Michelle Oledan Ferns

Michelle Oledan Ferns is CAPRS Aotearoa, New Zealand based Project Manager. Michelle has worked on refugee and asylum protection issues for the past several years in various roles and projects, stretching from building community engagement and self-representation in Australia to regional and global advocacy and event coordination. 

Recently returning from Melbourne, Michelle’s work as the Project Manager for the International Policy and Community Engagement Team with the Refugee Council of Australia focussed on New Zealand’s engagement in the Asia Pacific region as well as developing and coordinating the annual Refugee Alternatives Conference, which continues to build momentum in support of self-representation and refugee leadership. 

Michelle works closely with the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) in Thailand and the Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Working Group. Michelle also coordinated the Australian Campaign to End Child Detention, a cross-sector collaboration of 26 member organisations representing all states and territories of Australia.

Michelle is a third culture kid; born in the Philippines and raised with her two brothers in Aotearoa by her Filipino mother and Liverpudlian father.