Serving the disability sector is Tania’s calling. Her career, leadership and governance experience spans decades. Tania’s current position is IHC’s director of advocacy. Her previous role was as CE of Te Roopu Taurima Aotearoa’s largest kaupapa Māori disability support service. She holds governance roles in Ngāti Kahu and is on the Board of NZDSN where she is the convenor of their Māori Advisory Group, Tui Tuia.

Mike is a registered social worker, with extensive experience across the public and community sector as a practitioner, manager, academic, policymaker, and senior leader - both in the UK and here in Aotearoa. Mike moved to Aotearoa in 1996. Now semi-retired, Mike was, until recently, the chief executive of Barnardos.

Glenis is an experienced senior leader with 30 years of experience working in all aspects of the public, iwi and community sectors including working with whānau, hapū and iwi to recover mātauranga Māori. She is currently a deputy chief executive for the Ministry for Culture and Heritage and previously served as assistant Māori commissioner for Children at the Office of the Children’s Commissioner and as the chief executive of the Māori Language Commission. She currently serves on the Boards of Veterans Affairs and the Ageing Well National Science Challenge as well as Kia Puāwai. Glenis is planning to undertake doctoral studies in the future.

Kaine works as a consultant focused on international trade regulation, local government and the arts. He has been an expert advisor on urban development to Stanford University’s Global Projects Centre, and a member of the UNDP’s Parliamentary Democracy Expert Advisory Panel. Kaine is a member of a number of arts boards and is recognised for his extensive knowledge and experience working in, with, and around government and the wider public sector.

Jasmine works in the hauora Māori public health sector, specialising in data and digital technologies. She currently serves as the Director of Interface within Hauora Māori Services, a division of Health New Zealand, Te Whatu Ora. With over 15 years of experience in digital leadership roles across New Zealand and Australia, Jasmine brings a wealth of expertise in harnessing digital innovation to improve health outcomes. She holds governance roles within the education sector and is currently planning post-graduate research in the area of mātauranga Māori. 

Julia was appointed as a commissioner on the Royal Commission of Inquiry in 2020 and chaired the Inquiry’s Māori survivor hearing held at her marae in Ōrakei. Julia is a director on Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua Commercial Ltd and is a member of the Institute of Directors AK Committee. Julia is a Simpson Grierson alumni and has previously worked as general counsel for Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. Prior to law, Julia worked in commercial banking both in Aotearoa and abroad.

Matt has worked as an audit partner with BDO and has over 17 years' experience in professional services. His expertise is in the public benefit entity sector, where he has audited a number of large, high profile New Zealand charities and led BDOs not-for-profit sector group. He has also served on the boards of Canteen Aotearoa (including chairing the Finance and Risk Committee) and Allergy New Zealand. Matt is now a consultant leading BDO's professional standards group and providing governance and financial support to charitable entities.

Tuala started with Kia Puāwai in 2018 and her role focuses on building the Pacific cultural capability and capacity across our organisation. She is a specialist in workforce cultural competency development and implementation. Tuala brings more than 20 years of experience working in the mental health, addiction and social service sectors across several organisations. Born in Samoa, Tuala was raised in Vaimoso and hails from the villages of Le'auva'a and Salimu Fagaloa. Synthia was conferred the paramount chiefly title Tuala of the Sā Tuala Fale'ulū aiga from Le'auva'a, honouring the wishes of her siblings, extended family and the memory of her late mother.