Associates

 
Dr. Sylvia Frain
Dr. Sylvia C Frain
PhD in Peace Studies with the National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, at the University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
Masters in International Studies, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
Bachelors of Arts, Global Studies, The University of California, Santa Barbara, United States

Sylvia co-founded, along with the National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies alumnus, Dr Monica Carr, The Everyday Peace Initiative, Peace research, education, and consulting: supporting people and communities to build peace through research and education.

Currently serves as a Research Affiliate with the National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, a councilor for the Auckland-based Peace Foundation. She continues as a member of the Vakatele Pacific Research Network at Auckland University of Technology, after completing her position as the inaugural postdoctoral fellow with the Pacific Media Centre there in 2018.

Sylvia continues to use new media platforms to archive her research data and share resources for others working across Oceania. She regularly contributes to the blog Pasifika Rising, an initiative of the Raising Pacific Voices Project with Oxfam Pacific. In addition, she created and curates the research-oriented Facebook page, Oceania Resistance to share her research in the Marianas Archipelago and highlight current issues impacting Oceania. Her work is linked through the hashtag #OceaniaResistance and her doctoral thesis is available as an e-book on the Guam-based website, Guampedia.

Specialties
  • Grant writing
  • Research and reports
  • Participatory action methods
  • New media workshops
  • Visual documentation
  • Project management

Dr. Frain on Linkedin


Mr. Diego T. Benavente
President, Benavente & Associates, Inc.

Mr. Benavente works closely with interested investors as well as policy and decision makers in the Mariana Islands (CNM), his home, and in the region. As the former Lt. Governor of the CNMI and as member of the CNMI House of Representatives for 20-years, Mr. Benavente's knowledge and understanding of policy and business in the CNMI is vast. In his private capacity, he will tell you plainly that he's just a fisherman! But when you dig a little, you learn that he has extensive experience in local, regional and federal issues. He also understands the private retail and construction sectors of the CNMI from direct experience. Mr. Benavente is also actively involved in local business development and is a founding and current member of the Pacific Islands Development Bank. He serves on the board of the Micronesian Conservation Trust and serves as the CNMI's Honorary Consul to the Federated States of Micronesia.


Specialties
  • Regional development
  • Investor development
  • Regional policy development
  • Interfacing with local, regional and federal issues
  • Information synthesis and analysis



Mr. Edward Arriola
Principal Consultant, Blue46 Associates
Bachelors Business Management, Marketing and Related Support Services, The University of Guam

Mr. Arriola currently serves as a principal consultant for Blue 46 Associates. He previously managed the optional tourism division from startup to execution of Tan Holdings. While there he successfully created marketing and distribution channels for Japan, Korea and China. Prior to that he was marketing manager for Century Tours, Saipan's leading tour company, Club C, APHI Hotels. Mr. Arriola has strategic marketing planning experience with an emphasis on tourism and retail industry trends while also creating branding and identification of a products' appeal to consumers. He was also the manager of the TSL Foundation which contributes substantially to further sports, health, education and culture/arts programs in the CNMI and Guam. He is a team leader/player and communicator with proven ability to devise winning marketing strategies, using the latest software developments and staying ahead of the curve when the shift of a strategy is needed. He brings with him 12 years of tourism insight, trends forecasts, marketing experience and government relations.

Specialties
  • Marketing and communications
  • Business development
  • Economic analysis
  • Budgeting and projections
  • Research and reporting
  • Project management
  • Grant writing




Ms. Rebecca C. White
Bachelors Business Management, Northern Marianas College

Affectionately known as Bekke White and from Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands. She is a Northern Marianas College graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management. She is the Office Manager for The Law Offices of Michael A. White, LLC. She spent the early part of her career doing collections and secretarial work before transitioning to Office Manager. The best part of what she does is being able to work closely with her staff in ensuring efficient office operations and optimizing workflow to better assist the Office’s clients and debtors. She enjoys her role in the Office because it allows her to challenge herself professionally and personally by being task-oriented and balancing the duties and responsibilities required as the Office Manager, like dictations and transcriptions and administrative organization. Working with Practical Solutions, LLC is a perfect opportunity for her to gain new skills and better improver her work experience.


Specialties
  • Office management
  • Data collection and management
  • Human resources utilization
  • Project coordination
  • Research and investigation
  • Technical assistance to project managers and grant writers





Ms. Shawn Davis
30+ Year Business Management Career Professional, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands

With 30 year’s acquired experience, in organizational skills. administrative assistance, policy development, research and analysis, day to day accounting procedures, Shawn’s focus is on assisting businesses facilitate smooth day to day operations and sort out bad business organizational practices.

Shawn specializes in one on one personal attention with her clients by working on site to ensure a complete understanding of the workflow and the best way to meet each client's organizational needs. She is an expert with business record organization and optimizing workflow and employee productivity. Her strengths include acute attention to detail, connecting information to outcomes and forensic research and investigation skills. Shawn learns and uses new technology as needed to achieve the best results. 

Specialties
  • Administrative organization
  • Data collection and management
  • Forensic accounting investigation/auditing
  • Human resource utilization
  • Research and investigation
  • Project coordination
  • Technical assistance to project managers and grant writers
Email: smd4839505@gmail.com