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Chair - William Cole
Chair - William Cole
William Cole is a founder and Chairperson of Virtual Extinction, steering the organization’s international governance, strategic roadmap, and operational growth. His work focuses on establishing robust ethical frameworks for emerging technologies, digital cultural preservation, and community-centered data governance.
William brings an extensive international perspective to his leadership, having lived, studied, and worked across the United States, the Netherlands, Ireland, Aotearoa New Zealand, and Australia. He holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) in International and European Law and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Technology Law and Innovation from the University of Groningen, alongside academic work completed at George Washington University. Leveraging a deep background in technology regulation and cross-border structural development, William leads Virtual Extinction in building sustainable systems to safeguard linguistic diversity and advance ethical AI governance globally.
Secretary - Josef Czescha-Rojas
Secretary - Josef Czescha-Rojas
Josef Czescha-Rojas is secretary at VE. Legal Researcher, University of Western Australia. He completed a Double Master’s in International Law/Relations and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the University of Western Australia. He is currently a Juris Doctor candidate.
VE Aotearoa - Ethan Bidois
VE Aotearoa - Ethan Bidois
Nga mihi nui a koutou,
No Tauranga ooku tuupuna
Ko Mauao tooku maunga
Ko Tauranga Moana tooku moana
Ko Ngaati Ranginui raua ko Ngaati Raukawa ooku iwi
Ko Pirirakau tooku hapu
Ko Poututerangi tooku marae
Ko Tamatea-ariki-nui tooku tuupuna
Ko Etaana taaku ingoa
I am Etaana or Ethan Bidois, a Executive Director of Virtual Extinction Aotearoa. I have studied a LLB / BA double majoring in History and International Relations, with a specific interest in anything Te Ao Maaori. I work to connect passionate tauira and tangata whenua or tangata tiriti across the country, getting people to connect with data sovereignty and AI ethics in linguistics across the mootu. When it comes to data sovereignty, Indigenous communities are currently at the most vulnerable of such breaches, and it is our goal to insure that the future of said sovereignty is strong and respected internationally.
VE Aotearoa - Taigaga (Jamal) Rerecich
VE Aotearoa - Taigaga (Jamal) Rerecich
I'm Taigaga (Jamal) Rerecich, a fourth-year Bachelor of Laws student at Auckland University of Technology, where I also work as a Legal Research Assistant at the Law School. I've spent recent years in leadership within Te Aro Ture, AUT's Māori Law Students' Association, including serving as Co-Tumuaki, and I held a role on the Tuumatakahuki Rūnanga.
My work centres on legal education and advocacy for Māori and Pasifika communities. I prepared the sole draft of a Law Commission submission on section 48 self-defence law and its disproportionate impact on Māori women, which was later added to the Commission's register of proposals. I also delivered "Am I Cooked? Know Your Rights," a public legal literacy seminar attended by 60 people, and I've continued exploring access to law as an ongoing area of advocacy.
Outside law, I have an interest in ethical fashion, public speaking, and fitness. I stand for directness, accountability, and treating people with respect even in disagreement, values I try to hold in how I lead and what I expect from the spaces I'm part of.
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