Sereana Elina Naepi (née Patterson) is a New Zealand academic[1] and works at the University of Auckland.

Teaching and Learning Practices in Non-Lecture Settings for Māori and Pasifika Success in the First Year of a Bachelor of Arts.

[3] She moved to Canada for a 2018 PhD titled 'Beyond the Dusky Maiden : Pasifika women's experiences working in higher education' at the University of British Columbia,[4] before returning to the University of Auckland.

[5] Naepi is currently co-chair of the Royal Society Te Apārangi's Early Career Researcher Forum[6] and on the MBIE Science Whitinga Fellowship Panel.

Other members include Charmaine 'Ilaiū Talei (Architecture), Sam Manuela (Psychology), Kilisimasi Latu (Engineering), Lena Henry (Urban Planning), Claire Charters (Law) and Tia Reihana (Dance Studies), it is co-directed by Deidre Brown and Karamia Müller.