Jade Sewell is a health champion committed to ensuring that relevant and accessible community health care is available to Māori whānau. She has worked in a number of different health areas, from the development of adolescent residential addiction services to social housing initiatives. Authentic relationships are a guiding principle for Jade professionally and personally and challenge her to ensure she always puts whānau at the centre of her approaches.

She has a Bachelor of Science, Statistics, Materials and Processing and Project Management qualifications from Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato, The University of Waikato. Jade has also completed the executive Advanced Leadership Programme with Women & Leadership Australia.

Jade is currently a Deputy Chief Executive at Te Aka Whai Ora. Jade works to drive transformation and innovation within the current health system and further embed Te Ao Māori worldview in the fabric of health infrastructure. Within her work, she is committed to developing commissioning processes that guarantee Māori health improvement and works to enable the continued development of hauora approaches to achieve this aspiration.

She joined Te Aka Whai Ora after being at the Waikato District Health Board for five years as an operations director. Jade led a range of hospital and specialist services to deliver acute, planned, and preventative health services to support better outcomes for communities. This also included district leadership support for the COVID-19 response.

In a previous role with Te Rau Ora, Jade contributed to and wrote multiple pieces on projects that better community health and played a key role in establishing the Journal of Indigenous Wellbeing – Te Mauri Pimatisiwin in Aotearoa. During her time with Te Rau Ora, Jade was able to work alongside Maori communities nationally to tell their success stories in community development and community-driven hauora.

Jade works to drive transformation and innovation within the current health system so that the hauora aspirations of communities are realised.

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He Rangatira Our Leaders

Rutu King-Hazel is an aspiring mental health advocate and catalyst for positive change. She is passionate about public speaking, empowering others, and demonstrating compassionate leadership to support the well-being of whānau.

Professor Beverley Lawton's first-hand experiences witnessing preventable harm and death among women have shaped her work in reproductive health, Māori health, addressing inequalities, and conducting Kaupapa Māori research.

Awhina Murupaenga, a mother of two, serves as the director of Whatu Creative. Through the traditional Māori art of tukutuku, she shares whakapapa, history, innovation, healing, and storytelling with communities. She's equally passionate about empowering young Māori to set and accomplish their aspirations.

Dr Glenn Doherty has held multiple roles in the health sector, which has resulted in a strategic, innovative, and inclusive leadership style. An essential feature of Glenn’s day-to-day focus is teaching and mentoring the next generation of health professionals.

Jade Sewell

Ngāti Maru, Te Arawa, Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Ruanui, Ngāti Porou

He Rangatira Our Leaders

Rutu King-Hazel

Ātiawa ki Whakarongotai, Ngāi Tahu, Te Atiawa, Tūhoe

Professor Beverley Lawton

Ngāti Porou

Awhina Murupaenga

Ngāti Kuri, Te Rarawa, Ngāti Kahu, Ngāpuhi

Dr Glenn Doherty

Ngāti Porou