Te Rōpu Whakaruruhau

Henare is the Managing Director of Tuapaerangi Ltd. He is from Te Rarawa, Te Aupouri and Ngapuhi iwi from the Far North. He currently holds positions as Te Whare o Ngapuhi Ki Otautahi and Te Waipounamu, Nga Tai Haruru Waka Ama and Kaiwhakamana Canterbury Prisons.

Henare provides cultural support and advice to a number of organisations through his role as Māori Advisor to Canterbury Police District Commander, New Zealand Police STU and New Zealand Police Area Commanders.

He is Kaumatua of Rehua Marae, Te Rangimarie Marae, Taurahere O Waitaha and provides Kaumatua support and advice to a number of health and education bodies including Cashmere High School, Diabetes Christchurch, St Martins Primary School.

Henare has had a close association with the NZBA for a number of years providing Kaumatua support and cultural advice to the organisation. His experience on other national and regional Māori advisory boards was invaluable and guided the initial set up of Te Rōpu Whakaruruhau.

Kāti Mamoe, Waitaha,

Taua Wendy has over 25 years of experience in the Health sector in a variety of roles. She has represented Māori interests in health on a number of boards and organisations including; South Island Māori Cancer Leadership Network, National Kaitiaki Group – Cervical Screening, National Breastfeeding Association, Mana Whenua ki Waitaha Charitable Trust , Pegasus Community Board and Te Kahui o Papaki Ka Tai – PHO, Primary Health Care Māori Advisory Group (Chairperson).

Prior to working at Ihi Research Wendy was an independent researcher working on local projects including; He Kokonga Whare (HKW): Māori Intergenerational Trauma and Healing Programme – (Health Research Council of New Zealand) and a project for the Ngāi Tahu Research Centre, ‘Understanding Māori 'lived' culture to determine cultural connectedness and wellbeing.’

Wendy was the Program Leader of Health and Social Wellbeing, Toitu te iwi, for Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu from 2008 to 2012. She worked as the Cultural Advisor/Manager of Māori health, Pegasus Health (IPA), Researcher/ Lecturer at M.I.H.I. (Maori Indigenous Health Institute) University of Otago - Christchurch. During this time she was part of the team that developed the Meihana Model, a clinical assessment framework developed using Te Whare Tapa Whā.

Tasha's current role is Women’s Health Promoter at Women’s Health Action. She has spent the last 10+ years in various roles with Te Rūnanga o Te Rarawa and Ngati Hine Health Trust focusing on māma me pēpi, as a breastfeeding advocate and whānau maternity support for mental health and addictions.

Tasha visits whānau in their whare or wherever they would like to meet and facilitates breastfeeding korero in Hapu Wananga in Te Tai Tokerau. Her mahi also involves building strong relationships with key community health stakeholders and consumer groups. She has worked in partnership with the Ministry of Health and District Health Boards to provide consumer representation and has developed and led several regional and national initiatives/projects aimed at strengthening and diversifying whānau voices.

I'm a busy mum of five young children, which has given me my best qualification in life! My mother was my greatest inspiration as she too was a midwife and lactation consultant.

In 2007, I graduated in midwifery and worked as a core midwife, then in 2009 I became a qualified lactation consultant (IBCLC). During this time I was also the BFHI coordinator for Tairawhiti District Health Board, trained as a New Zealand Breastfeeding Peer Counsellor Administrator and ran a breastfeeding drop in centre. Throughout this time I have also been involved with teaching antenatal classes and breastfeeding education workshops for a range of health providers. I helped develop and launch our local breastfeeding support programme called Kia Mama in 2010. I am currently based in Gisborne.

Throughout this time, I have gained experience in each new role. I have continued to identify a need for more breastfeeding resources that are "user friendly" for health providers and "appealing" for the mother and whanau. In 2009, I started developing the TALK CARDS. As a young mother myself, while compiling the TALK CARDS, I have tried to consider what would be appropriate and useful for other mums who are going through the same journey. Since their development, I have had the opportunity to distribute them on behalf o the Ministry of Health, have travelled to almost every DHB in New Zealand presenting workshops around engaging with Māori more effectively. It has been a privilege to work at a grass roots level with Māori whanau and have gained so much insight during this time.

I really enjoy working with new mothers and I often feel a responsibility to share the knowledge I have with other mothers, as breastfeeding has life-long effects that can affect a mother-baby relationship for life. That's why I love doing what I do!

Te Ati Awa, Ngati Mutunga, Nga Puhi nga iwi

Waikura has more than 10 years experience as a Senior Well Child-Tamariki Ora (WCTO) specialty nurse. Waikura currently works for the New Zealand Nurses Organisation.

Her mahi is about promoting whānau/family health in her community and throughout Aotearoa. Waikura has a solid education foundation and a passion for Māori health.

Waikura welcomes the opportunity to improve breastfeeding among Māori pēpē and whānau.

Ngāi Tahu, Waitaha, Ngāti Mamoe

Sarah-Anne is employed by Te Puawaitangi ki Ōtautahi Trust, facilitating the Whānau Mai Kaupapa Māori Antenatal Pregnancy & Parenting Program and providing administration support for the Wahakura Wānanga Workshops in Ōtautahi.

Sarah-Anne is a registered midwife and practiced in the community for 6 years until June 2018. She is passionate about supporting wāhine and whānau to be the positive leaders in their pregnancy journey. She has also supported many at risk whānau and understands the challenges that they can face day to day. Breastfeeding was a major part of her mahi and with appropriate supports saw many whānau realise their breastfeeding dream.

She lived for 32 years within a rural community of the Chatham Islands. This remote rural location has given her tools to deal with rural location adversities, and shown the importance of working as a community.