Tēnā koutou katoa, He uri ahau nō Te Taitokerau. Nō Ngāti Whātua, Te Roroa, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Wai me Ngāti Kahu o Whangaroa ahau. Kei te mihi.

My genealogical links are to the Far North and these links firmly ground me as a Māori academic. I am a Professor in Māori physical education and health and joined the School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences as an academic staff member in 2011. After obtaining a Bachelor of Physical Education Honours degree majoring in Exercise Sport Science and a Master of Physical Education focusing on education policy, I completed a doctorate in Māori studies and physical education examining rangatiratanga and Māori health and well-being within a customary fisheries context.

In 2013, alongside Dr Hauiti Hakopa, we established Te Koronga which is a graduate research excellence group. Following from the success of our graduate research excellence group we became a recognised University of Otago Research Theme:

Te Koronga: Indigenous Science Research Theme

I also provide leadership to the Coastal People: Southern Skies collaboration that connects communities with world-leading, cross-discipline research to rebuild coastal ecosystems.

Coastal People: Southern Skies