Joseph Cella

Joseph Cella's first press conference, as Ambassador to Fiji

Joseph Cella was presented his credentials to be the 16th United States Ambassador to Fiji on December 23, 2019, by Jioji Konrote.[7]

He said, his main priorities within his first 30 days was to be a "very active, aggressive bridge builder, and public engager".[8] On January 30 of next year, Cella met with Joseph Lengyel, who at the time, was a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to "emphasize the importance of Fiji’s State Partnership Program with the Nevada National Guard".[9]

Cella helped the Fiji Red Cross Society set up a blood drive. He was their first ever blood donor.[10]

Cella departed Fiji on January 20, 2021, after his resignation. Leaving Tony Greubel as the chargé d’affaires.[11]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Cella received an additional US$27.7 million, and relief supplies for his ambassadorial countries from the United States Agency for International Development.[12][13]

Cella got Fiji's leading alcohol beverages manufacturer, Paradise Beverages (Fiji) Limited, to donate relief supplies to the Fijian community.[14] General Manager of Paradise Beverages, Mike Spencer, said that "they were fortunate that the U.S. Embassy has come on board and contribute to this because if they did this themselves, they could not do it for long".[14]

Cella had been involved in on the ground charity work, helping the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission, during the pandemic. Cella's embassy had made donations to food banks that helped people, and families impacted by COVID-19.[15]

In May 2020, Cella's Embassy requested grant proposals to try to "support economic resilience" in Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, and Tuvalu at the "grassroots level" during the COVID-19 pandemic.[16] The grants were accepted on August 27, 2020.[17]

In July 2020, Cella joined Government of Fiji officials to launch “Health Care on Air". A radio program that attempted to "boost the capacity of health workers to protect themselves, [against COVID–19] and deliver quality health services to communities".[18]

Cella is a Roman Catholic.[5][22][23] In 2004, he founded the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast along with Rick Santorum, and Leonard Leo, which they created in response to Pope John Paul II's call for a new evangelization.[23] It has featured many notable guest speakers like George W. Bush, John Roberts, Paul Ryan, Raymond Leo Burke, Samuel Alito, and Antonin Scalia.[2]

President George W. Bush (center), Archbishop Charles J. Chaput (left), and Joseph Cella (right) pictured at a National Catholic Prayer Breakfast in 2005

Cella co-founded the Catholic advocacy organization Catholic Vote.[2][23][24] It has grown to over 700,000 members, as of 2019.[2][23]