POU TANGATA
Leadership
Each Pou and their Iwi Leaders Groups have their Chairs. The Pou Tangata Chairs are Dame Naida Glavish and Rahui Papa.
Dame Rangimarie Naida Glavish DNZM .JP | Pou Tangata Co-Chair
Ngāti Whātua
From the early 1980s Ms Naida Glavish has been involved in kaupapa relating to Māori in education and health.
In 1984 as a humble toll operator Naida challenged the might of the then Post Office Government Agency, when she continued to use the greeting ‘Kia ora’ across Aotearoa NZ when taking calls. In the face of dismissal and heightened publicity, Naida won the right to continue answering calls in te reo Māori, and has continued to campaign for the rights of her people and te reo Māori.
As the Chief Advisor Tikanga Māori Health for Auckland and Waitematā District Health Boards (DHBs), Ms Glavish leads the organisation in managing relationships with Mana Whenua and Iwi Māori from a tikanga perspective and provides assistance in managing Te Tiriti o Waitangi risks. In this role Ms Glavish was the catalyst behind the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between these two DHBs and Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua. She has championed appropriate cultural support for Māori patients, lead the writing, development and implementation of bicultural policies and the ‘tikanga best practice’ policy, which is used nationally across many DHBs in Aotearoa and some private sector organisations.
Ms Glavish is the Chair of the Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua Iwi and is involved with a range of iwi, government and community organisations. She serves as the Cultural Advisor to Chief Coroner, Judge Deborah Marshall; advisor to the Ombudsman Office and the Chief Ombudsman Advisory Panel, Pūhara Mana Tangata; as well as the Police Commissioner’s Governance Group.
In 2011 Ms Glavish was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) and in 2018 she received the Queen’s Service Medal for services to Māori and the community, and was awarded the title of Dame Companion of NZ Order of Merit (DNZM). In January 2021 she was appointed by Hon Kelvin Davis, Minister for Children, to the newly established Ministerial Advisory Board for Oranga Tamariki.
Rahui Papa | Pou Tangata Co-Chair
Waikato
Rahui Papa is an orator, spokesperson, and recognised authority on Waikato reo and tikanga, with a background in broadcasting and education.
He has served on the Waikato-Tainui Governance Group and continues to be involved in Tribal events and activities.
Rahui is currently the Co-Chair of the Ngaati Koroki-Kahuhura Trust, has previously chaired the Waikato-Tainui Executive, Te Arataura, and served as a director and member of various holdings companies, Ministerial committees, and national and local boards.
Rahui plays an integral role in the Iwi Leaders’ Forum, providing advice to Ministers and Crown officials on matters of national significance.
Lorraine Toki MMGT. JP | Pou Tangata Lead Advisor, Lead Advisor for Skills & Employment and Te Ora o te Whānau
Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hao, Ngāti Hau, Ngāti Kuta, Ngāti Manu
Lorraine was born in Auckland and spent her first ten years in Hikurangi and Kamo, then moved to Dunedin where she completed her secondary schooling education.
Lorraine has worked as an advocate for Māori on multiple kaupapa involving justice, health, social services, organisational policy development and the Treaty sector. She assisted in qualitative research with Māori parents/caregivers on Māori Childhood immunisations and is facilitating whānau leadership succession through whānau wānanga that identifies the strengths whānau collectively bring to their space through their hapū, marae and iwi whakapapa.
Lorraine considers it a privilege to be National Iwi Chairs, Pou Tangata Lead Advisor. This largely involves developing relationships with the Crown and redefining what working in partnership with Iwi/Māori means with a specific lens of Te Tiriti o Waitangi ensuring obligations and responsibilities by the Crown and Iwi/Māori are given prominence.
Lorraine holds a Master’s degree in management and excels in building strong teams who share her commitment and passion. Lorraine was a speaker at the 2023 First Nations Conference for Australia & New Zealand School Of Government in Brisbane. She now lives with her whānau in Waihou Valley, Tai Tokerau (Northland). Lorraine is also the Lead Advisor for Skills & Employment, and Te Ora o te Whānau ILGs.
Iwi Leaders Groups Lead Advisors
Ms Kirikowhai Mikaere | Data ILG Lead Advisor
Te Arawa - Tūhourangi, Ngāti Whakaue
Ms Mikaere is a leading Māori data and information specialist focused on harnessing information to empower indigenous community development. She is a consultant with over 20 years’ experience advising Ministers, government agencies, tribal, community and private sector organisations with practical statistical analysis and innovative place based data solutions.
Ms Mikaere is currently the lead technical advisor to the Aotearoa New Zealand National Iwi Chairs Forum - Data Leadership Group, leads the independent trust Te Kāhui Raraunga and holds governance positions across the private sector and government, including with her tribe (Chair - Tūhourangi Tribal Authority, Trustee – Te Pūmautanga o Te Arawa), Māori Health provider Manaaki Ora Trust (Deputy Chair), the New Zealand 2023 Census Programme Board, and is a Ministerial appointed member of the New Zealand Science Board.
