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Mana Whakahaere

Our People

Te Poari

Our Board

Our Board is a capability-appointed team, made up of representatives from across Takitimu, as well as Mātāwaka representatives. Each of our Board Members is committed to Hauora Māori, with proven track records in their sectors, as well as a wealth of lived experience from the Board Room to grassroots leadership. We are very proud of our Board Members and the mahi they continue to do within their communities and thrilled to have their expertise leading our team.

Kerri Nuku

Co-Chair
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Lewis Ratapu

Co-Chair
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Heather Te-Ao Skipworth

Board Member
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Henry Heke

Board Member
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Beverly Te Huia Ellison

Board Member
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Darryn Russell

Board Member
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Our Team

Gina Cole

Programme Manager
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Brian Morris

Cultural Lead
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Lee Stuart

Social Media All Rounder
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Nicole Titihuia Hawkins

Content Developer
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Te Tohu

Our Brand

Te Hoe
The outer motif is based on a hoe (paddle), reinforcing the value of working together toward a shared vision and dream. The notches carved around the outer hoe motif pay homage to the art of whakairo and how this kaupapa carves a path toward oranga for uri and whānau.

Te Waka Hourua
The waka hourua is the central focus of the logo, representing a number of things; the whānau and its role in decision-making and future thinking. Kotahitanga—unity through a shared vision and kaupapa, and also the relationship between Māori and the Crown.

Ngā Tai Karangaroa me Ngā Tai Mārangaranga 

The koru and pūhoro elements beneath the waka represent Ngā Tai Karangaroa and Ngā Tai Mārangaranga. Respectively, these elements symbolise the eternal and enduring voices of our tīpuna and whānau as well as the ongoing challenges—ngā piki me ngā heke (the ups and downs). 

Ngā tae
The colours presented in the concepts derive mostly from the original colour palette with small adjustments for contrast and clarity. These speak to the geography and natural environment of the Tihei Takitimu rohe.

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Kerri Nuku

Kerri Nuku (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tai) has extensive background in the health sector as both a Registered Nurse and Midwife including her current role as Kaiwhakahaere at Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (New Zealand Nurses Organisation).  

She brings with her a wealth of experience from her mahi locally, across the motu as well as internationally – making her an impressive addition to our Board as co-chair. Kerri is a firm believer that Hauora is more than just disease management, it is an “intrinsic connectedness we have as people”, “our whakapapa, our connection to the whenua”. She is motivated to realise a vision to create safe spaces of wellbeing, that are specific to our needs as Kahungunu and driven by whakapapa and whanaungatanga.  

Kerri is inspired by Dr. Moana Jackson’s whakaaro, that if we continue to think if only what was possible, we won’t go far. If we think of the impossible and make it possible, then we’ll be able to push and move our people further. That’s inspiring! 

Lewis Ratapu

Lewis Ratapu (Rongomaiwahine, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Te Wairoa) has extensive knowledge of the health care system, as well as a deep care for and understanding of the people of Takitimu rohe, a combination which makes him an excellent fit for the role of co-chair of the Tihei Takitimu Board. Lewis is thrilled by the “opportunity to create change for health and disability services in the region”.  

Lewis believes that “hauora is really that whole concept of individual and whānau wellbeing, hapū wellbeing, iwi wellbeing”, and acknowledges that connection to “your whenua, having a strong cultural identity, being connected, knowing your whakapapa, being confident & comfortable with your tūrangawaewae”, all contribute positively to your hauora.  

Lewis’ aspirations for health in our rohe is that “people who need help actually are listened to by the people that are there to provide help”. 

Heather Te-Au Skipworth

Heather Te Au-Skipworth (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Ruanui, Ngāti Rangitihi, Ngāti Tūwharetoa) is the creator, visionary and CEO of Iron Māori, an iconic community-led hauora kaupapa that she started in 2009.  

Heather’s strive for equity isn’t just in the health space, she is well-known within our community and across the motu as a fierce advocate for Māori. She brings her expertise to a number of boards, as well as working in our rohe as a lifestyle coach. We are very fortunate to have someone who has built grassroots connections within our rohe, as well as a wealth of experience and networks from her impressive career.  

