Our People

Professional Profile:

Lisa is a senior executive who has a solid foundation of skills gained through a range of management roles, primarily within and related to the treaty settlement process and environment. Lisa has excellent communication, interpersonal and negotiation skills with the ability to develop and maintain strong relationships and influence. Lisa has a real passion for Māori growth and development and comes from a strong business and administration background with proven experience in managing complex projects where she has a proven track record of delivering project outcomes on time and within budget with significant experience in contract management.

Experience:

• General Manager — Ngāti Hauā Iwi Trust
• Contracts Manager — Ngāti Hauā Trust Board
• Manager — Tauranga Moana Iwi Collective Leasing Company
• Project Manager — Te Roopu Whakamana o Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Ranginui
• Project Manager — Te Runanga o Ngāi Te Rangi Iwi Trust
• Manager — Hinehou Kōhanga Reo
• Trustee — Ngāti He Hapu Trust, Kaitimako J2 Trust

Professional Profile:

Tiare is a renowned advocate of te reo Māori revitalisation, spearheading the delivery of Hauā Reo, Hauā Tangata, the language revival strategy for her iwi of Ngāti  Hauā. A former teacher and educator with Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, Tiare delivered the Bachelor of Teaching programme. She is one of the few women to be awarded the Manukura Wahine prize for female leadership at the National Te Matatini Kapahaka Competition

Experience:

• Tutor, Leader — Te Iti Kahurangi Kapahaka
• Kaiwhakahaere Reo — Ngāti Hauā Iwi Trust

Specialisations:

• Ākonga Māori, Māori Success, Māori Communities
• The Arts (Māori performing  arts)
• Te Reo Māori
• Parents, Whānau, Communities, Iwi
• Tikanga Māori
• Te Marautanga o Aotearoa

Professional Profile:

From 2010, Huhana has assisted hapū and iwi in Treaty of Waitangi settlement negotiation processes as a project manager and solicitor. In 2017, she became the Operations Manager of the Ngāi Te Rangi post settlement governance entity and rūnanga.  She then returned to legal practice at Tukau Law representing hapū and iwi in Waitangi Tribunal kaupapa inquiries before joining TupuOra in 2022.

Huhana is well respected for her professionalism and passion for advancing Māori interests.  She has a robust understanding of Māori legal issues, particularly, Te Tiriti o Waitangi and colonisation.  Huhana is an advocate for Māori reasserting rangatiratanga within their lives and understands the importance of te reo Māori and tikanga Māori to that transformation.

Experience:

• Negotiations/Legal assistant – Indigenous Corporate Solutions
• Solicitor – Koning Webster Lawyers
• Project Manager – Ngāi Te Rangi Settlement Trust, Tauranga Moana Iwi Collective, Mauao Trust
• Operations Manager – Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Te Rangi Iwi Trust
• Director – Te Awanui Huka Pak Ltd
• Senior Solicitor – Tukau Law

Professional Profile:

Te Manawaroa is a former television host and renowned te reo Māori composer and musician. During her career in broadcasting and music production, she actively sought ways to share and teach her knowledge and skills with diverse audiences. The outcome is a 15-year career in education with teaching experience across all levels. In her previous role, Te Manawaroa was the National Program Manager of Performing Arts for Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. As a graduate of Kura Kaupapa, she is a strong proponent of Māori-medium education. Te Manawaroa is passionate about promoting the value of te reo Māori as a tool for learner success.

Experience:

• National Programme Manager- TWOA
• Co-Lead of Te Iti Kahurangi Incorporated
• Former Kaiako of TWOA
• Former Kaiako of Peachgrove Intermediate

Specialisations:

• Ākonga Māori, Māori Success, Māori Communities
• Priority Learners, Diverse Learners, Pasifika Learners, Adult Learners
• Parents, Whānau, Communities, Iwi
• Tikanga Māori
• Tātaiako

Professional Profile:

Mai anoo noo te waa o taku koohungahungatanga taku ahi ahurea ka mumura ake ki te ihoroto o tooku whatumanawa, ekea rawa mai ki tooku inamatatanga, e ngingiha tonu ana teenei ahi whakamaanawa ngooku moo tooku ao maaori.

Kua roa nei tooku whaanau e noho ana i te riu o Waikato, otiraa i te whaarua o Raahui Pookeka whakaako tauira ai moo ngaa 30 tekau tau, anaa inaeanei kua eke nei te waa e puta atu ai teetehi o ngoona uri i te whaarua kua nohoia roa nei e maatou, e purea ai e ngaa hau aangina o te motu whaanui.

Experience:

• Kaiako, Te Wharekura o Raakaumanga
• NCEA and NZ Scholarship Examiner
• Independent Checker
• Materials Developer
• Co- Director Haeata Learning Solutions
• Chairperson RPWS

Professional Profile:

Experience:

Professional Profile:

Jess is nearing ten years as an education practitioner with experience across primary, secondary, mainstream and rūmaki reo school settings. Her input at Ngā Puna o Waiorea — Western Springs College has helped towards the school being gazetted as the first Co-Governance school in Aotearoa.  She is recognised for her skills and abilities in kapa haka and designing successful te reo and tikanga Māori learning programmes. As a māmā of three tamariki, Jess is passionate about improving outcomes for tamariki through the use of te reo and tikanga Māori.

