Associate Professor Heather Came is a seventh generation Pākehā New Zealander. She has worked for 29 years in health promotion and public health and has a long involvement in social justice activism including as a founding member and current co-chair of STIR, a fellow of the Health Promotion Forum, and chair of the AUT branch of the NZ Public Health Association. She has prepared evidence for Waitangi Tribunal claims and led shadow reports to United Nations human rights committees. Her research focuses on critical policy analysis, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, anti-racism and institutional racism in health sector. In 2021 she was joint winner of Kāhui Hauora Tūmatanui Public Health Champion Award for her lifetime contribution to public health.

Tēnā koutou katoa
Ko Valerie Williams tōku ingoa
Ko Rongomaiwahine, Ngai te Ipu, Rakai Paaka, Ngai Tamanuhiri ōku iwi
E mahi ana au ki Te Rau Ora.

Ko Aoraki te Mauka, ko Waitaki te awa, ko Uenuku te ware tipuna, ko Kāti Hāteatea ko Ngāti Ruahikihiki te hapū, ko Kāi Tahu te iwi, Ko Eridani tōku ikoa.

I am passionate about decolonisation, with a focus on decolonisation within pedagogy and in relationship structure. I am studying at AUT towards being a psychotherapist. I am passionate about highlighting the value of a te ao Māori view and in making mental health more accessible to Māori.

Whakawhanaungatanga is important to me, I enjoy making connections with others.

Stephen is Pākeka New Zealand living in Kāpiti. Over the past 30 years he has developed a deep understanding of what it takes to get the message out. Stephen has worked as a writer, advisor, project manager, webmaster, trainer and communications professional for a wide range of good causes. He is committed to sharing what he knows and is acknowledged as a community builder. By day, he is currently a Senior Engagement and Communications Advisor at the Ministry for Primary Industries.

Kate is a Pākehā New Zealander. She was born in Zimbabwe (post-independence) and moved as a child to Te Tairāwhiti where she was raised and nurtured by the people of Ngāti Porou. Kate now lives in Te Tai Tokerau and works for Northland's Public Health Unit. She is completing a Masters in Public Health focusing on “peace, justice and equity as prerequisites to health” as stated in the WHO Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion.

Ngaire Rae is a 6th generation Pākehā New Zealander, with English and Scottish ancestry. Ngaire lives with her family in Whangārei and grew up in the seaside village of Waipu Cove. For the last 25 years Ngaire has worked in health promotion throughout Tai Tokerau with her mahi focusing on community development, housing, and child and youth health. She recently left full time work to do her PhD at AUT focusing on learning about Te Tiriti based anti-racism praxis from Pākehā allies during Aotearoa health system reforms. Ngaire is a member of STIR and Network Waitangi Whangārei.

Of Scottish, Swedish and German descent Amanda is a seventh generation Pākekā. Her first ancestors to Aotearoa now lie in the whenua of Ngātī Whātuā Ōrākei and Rangitāne o Tamaki nui-ā-Rua. Working within the public health sector over many years came with it a growing understanding of the impacts of historical and ongoing colonisation on indigenous health inequities. Eliminating such inequities is her passion through anti-racism and decolonisation work. She also strives to be a good tangata tiriti and is interested in supporting her fellow Pākehā to do the same. Amanda is a lecturer in public health and health promotion.

Ihaka Phillips is of Whangaruru decent and is a registered health practitioner working in Mental Health. A fun fact about Ihaka is that he moved Into his van as part his effort to indiginise his mind and recalibrate his biorhythm. He hopes this will strengthen his connection to his Mauri so its essence can be heard and felt as it was meant to. Ihaka is Tohonga Matakete and is currently undergoing his apprenticeship.