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Ko Ngaati Kuri te iwi
Ko Te Whakakohatu te hapuu
Ko Te Hiku o te Ika te marae
Ko Pārengarenga te wahapuu
Ko Waitiki te awa
Ko Maunga piko, ko Kohuroanaki ngā maunga
Nō Muriwhenua tika ahau
I tipu ake ahau ki roto i a Tainui Awhiro, ki Whaingaroa. I reira, i kuraina ahau ki Te Rōpū Aroha ki te Reo, ki Te Kura-ā-rohe o Whaingaroa (Raglan Area School)
I ēnei rā ka noho ahau ki raro i te manākitanga o Ngāti Koroki Kahukura, ki te Papakāinga ō Te Pāute, ki raro iho i te maru o Maungatautari, noho ai taku hoa ra Ngātira a Hema Tauroa me ā māua tamariki e toru, Ko Aramoana, Rongonui rātou ko Maieke.
I was born and raised in the coastal community of Whaingaroa, Raglan and have remained in the Waikato all my life. I have BA (double Major, Anthropology & Māori), PostGraduate Dip (Māori Development) MA (Hons) and enrolled in a PhD. I am the Director of my own company, Mīere Limited and lead a number of projects for iwi, government agencies, Māori Organisations and Research Institutes. I am the current Research Leader for a National Science Challenge under Manaaki Whenua and a 5-year MBIE Endeavour fund led by Ngāti Kuri.
I previously worked for 13 years at The University of Waikato in various roles including managing one of its largest institutes and returned to Te Kotahi Research Institute as the Business Manager in 2017. In 2018 I successfully completed an MBIE Placement project where I worked alongside iwi, Ngāti Koroki Kahukura to build, identify, and uplift future opportunities through alternative land uses and grow commercial assets. This growth included the establishment ‘Manawanui Research Centre’ for Ngāti Koroki Kahukura. In 2020 I then successfully led and completed the development of a new first of its kind papakāinga model within the Waikato District for the iwi, and in 2020 became a specialist Māori Housing Advisor for Te Matapihi. I have a passion for iwi, hapū and Māori organisational development and extensive experience in operational performance and project design. I strongly advocate for the promotion of Kaupapa Māori Research and practice as a foundational platform for growth and change.
My current work also includes leading Te Ara Whānui Research Centre and building new programmes within the Taiao space for Ngāti Kuri. This has included the emergence of a 15 staff workforce programme in the far north dedicated to tāonga, whenua, dune lakes, and freshwater domains. I currently serve as a Trustee for Ngāti Kuri Trust Board and Te Manawa o Ngāti Kuri and Chair a whānau Lands Trust. I am passionate about growth in nature, and the importance of connecting synergies between commercial and social enterprises. This includes the benefits and potential of seeing ‘whole picture’ development and measuring the impact of initiatives at scale for people and place.
This year I am dedicated to the refreshed biodiversity programme of Ngāti Koroki Kahukura and the leadership of MDLP to foster meaningful change and protection of some of our most special tāonga, and incredible spaces within this rohe. I look forward to supporting the lift across domains and telling rich and full stories for the benefit of the environment and future generations.
Kia kaha tonu tātou