Kristian Fanene Schmidt (he/him) was born and raised in Porirua, Aotearoa while both his parents hail from Samoa. As a Fulbright scholar with degrees in Law, Education and Arts (Pacific Studies) and over 20 years of community service to inform his work as a writer, host, and consultant, he has partnered with the likes 
of Paramount, Disney, Amazon, Ubisoft, Netflix, and LucasFilm, sharing his expertise on representation, LGBTQIA+ issues, and the impacts of colonization throughout the Pacific. He is the Managing Director 
of Punky Aloha Studio, Executive Producer on Island Fever Podcast and Founder of the Pasifika Entertainment Advancement Komiti (PEAK); an organization committed to redefining, expanding, 
and honoring the richness of Pasifika experiences.