In 1992, Mataele co-founded the Tonga Leitis Association, and became its executive director.

In 1993, Mataele founded the Miss Galaxy Queen Pageant as an annual event to celebrate the diversity and creativity of fakaleitis and the LGBTQI community in Tonga. 

Mataele is also the co-founder of the Pacific Sexual Diversity Network, which was established in 2007 during the Pacific Games in Samoa. The organisation includes members 14 Pacific Islands and aims to work together to gain a stronger voice at regional and international gatherings. 

Mataele is the subject of the feature documentary film Leitis in Waiting.