Iwi: Ngāti Kahungunu ki Te Wairoa, Te Whānau-a-Kai, Te Aitanga-a-Mahaki, Tuwharetoa, Tainui, Ngāti Maniapoto, Mangaia ki Rarotonga.

Ko Te Mata o Rongokako te maunga
Ko Ngaruroro Mokotūāraro ki Rangatira te awa
Ko Ngāti Toaharapaki, Ngāti Hori ngā hapū
Ko Ngāti Kahungunu te iwi
Ko Tākitimu te waka
Ko Kohupatiki te marae
Ko Tanenuiarangi te whare tipuna
Ko Hineahuone te whare kai
Ko Paora Torotoro te tangata
Ko Lyric Bird ahau

Nikara te mihi ki a koutou katoa,

Tuatahi ake rā, he māmā ahau ki tētahi tama pīwari ake nei! Koia ra taku tūranga tuatahi me te hōnore nui. Mei kore ake ko taku tama, mei kore ake ka pēnei te māia o taku tū ki roto i aku mahi katoa nō reira e taku tama e, nei a māmā e tungou ana.

I was born and raised in Ngāti Kahungunu, Te Matau-a-Māui (Whakatu to be exact). I had the privilege of growing up on both of my marae, Kohupatiki and Ruahāpia. I attended Te Kura o Mangateretere and later completed my secondary schooling at St Josephs’ Māori Girl’s College. I am a graduate and proud ‘Te Tumu Kid’ from Otago University. I am also an alumni of Te Hononga a Kiwa LATAM and SEAS cape programmes.

My background has always been in a kaupapa Māori space and most recently in secondary teaching where I was a Te Reo Māori and Hauora teacher to kōhine Māori from across Aotearoa. Having the privilege of teaching and working with our young, confident, unapologetically Māori future leaders has been a rewarding part of my career and an experience that has been most humbling. As I embark on this new journey as Programme Manager Mātauranga Māori, I will strive to ensure that te reo me ōna tikanga is at the forefront of all that I do in my role here at Te Mahi Ako.

I o mahi katoa, mahia!