Experience:

• Pou Ruruku, Te Ahu o Te Reo Māori ki Tainui
• Former Kaiako of Ngā Puna o Waiorea
• Trustee, Hukanui Marae
• Trustee, Freemans Bay School
• Technical Writer — Te Marautanga o Aotearoa

Specialisations:

• Ākonga Māori, Māori Success, Māori Communities
• The Arts
• Collaboration, Relationships, Networking, Communication
• Tikanga Māori
• Te Marautanga o Aotearoa

Professional Profile:

Te Wairua brings a weath of knowledge to her role, as an experienced educator of childcare and Te Ao Māori, a director of Te Mete Limited a kaupapa company that specialises in Te Reo Māori and Te Tiriti education, and a māmā of five fully immersed Te Reo Māori speaking tamariki.

Te Wairua and her whānau are leaders of Te Reo Māori within Te Tai Tokerau and have assisted in the development and delivery of many well-known Te Reo Māori initiatives in the region such as, Te Reo i Kupe,  Po Wero Hinengaro, Te Tūāpapa o te Reo. In addition, Te Wairua and her whānau are excellent examples of their commitment to Te Reo Māori and their accolades include winning the Whānau award in 2019 for Te Taura Whiri o Te Reo – Ngā Tohu Reo Māori.

Furthermore, Te Wairua combines mātauranga Māori, tikanga Māori and Te Reo Māori in her daily practice. Te Wairua has many skills which include time management, growth mindset, conflict resolution, creative thinking and team work to ensure successful outcomes.  She uses her effective communication skills, attention to detail and organisational skills to complete tasks with quality in a timely manner.

Experience:

• Director of Te Mete Limited
• Hoia Reo Māori Te Tai Tokerau events coordinator
• PAFT (Parents as First Teachers) Educator
• Waitangi National Trust Tour Guide/Performer
• Kaiwhakarite
• New Zealand Fire Brigade Volunteer – QF
• Tukau Legacy Community Fund
• Northland District Health Board Maternity Clinical Governance Group – Board Member
• Motatau Kōhanga Reo – Board Member

Professional Profile:

Zenna is an assertive young wahine and mother of 2 young tamariki. She is passionate and dedicated to upholding the integrity of ‘ngā hua katoa o Te Ao Māori’ and she hopes to use her extensive skills and experience to make a positive contribution to the health and wellbeing of ‘Te Iwi Māori’ through a multi-lens that is culturally, socially, spiritually and economically focused. She is staunchly committed to helping others who aspire to achieve the same, enabling them to carve out pathways of opportunities for their whānau, hapū, iwi and their wider community.

Her tamariki, whānau, whakapapa and whenua are the source of her strength and love for all that she does. As such, she strives to be a good ambassador and positive role model within ‘Te Ao Māori’ so that future generations will continue to make positive contributions to Māoridom.

Experience:

• Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Tamaki Nui A Rua, Dannevirke
  Pouako Kuratahi
  Board of Trustees whānau & staff representative
  Kapa Haka Tutor
• Tauhara North No.2 Trust, Rotorua
  Rangatahi Camp Leader
  Events/Project Manager – Reo development, Rangatahi mentoring, Education development & programming
• Te Ringa Kaha Kapahaka Roopū, Rangitāne
  Founding member, Chairperson, Tutor & Manukura Wahine
• Te Tai Tokatūmoana
  Committee secretariat
• Te Kohanga Reo o Taniwaka, Dannevirke
  Kaitari
  Committee Secretariat & Human Resources
• Te Kohanga Reo o Tūmatauenga, Linton
  Kaiawhina

Professional Profile:

Matawai was raised in a whānau dedicated to the revitalisation of te reo Māori, the retention of mātauranga Māori and to the Māori nation.

Kōhanga, Kura Kaupapa Māori, Wharekura, Wānanga have all been natural environments for Matawai to grow and understand her roles and responsibilities to her whānau, hapū and iwi. Her choices and decisions in life have always reflected maximising her contribution to the survival and prosperity of Māori as a people.

Matawai brings a depth of experience which include secondary and primary school teaching, administration support, and project management for multiple kura, iwi and pakihi Māori.

Matawai looks forward to the opportunity of being a Pou Ruruku for TupuOra to enhance and extend her skills in the domains in which she has thrived since birth, and to share these experiences with the Nation.

