Insurance Company, and State Farm, as well as contributing to the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) climate resilience and adaptation mission in the Pacific Region.