Maxine Graham | Mātauranga ILG Lead Advisor
Waikato, Hauraki
A passionate advocate for the future of Aotearoa, Maxine has experience in the national and local government, iwi, tertiary education and community-focused organisations. As well as her role within Mātauranga Iwi Leaders Group, Maxine is the Director of Pūmau Limited, providing thought leadership, strategic facilitation and leadership development.
Maxine is currently a member of Te Arataura (Waikato-Tainui executive board) and holds other governance roles with organisations focused on the wellbeing of Aotearoa in the Waikato and Tāmaki Makaurau. Maxine has a Masters in Business (1st Class Honours) from AUT University and continues to be a lifelong learner.
Te Mauri Kingi | Ngā Rangatahi ā Iwi ILG Co-Lead Advisor
Te Arawa, Tūhoe, Waikato
Te Mauri Kingi was born into the depths of Māori culture. At a young age he learnt Māori cultural customs and protocols. Raised in his ancestral meeting house of Wahiao, Te Mauri was entrusted as a keeper of stories and knowings for his people of Tuhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao. As an advocate for Te Reo Māori and a keeper of his tribe's stories and wisdom, he has dedicated his life to sharing these insights with rangatahi across Aotearoa and beyond. He has extensive experience in youth development, social justice advocacy, indigenous knowledges, and tech development. A graduate of Animation College in Rotorua, Te Mauri’s expertise sees him work collectively with animators, content creators, storytellers, and IT leaders, and he has become a significant voice in weaving technology and traditional wisdom.
Hepi Ferris-Bretherton | Ngā Rangatahi ā Iwi ILG Co-Lead Advisor
Tūwharetoa
Hepi is an innovator, activator and facilitator for rangatahi within his whānau, hapū, iwi, and hapori. With an unyielding commitment to youth development, Hepi's work has seen him occupy roles of rangatahi leadership within Tuwharetoa. He is a Systems Innovator, who harnesses novel approaches to health, social, and education sectors while his experience focuses on the betterment and empowerment of Rangatahi, across Aotearoa, resonating with an intrinsic passion that fosters growth and understanding for the lived realities of rangatahi Māori. His presence continues to inspire, encourage, and pave the way for the next generation, reflecting a truly dedicated approach to leadership and community enrichment.
Robyn Rauna | Oranga Tamariki ILG Lead Advisor
Te Aitanga A Māhaki, Rongowhakaata, Ngāi Tāmanuhiri, Whakatōhea, Ngāti Kahungunu
A mother of one (son Tawhitirangi) and a nanny to two mokopuna (Tiana-Riria & Maia), Robyn has worked in tribal development spaces for 20+ years in different roles and capacities. She has spent some time in the public service for the Department of Internal Affairs, Te Puni Kōkiri, Housing N.Z. and the Ministry of Economic Development. These operational experiences have given valuable insights into advancing and where relevant, acceleration of positive development. Robyn has also spent time in governance as a past trustee of the Eastern & Central Community Trust, Community Law Aotearoa and past Board member of Te Korowai Aroha Aotearoa and the Tairāwhiti District Health Board.
Passionate about social justice issues and equipped with an LLB and MBA from the University of Waikato, Robyn is an earnest advocate for ensuring that the aspirations of our people are forefront in all that we do.
Corin Merrick | Justice ILG Lead Advisor
Ngāti Whare, Waikato, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Raukawa
Corin Merrick is a graduate of Kōhanga Reo, Kura Kaupapa Māori and Te Panekiretanga o te Reo. She is a Barrister Sole, working out of Matariki Chambers in Manukau, and holds a number of advisory roles on various kaupapa. She is part of Te Korimako Legal Education and also works in the Family Court, as Counsel for child and as Counsel to assist the Court. Corin is a Youth Advocate in the Youth Court.
Tereki Stewart | Hauora ILG Lead Advisor
Ngāpuhi
Tereki has had a long involvement in the health sector spanning nearly 30 years, covering executive leadership roles in iwi, and Māori provider and PHO settings. Originally trained as a clinical psychologist, he subsequently moved into leadership positions including the chief executive of two Māori PHOs, and after this as the Manukura Hauora for Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua. More recently, he has also ‘dabbled’ in research and co-published several peer-reviewed articles relating to Māori health and has recent experience working in data environments including Te Kāhui Raraunga, and the Stats NZ Census programme where he focussed on building iwi capacity and capability to engage in the data system.
Tereki has previously been a member of a number of district health board committees, representing iwi and is currently the Chair of Te Taumata Hauora o Te Kahu o Taonui (the Iwi Māori Partnership Board for Te Tai Tokerau), is a Director on the board of the Stroke Foundation NZ and is a member of the board of Te Tāhū Hauora (Health Quality Safety Commission).