Overview:
The Palau Media Council has named Baklai Temengil-Chilton, president of the Oceania National Olympic Committees and secretary general of the Palau National Olympic Committee, as Most Impactful Person of the Year 2025, recognizing her long-term influence on youth, sports leadership and social change across Palau and the Pacific.
By: L.N. Reklai
KOROR, Palau (January 6, 2026) — The Palau Media Council has named Baklai Temengil-Chilton, president of the Oceania National Olympic Committees and secretary general of the Palau National Olympic Committee, as its Most Impactful Person of the Year 2025, citing her long-term influence on youth, sports development and leadership across Palau and the Pacific.
The annual award recognizes an individual or organization whose work has created sustained and far-reaching impact — not only in the short term, but in ways that shape communities and nations over time. Media Council officials said Temengil-Chilton exemplified those criteria through her leadership in sport, her role in empowering young people, and her trailblazing position as a woman in regional and international sports governance.
In 2025, the council highlighted Temengil-Chilton’s role in advancing youth development through sport, including her leadership during the Pacific Mini Games hosted in Palau, as well as her broader influence as head of ONOC, which represents national Olympic committees across Oceania.
Her work, the council noted, extends beyond events and competitions to shaping future generations of athletes, coaches and leaders throughout the Pacific.
Temengil-Chilton is also the first woman to serve as president of ONOC in the organization’s 45-year history, a milestone that has made her a role model for women and girls across the region.
Accepting the award, Temengil-Chilton emphasized the role of the media in accountability, transparency and social change.
“I’m very humbled by this recognition from the media,” she said. “Without the media, we cannot make change. You are the ones who share the stories — the good, the bad, and the accountability stories — especially in a small community like Palau.”
She reflected on lessons learned from her upbringing and leadership journey, noting that courage, values and community support have shaped her approach to leadership.
“The work that I do is not just my own making,” she said. “It’s about opening doors and having the courage to walk through them, while holding on to the fundamental values that Palau has instilled in us.”
Temengil-Chilton also spoke about navigating leadership in traditionally male-dominated spaces, particularly in sports administration at the continental and global levels.
“As a woman, it’s not easy to take leadership roles in sport,” she said. “You have to persevere, stand your ground, and have the right network. My network is the people of Palau — my family, elders, friends — who remind me that change is coming, but our values must guide how we innovate.”
She described sport as a powerful platform for dialogue, inclusion and collective problem-solving.
“I truly believe sport provides a safe space for people to raise their voices,” Temengil-Chilton said. “It teaches respect, collaboration and how to disagree — and then find common ground.”
Looking ahead, she said her goal is to continue using Palau as a model for innovation and positive change across Oceania, while remaining mindful of the broader impact of decisions made at the regional level.
“When you lead at a continental level, your decisions don’t just affect you or your country — they affect an entire community,” she said. “That responsibility matters.”
The Palau Media Council said Temengil-Chilton’s leadership, vision and commitment to long-term impact made her a clear choice for the 2025 Most Impactful Person of the Year, reflecting the award’s focus on influence that endures well beyond a single year.