Dr Maia Tipene is a dynamic and values-driven leader in Māori health, whose journey from rural Te Tai Tokerau to frontline medicine embodies resilience, aroha, and rangatiratanga in action. As a proud uri of Ngāti Hine and Ngāti Awa, her leadership is deeply grounded in whakapapa and a commitment to whānau, hapū, and iwi wellbeing.

Raised on a dairy farm in Motatau, where she attended a small kura of just 20 tamariki—all whanaunga—Maia’s early life was immersed in whānau, whenua, and community. Initially aspiring to be a veterinarian, her pathway shifted toward medicine after witnessing the real-world impact of health inequities in her own community. That decision would shape not only her career but her growing influence in hauora Māori.

Maia graduated from the University of Otago with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) in 2023 and currently serves as a Postgraduate Year Two (PGY2) House Officer at Whangārei Hospital, rotating across Emergency Medicine, Palliative Care, and Relief. Her clinical practice reflects her commitment to kaupapa Māori models of care and her ability to serve with empathy and manaakitanga.

In 2023, while still a sixth-year medical student, Dr Tipene assisted with the emergency response in Hawke's Bay after Cyclone Gabrielle, through Taskforce Kiwi, a volunteer organisation made up of active forces, veterans, and emergency responders. Her work involved coordinating more than 2,600 hours of volunteer disaster relief.

She served as Rotation Commander and liaised with iwi, Civil Defence, and key organisations such as Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi and Tihei Mauri Ora. Her leadership during the crisis earned her a semi-finalist nomination for the 2024 Kiwibank Young New Zealander of the Year – Te Mātātahi o te Tau, a recognition of her courage, coordination, and unwavering commitment to Māori communities in times of need.

A passionate advocate for tuakana-teina mentorship, Maia has held executive roles across a range of student-led associations, including Te Oranga (Māori Medical Students’ Association Aotearoa), Te Rōpū Māori (University of Otago Māori Students’ Association), NZMSA (New Zealand Medical Students’ Association), Ngā Puna Hauora (Māori Health Professionals, University of Otago Wellington), and SoRHA (Students of Rural Health Aotearoa). These roles reflect the diverse spaces in which Māori medical tauira can engage, lead, and build meaningful connections with senior Māori health professionals.Māori medical tauira with senior Māori health professionals. Inspired by leaders such as Dr Lincoln Nicholls and Dr Maxine Ronald, Maia is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of Māori health leaders and ensuring that medical education is culturally grounded and inclusive.

The youngest of nine siblings and the first in her immediate whānau to become a doctor. Maia’s story is one of grit, heart, and intergenerational uplift. She is proudly carrying a return-of-service commitment to the New Zealand Defence Force, where she will soon serve as a Medical Officer, further broadening her impact across both civilian and military health landscapes.

Dr Tipene’s leadership signals a bold and hopeful future for Māori health—where Te Ao Māori is not just included, but central. Her voice, presence, and action uplift whānau, inspire rangatahi, and challenge systems to better reflect the values of equity, cultural strength, and collective care.

Links:

Tuakana-Teina: guiding Dr Tipene’s journey (Surgical News article)

University of Otago – Alumni and Friends (Facebook)

Two semi-finalists recognised in the Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Awards 2024

Profile photography: to Pio Manoa Photographs & Stories