our Tikanga
Tūranga Tiketike
Whare Kōhanga
Oha Whenua
Houhou i te rongo
our governance board
kaniwa kupenga-tamarama
poutū tauwhirowhiro (Inaugural Chairperson)
dr hope tupara
co-deputy chairperson
Hope is Senior Advisor Māori at Oranga Tamariki Head Office in the Whānau Care Team and Sexual Violence Project. She also coordinates the PhD programme, Te Pūmanawa Hauora, at the Research Centre for Hauora and Health, Massey University. Hope is Co-Chair for the Midwifery Council of New Zealand Aotearoa Midwifery Project, a member of the National Ethics Advisory Committee, and is on the Governance Group for the National Science Challenge, Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities. She is the President for Ikaroa region of the Māori Womens Welfare League. Hope has a proven track record of guiding a range of organisations that are being courageous and breaking new ground using a Tiriti o Waitangi lens.
Megan tahere
co-deputy chairperson
She is the Chief Māori Health and Equity Officer at Taranaki DHB, an Advisor Hauora Māori - New Zealand Health Plan in the Transition Unit - Depratment of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and is a PhD Candidate in Te Pūmanawa Hauora at Massey University. Megan is a member of the ACC Growth Assessment Protocol Working Group, the National Hauora Coalition Best Start Kōwae Governance Group, and Poutoko Hauora. She is committed to championing the development of our health system and services to be protective and to work in partnership with iwi, Māori, providers, stakeholders, and whānau to achieve outcomes that matter to them and their communities.
Alana ewe-snow
treasurer
jana kite
secretary
Jana is one of five siblings who grew up in many different locations across Aotearoa, finally settling on the North Shore of Tāmaki Makaurau. She has kept in touch with her roots and heritage through kaupapa waka at Waitangi and by always being on her whenua in the far north. Jana was raised in a very matriarchal-minded whānau, a large immediate family with at least 70% being women. This upbringing gave her an overwhelming respect for womankind and all that they represent in this world as Te Whare Tangata. Jana believes that women are strong individuals with the drive and ability to achieve the unachievable in this world. She believes midwifery and women’s health holds the key to the support and advocacy of womanhood in a health context, and has always wanted to be a part of this.
After completing her Bachelor of Health Science at AUT in 2020 she commenced Self Employed LMC midwifery practice in Waitematā; which Jana says has been the most amazing and fulfilling experience. Jana looks forward to continuing to develop amazing relationships with whānau and to caring for Māori women and whānau with the aim to reduce health inequities and add to positive health outcomes.
lavinia mcgee-repia
kaumātua / PAKEKE
our founding members
bev pownall
core staff midwife - nga hau māngere birthing centre
Bev’s Masters degree focused on the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI). She is a BFHI Assessor. Bev was a member of Ngā Māia ki Tāmaki Makaurau prior to the formation of Te Wakahuia o Hine. She is a member/past committee member of the Auckland Region of the New Zealand College of Midwives; a Board Member, Editor and Conference Convenor of the NZ Lactation Consultants Association; and served on committees/advisory groups for both the NZ Breastfeeding Alliance and Ministry of Health.
Bev works at Nga Hau Māngere Birthing Centre, providing midwifery care and skilled help with breastfeeding. She works closely with Māori, Pasifika and other Lead Maternity Care (LMC) Midwife colleagues who assist māmā to birth there. She enjoys watching whānau welcoming tamariki together and partners/supporters staying 24/7. Her aim is to facilitate the best possible whānau experience in a maternity facility; at the same time as providing a safe, nurturing environment for our Māori student midwives to learn.