Experience:

• Project Lead, Digital assistant – Creative Natives
• Teacher – Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Rito
• Teacher Aide – Te Kura Reo Rua o Waikirikiri
• Te Ao Māori Specialist, Digital Assistant – The Sisters Consultancy
• Administration Support
• Resource Development

Ngā Tohu:

• Te Wānanga o Aotearoa — Hamilton | MAIK
  Masters of Applied Indigenous Research, 04/2021
• Te Wānanga o Raukawa — Otaki | Dip MMGT
• Diploma of Māori & Management, 03/2000
• Te Whare Wānanga o Raukawa — Otaki | BMMGT
  Bachelors of Māori & Management, 03/2006
• Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi — Whakatane | BMPA
  Bachelors of Māori Performing Arts, 03/2015
• Te Wānanga o Aotearoa — Hamilton | Te Reo
  Language, 03/2017
  Levels 1,2 Te Ara Reo Māori- He Pī ka Pao
  Levels 3 Te Ara Reo Māori- He Pī ka Rere
  Level 4- Te Rōnakitanga ki te Reo Kairangi
  Diploma in Te Aupikitanga ki te Reo Kairangi (Reo L6)

Experience:

• Tutor, Leader — Te Rōpū o Muriwhenua
• Advisor to General Manager People & Culture — Whānau Āwhina Plunket
• Kaiārahi Māori — National Māori Capability Advisor
• Trustee — Smear Your Mea Trust
• Executive Trustee — Te Rōpū o Muriwhenua Inc
• Marketing & Recruitment Co-Ordinator
• Events Specialist
• Customer Services Manager

Professional Profile:

Alex has a well-established track record of advancing the educational, social, cultural and environmental elements of wellbeing in education. As a fifth generation Pākehā and graduate of Māori and dual-medium learning, he is interested in growing the critical theory and application of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in education and health specifically, and across New Zealand generally. Alex brings a critical research and evaluation understanding to his bilingual teaching and learning work.

Experience:

Recent publications

Came, H.A., Warbrick, I., Doole, C., Hotere-Barnes, A., Sessa, M. (2019). He hokinga ki te mauri: Strengthening te Tiriti o Waitangi public health education in tertiary education settings. Teaching in Higher Education: Critical Perspectives. 

Hotere-Barnes, A., White, A., Raroa, R. (2018). Te Reo Māori Resources in English-Medium: An Exploratory Paper. CORE Education: Christchurch.

Hotere-Barnes, A., Ward, C. (2017). Digital Technologies | Hangarau Matihiko: Curriculum user research summary report. Ministry of Education: Wellington.

Hotere-Barnes, A., Davis, P., McLean, C (2017). Deliberative practices and curriculum design: Two cultural and professional narratives. Kettering Foundation: Dayton Ohio, USA.

Hotere-Barnes, A. (2017). Strengthening reo and tikanga Māori in digital learning: Hangarau matihiko ā-takiwā. Ministry of Education: Wellington.

Hotere-Barnes, A., Isaac-Sharland, H., Gully, N., Komene, T.M. (2017). Te Papa Hīnātore – Learning lab: An evaluation of the development and delivery of a pilot Te Papa Hīnātore programme to Arareo Māori learning settings. Ministry of Education and The Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa Tongarewa: Wellington.

Hotere-Barnes, A., Komene, T.M., Te Whaiti, W. (2017). Taking stock of Māori medium educational resources: Priorities, gaps and futures? Summary paper. Christchurch: CORE Education

Memberships

• Tāmaki Treaty Workers
• Te Wānanga o Raukawa (kaiāwhina, guest lecturer/volunteer)
• Reo2NZ – Ngā Rauawa o te Reo Māori
• The Kettering Foundation (USA)
• Groundwork – Facilitating Change Associate

Professional Profile:

Viniece is a dedicated and trained Secondary Educator with a profound passion for Te Reo Māori and Kapa Haka. Her commitment to working with and for Māori youth is evident in her innovative approach to Education and Māori Performing Arts at Ngā Puna o Waiōrea over the last decade, and recently at Auckland Girls’ Grammar.

All in all her overarching goal is to create brave spaces for Māori individuals to celebrate our Māori heritage.

The purpose for all the mahi she engages with stems from the highest qualification she holds, being a Māmā.

Experience:

• Kaiako: Ngā Puna o Waiōrea (2019-2022) and Auckland Girls’ Grammar (2023)
• Pouako Haka: Ngā Puna o Waiōrea (2013-2022)

Professional Profile:

Pare was fortunate to be raised in a Māori environment were Te reo Māori me ngā tikanga were at the forefront of her upbringing. She is a product of Kōhanga Reo, Kura Kaupapa Māori, Wharekura and Whare Wānanga. Her passion for capturing moments started from a young age. She aspires to tell stories through a Māori World Lens.

In this environment, she has had the chance to produce news articles and feature videos for stakeholders and clients. She takes a creative approach to producing excellent videos for the communities she serves, including showcasing local talent, covering special occasions, iwi kaupapa, creating educational videos, filming interviews, and creating video content for websites and social media platforms. She is currently developing new graphic design and skills.

Pare is also a qualified Teacher and has teaching experience with Kōhanga Reo, Kura Kaupapa and Wharekura.

Experience:

• Multimedia
• Videography
• Photography
• Teaching