Heather aspires to create health services “that acknowledge the individual”. She explains that health services must acknowledge “the persons whakapapa first and foremost”, and nurture relationships that are built on whanaungatanga and recognise “the strengths that come from that whakapapa”. Heather explains “it is our whakapapa that gives us hope to know we come from strong and healthy rangatira”, that we can aspire to be like.

Henry Heke

Henry Heke (Tainui) is driven to create equitable outcomes for Māori within the health care system. Henry has been instrumental in healthcare leadership from the grassroots, iwi-led urgent COVID and Cyclone responses, his time in the Primary Health Sector, working in Māori Development and even as a District Councillor.  

Henry wears several pōtae for our rohe, and instead of slowing him down, it drives him to want to improve outcomes for our people. This changemaker wants to see those improvements as soon as possible, saying “I’m not interested in waiting 10 years, I want to get something done now”.  

Henry explains that hauora is more that meeting health indicators in a Pākehā system, and that whilst it is important to address the physical symptoms of māuiuitanga, it’s also important that our people are holistically very well across the board, “mentally, spiritually, physically”. 

Beverly Te Huia Ellison

Beverly Te Huia Ellison (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tahu) brings her experiences and qualifications in midwifery, health science, health research, public health and a variety of different regional health groups to Tihei Takitimu.  

Beverly is passionate about hauora and is interested in looking at the wide variety of factors that contribute to health and wellbeing. Beverly explains that “hauora is medical, hauora is holistic, hauora is spiritual, hauora is Mason Durie’s Te Whare Tapa Whā. It’s all of that – and more”.  

If Beverly could create one change for whānau in our health system, it would be to nurture and support our wāhine, “when you can look after a wahine, whose natural instinct is to be caring for her whānau – it overflows into the whānau. We have to bring the partners along, they have to be able to support our wāhine, too”.

Darryn Russell

Darryn Russell (Ngāi Tahu) brings a wealth of experience to Tihei Takitimu from a long career working in Māori Equity and Development spaces. Darryn is excited to work with Tihei Takitimu to “disrupt the current models” within the Health Sector, “which have failed to recognise and reflect mana whenua”.  

Darryn believes that health services should be “accessible, according to the needs of individual and whānau”. He is looking forward to empowering individuals and whānau to determine their plan for care, support and development within our rohe. He hauora te taonga – health is wealth! 

Gina Cole

Gina Cole (Ngāti Kahungunu) is an executive leader with 25 years of experience across a range of sectors including government, construction, publishing and logistics throughout Australia and New Zealand. She holds a Masters degree in Psychology from the University of Sydney.  

Gina brings significant reform, change and transformation experience to the table, having worked with leaders, organisations and communities to deliver on strategic mandates for performance and growth. Capable architect of organisational change, Gina’s strength lies in her ability to break new ground in complex and ambiguous settings. 

Brian Morris

Brian Morris (Ngāti Kahungunu, Rongowhakaata) is well-known and respected across the motu for his leadership in Te Ao Māori and we are very fortunate to have him working strategically with the Board. Brian brings over 40 years of experience in education and publishing, in leadership and innovation. His commitment to Māori education can be seen in the resources that inspire, teach and grow our mokopuna and tamariki across the motu.   

Brian has a place on the board of Tamatea Pōkai Whenua Settlement Trust locally, and with the national agency, Te Māngai Pāho – supporting the long-held vision of “Māori language – everywhere, every day, in every way!”. 

Lee Stuart

Lee Stuart (Ngāti Pū, Ngāti Rangitihi) is a social marketing expert, musician and the founder of a kaupapa-led Virtual Assistance company.  

Having worked as a Digital Strategist and Content Creator for pakihi Māori both locally and abroad, Lee brings her experience to help us connect with whānau and engage with and reach our communities. Lee is motivated to improve hauora for Māori, having witnessed firsthand the inequity in the Health System with her own whānau. 

Nicole Hawkins

Nicole Hawkins (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Te Wairoa, Ngāti Pāhauwera) is a māmā, kaiako, writer and award-winning poet.  

Nicole lives in Te Awakairangi with her whānau. Nicole loves working with Tihei Takitimu because she enjoys contributing to her iwi and hapū, to improve their well-being, despite not living on her whenua