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About Aumua Amata Radewagen

Historic Congressional Representative

Amata Coleman Radewagen, Republican, was elected as American Samoa’s third Member of Congress on November 4, 2014. She has achieved several historic firsts:

  • First woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from American Samoa
  • First Republican woman of Samoan descent in Congress
  • Her party’s highest-ranking Asian Pacific elected federal officeholder in the nation
  • Most senior member of the Republican National Committee since 2012
  • Holds the orator (talking chief) title of Aumua from the village of Pago Pago in American Samoa

In winning 75.4% of the vote in her 2016 re-election, she attained the highest number of votes for any elective office in American Samoa history.

Presidential Transition Leadership

Amata was a member of the Executive Committee for the 2016-17 Presidential Transition. She was also a member of the Executive Committee for the 2017 Republican National Committee Chairman’s Transition Committee.

Legislative Achievements

In 2017 Amata introduced, Congress passed, and President Trump signed into law legislation naming the American Samoa Veterans Clinic in honor of her predecessor, the late Congressman Eni F.H. Faleomavaega. Vice President Mike Pence accepted her invitation to preside over the designation ceremony.

Community Service and Advocacy

Health Advocacy

Amata has been a lifelong community activist from American Samoa:

  • Volunteers with the hospital Women’s Auxiliary
  • Member of Business and Professional Women
  • 25-year cancer survivor who has served as a spokesperson for the Samoan Women’s Health Project
  • Promotes cancer awareness and brings mammography to the territory
  • Liaison to the National Breast Cancer Coalition since 1993

Youth and Athletics

She also serves as a member of the board of Field House 100 American Samoa, a non-profit organization devoted to finding athletic scholarship opportunities in the states for talented high school athletes in American Samoa.

Federal Commission Work

White House Commissioner for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

Appointed by President George W. Bush in 2001 as a White House Commissioner for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI):

  • Chaired the Community Security Committee
  • Only Pacific Islander on the 15-member commission
  • Advised the President on AAPI issues
  • Issued a landmark report on the health care needs of America’s AAPI communities
  • Featured speaker at numerous Asian Pacific American Heritage observances, including military bases in CONUS and Europe

International Democracy and Development Work

International Republican Institute (IRI)

Regional Program Director for Asia (1996-1999)

  • Oversaw democracy and governance programs throughout Asia from IRI’s Washington, D.C. Headquarters
  • Made numerous trips throughout Asia to oversee election monitoring and democracy training activities
  • Established and oversaw IRI programs in multiple countries:
    • Cambodia
    • East Timor
    • Mongolia
    • Thailand
    • Philippines
    • Indonesia

Deputy Regional Director for Asia (1992-1996)

  • Served in leadership role during critical period of Asian democratic transitions
  • Honored by IRI in 2004 as an International Freedom Champion

Pacific Islands Development Forum

Washington, D.C. Representative (2008-2015)

  • Served as the primary liaison for Pacific Islands development initiatives in the nation’s capital

High-Level Political Experience

Presidential and Vice Presidential Advance Work

  • 1990 Honolulu Summit: Member of advance team for historic summit between President George H.W. Bush and Pacific Island leaders
  • 1989 Vice Presidential Visit: Washington advance liaison for Vice President’s visit to Pago Pago

American Council of Young Political Leaders

  • 1986: Member of ACYPL study tour of Australia
  • 1987: Elected member of the ACYPL Alumni Council

Congressional Staff Experience

U.S. House of Representatives Majority Leadership Staff (8 years)

  • Conference Scheduling Director
  • Supervised database created to reach out to Asian Pacific and other minority aspirants for congressional staff positions

Individual Member Staff

  • U.S. Rep. Philip Crane (R-IL): Scheduling Director
    • Served the dean of the House Republican Conference at the time of his retirement

Federal Agency Experience

  • U.S. Office of Economic Opportunity: Staff member
  • Department of Health, Education, and Welfare: Staff member

Historic American Samoa Role

  • First Executive Assistant to the first delegate-at-large to Washington from American Samoa

Republican National Committee Leadership

Key Committee Roles

  • Chairman’s Executive Council: Member
  • Committee on Arrangements: Served for six national conventions
  • Standing Committee on Rules: Member
  • Chairman’s Commission on Convention Planning: Appointed in 2013

National Convention Experience

  • Eight Republican National Conventions: Attended
  • Convention Officer: Served twice
  • Convention Committee on Rules: Member six times

Recognition and Awards

  • RNC Trailblazer Award: Received inaugural award named for Mary Louise Smith
    • Recognized for leadership in Pacific Islander communities nationally
    • Mary Louise Smith was the first woman ever to serve as RNC chairman

Awards and Professional Recognition

Congressional Recognition

  • 2001: Chosen by Hill Zoo online newspaper as one of 52 “Staffers of the Week” from among more than 20,000 Capitol Hill staffers

Historic Achievements

  • 2003: First and only Pacific Islander ever chosen as “Outstanding Woman of the Year” by the National Association of Professional Asian American Women (NAPAW)

Leadership Awards

  • 2008: International Leadership Foundation’s Visionary Award
  • 2013: “Inspirational Speaker” Award at the Ninth Annual Samoan Athletes Heart of Champions Ceremony in La Mesa, California

Professional Affiliations

Leadership Memberships

  • Capitol Hill Club: Life member
  • American Samoa Society: Founding member

Regional and Cultural Organizations

  • Guam Society of America: Member
  • Hawaii State Society: Member
  • Pan Pacific and Southeast Asia Women’s Association: Member

Policy and Professional Groups

  • Women’s Foreign Policy Group: Washington member
  • Independent Women’s Forum: Member

Published Recognition

Who’s Who Directories

  • Who’s Who in Politics
  • Who’s Who in the South and Southwest
  • Secretariat of the Pacific Community’s Register of Skilled Women in the Pacific (United States list)

Historical Publications

  • The Women of American Samoa 1900-2000: One of 100 women profiled
    • Subtitle: “A hundred years of development and achievements”
    • Published in conjunction with American Samoa’s centennial observances as a U.S. territory

Educational Background

University Degrees

  • Bachelor’s Degree: University of Guam

Additional Studies

  • Loyola-Marymount University: Continuing education
  • George Mason University: Additional coursework

Personal Background

Family Heritage

  • Parents: Late Governor and Mrs. Peter Tali Coleman
  • Siblings: One of 13 children

Current Family

  • Spouse: Fred Radewagen
  • Children: Three grown children
  • Grandchildren: Two grandchildren