Leoma Tawaroa

Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi, Whanganui, Ngāti Apa

Leoma Tawaroa is dedicated to working towards equity for Māori in her health and social care roles that focus on community and youth development work, whānau ora action, project coordination, and management.

Currently, she holds the role of Pou Ārahi Executive Director at Tūmua Innovation, a multidisciplinary Māori team dedicated to supporting community development programmes. This mahi has allowed her to work closely with her whānau and community partners and achieve her long-standing goal of becoming an independent practitioner.

She is also the General Manager Equity, Prevention Directorate, National Public Health Service at Te Whatu Ora Health. In this national role, she leads a programme of work that promotes a culture of innovation and quality improvement, ensuring that the programme supports hauora Māori aspiration for change. Leoma promotes, leads, and demands prioritisation of initiatives that achieve equity for Māori in all aspects of her work. “We must continue to push for different options focussed on whānau and not process, that remove barriers and enable opportunity for Māori leadership and whānau voice in the solutions for immunisation and screening.”  

Leoma believes in whānau as a catalyst for change. Leoma and Daniel, alongside their two daughters, are the founders of Maranga Mai, a platform for change, leadership, and collaboration encouraging active participation and involvement. Maranga Mai is a rangatahi-focussed, whānau-centred opportunity for rangatahi, whānau, and community to engage and participate in cultural, creative, and physical activities that promote connection, a sense of belonging and place, resilience, and wellbeing.

Links:

New Southern suicide prevention strategy focuses on collaboration and community.

Māori suicide in the spotlight

Southland Māori unite to fight suicide

Maranga Mai Te Waipounamu

He Rangatira Our Leaders

Awerangi Tamihere

Ngāti Kauwhata, Rangitane, Ngāti Porou, Rongowhakaata, Ngāi Tahu

For the past three decades, Awerangi Tamihere (MNZM) has dedicated her career to strategic health planning, organisational development, and the reform of social policies, with a primary emphasis on whānau development.

Dr Amohia Boulton

Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi te Rangi, Ngāti Pūkenga, Ngāti Mutunga

Whaowhia te kete mātauranga - Fill your basket of knowledge

Tania Hodges MBA (Distinction), Grad Dip Mgmt. St, PGCBR, BSocSci, Grad Dip Te Reo Māori, RPN (Registered Psychiatric Nurse)

Ngāti Pāhauwera, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Hauā, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Tūwharetoa

Tania Hodges is a passionate advocate for hauora, mana Māori motuhake, and the development of Māori leadership.

Dr. Curtis Walker, MBChB, FRACP

Te Whakatōhea, Ngāti Porou

Dr. Curtis Walker is a leading advocate for Māori health equity, a practising nephrologist (kidney specialist), and a transformative figure in medical governance in Aotearoa.