Catching up with Janelle Augsburg from the 2020 Y25 cohort

When Janelle Augsburg was selected for the first-ever Y25 cohort in 2020, she was a full-time family manager, part-time podcaster, and a newly admitted lawyer who already knew she didn’t want to practise law. Surrounded by 24 other wāhine doing big things in their own spaces, she began to question what she really wanted for her career and her purpose. Five years on, she’s now a Senior Policy Analyst at the Ministry for Pacific Peoples somewhere she never imagined she would be. 

Mid way through 2020, when Janelle joined the Y25, she had just been admitted to the bar but didn’t want to be a lawyer. “I was in a season of feeling unsure of my next steps. The women in Y25 were so focused and driven in their own causes, many of them self-starters. It pushed me to step back and figure out my purpose and where I wanted to go.” 

Janelle had received a prestigious Pacific youth award in the 'Community Star' category the year prior and knew she was passionate about serving Pacific communities. She had dedicated time and energy to youth programmes including MATES, UniBound, and Edmund Rice Camps, but didn’t know where or how to combine her personal kaupapa with paid work. Or even where to start looking. 

“I was the first in my family to study law. People say first generation at uni, but I was also first generation in an office job. I didn’t know about CVs or cover letters and this was before the days of chatGPT.” 

She applied for a role at the Ministry for Pacific Peoples and landed the role of Regional Partnerships Advisor, being the conduit between government agencies and the community. “Supporting Pacific communities through COVID was huge, connecting people with the support they needed. That gave me insight into what our Pacific communities were going through on the ground.” The role also gave Janelle an insight into the role of policy and the machinery of government.  

Because the Ministry is small, Janelle worked across different areas, and one piece of advice from the Policy Director stuck with her: “If you want to make real change, you need to be in policy. That’s where the decisions are made.” When a policy role came up, she packed up her things and moved to Wellington, also her first time moving out of home. “I’m a big family person, super close to my sister and parents, so it wasn’t easy, but I believe it happened for a reason. I’ve made incredible friends, built a true sisterhood, and gained so much experience working in policy.” 

Working in policy has shown Janelle how important diverse perspectives are in shaping good advice. “You write papers that help inform ministers, and it’s rewarding to know that your perspective contributes to the choices they make. It’s been eye-opening to learn how government works, and how a young Tongan girl from Māngere can help shape work that supports Pacific Peoples.” 
 
Back in 2020, Janelle had no clear idea of where her career would take her.

“It’s cool to look back and see where I am now. I would never have picked it. I guess the Y25 was the perfect place to start. It was inspiring and lit something inside of me.” 

Creative outlets have always fuelled Janelle. Social media, especially, has been a long-time interest, she jokes that she’s been “unofficially vlogging” since her family got their first digital camera when she was nine years old. In 2020, she ran a small handmade earring business called hau lelei, creating polymer clay pieces that celebrated colour and Pacific design. That same year, she started a podcast with two friends, Untouched Spaces, sparking authentic conversations for other young Pacific women. 

These days, she still vlogs, just in TikTok form. “I love how social media lets me connect with people through sharing good food, capturing special moments, and just enjoying life. They’re little moments of connection that wouldn’t happen day to day. Recently, I posted a video of my mum making steamed puteni, a Tongan pudding, and it connected so many people from across the Pacific who were reminded of their mothers, grandmothers, and aunties making the same thing. I think that connection is so beautiful.” 

She laughs that she’s been quite busy lately because she recently got engaged and planning a 2026 wedding – meeting her fiancé was another unexpected blessing that came in the last five years. “I never could have planned what’s happened. Everything is meant to be and God’s plan is always perfect.” 

Quick Questions

What are you proud of?  

My ability to support my family through my work. I’m at a comfortable place where I can live my life and give back to the home that raised me.

What is the best and worst thing about adulting? 

The best part is the sisterhood I’ve built, having a friend group of amazing women who hype me up, talk sense into me, and laugh with me when I’m being dramatic. The worst part is realising it’s all on you. If you don’t do it, no one else will. There’s no guide on how to be an adult, you just figure it out, cry sometimes, and keep going. 

What is one word to sum up how you feel about the future? 

Excited (I’m getting married soon!) 

How would you spend a bonus $50?

Shout dinner for my household – not sure how far $50 would get me though! 

What would 29-year-old Janelle say to 20-year-old Janelle?  (or Any advice to those in their mid 20s?) 

Looking at the last five years, there have been really big highs and some really tough lows. I’ve lost close family members, but I’ve also gained incredible new friends. When I was in Y25, I was on the edge of 25 and deep in a quarter-life crisis – scared, unsure, and worried about what the future even looked like. I know so many people in their mid-20s feel that exact same way. So I want to say, to anyone feeling that now, things will always work out no matter how hard it feels or how big the world feels, there’s always going to be something for you. This was a pathway I didn’t know existed but God made it possible. Be hopeful! 

What’s your take on the word perfect? 

I’ve learned that “perfect” doesn’t really exist. Life rarely goes exactly how you plan it. As the oldest daughter, I used to feel pressure to have everything lined up – the perfect plan, perfect timing, the perfect version of myself. But the last few years have shown me that real growth actually come from the unplanned parts of life.

Who is your hero(s)? 

My heroes would have to be the women in my family. They’ve shaped me more than anyone with their strength, humour, stubbornness, and endless love. Even the ones who have passed are still such a big part of who I am and their prayers still carry me. And of course, the sisterhood I’ve gained along the way, friends who hype me up, pray for me and laugh with me.