Dr Maria Baker

Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa

Dr Maria Baker, PhD, has gained over 20 years of expertise in healthcare, mental health, and social care workforce development for Māori.

She earned her PhD in Māori Health, focusing on Māori nursing workforce development and suicide prevention. She is also a registered nurse, holds many mental health and nursing qualifications and has been in advisory roles to help healthcare better address the health needs of Iwi and whānau.

Throughout her research and mahi, she focuses on the question: will it benefit and strengthen Māori? This has led her to work on kaupapa in Māori health and social workforce development, Māori organisational advancement, antiracism, Māori nursing workforce development, and Māori suicide prevention. Her goals are led by the needs of communities and her personal experiences.

From 2007 to 2023, Maria played a critical role in the development, growth, and success of Te Rau Ora. Within her work, she focused on strengthening health and wellbeing by collaborating and facilitating the Māori collective. Her passion and commitment to kaupapa inspired many to pursue the best possible outcomes for whānau.

In 2023, Maria was appointed as the new CEO of Te Hiku Hauora, the largest health provider of primary healthcare services in the Far North. She will provide value with her expertise in understanding the importance of community and care for all patients.

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He Rangatira Our Leaders

Carleen Heemi

Te Whakatōhea

Carleen Heemi plays a pivotal role in her community as a Speech and Language Therapist, advocate for normalising Te Reo Māori and seeing all those around her reach their full potential. 

Dr Esther Willing

Ngāti Toarangatira, Ngāti Koata, Ngā Ruahine

Dr Esther Willing is an academic and Māori health researcher focusing on how health policy and the health system can improve Māori health outcomes in Aotearoa.

Atawhai Tibble

Ngāti Porou

Atawhai's advice to young people is to do as many different things as possible to find your voice. "I started off doing law and kapa haka. I ended up in policy and economic measurement. I tried many things. I have landed where I was meant to be. Kia kaha tatou!"

Coral Wiapo

Ngāti Whātua

Coral Wiapo is dedicated to making significant contributions to improve Māori healthcare. She is passionate about developing the necessary skills, knowledge, and expertise to support the development of the nursing workforce to be able to respond to the needs of Māori. Coral recognises the intersectionality of being wahine Māori, a nurse and a lesbian and strives to give visibility to the strengths that are inherent within this.