Governance Group and Kāhui Māori

June 2020 – August 2024

Sir Jerry Mateparae has spent almost 50 years in public service. He has attended multiple military and civilian leadership and management courses, including courses with the New Zealand Institute of Directors and Institute of Strategic Leadership. He has a Master of Arts with First Class Honours from the University of Waikato, and was recognised as one of their distinguished alumni in 2009. In May 2011, Sir Jerry received an honorary doctorate from Massey University.

He was awarded Singapore’s highest military award, the Darjah Utama Bakti Cemerlang (Tentera) [Distinguished Service Order (Military)], from the President of Singapore, S R Nathan, in May 2011. In June that year, at Buckingham Palace, he was knighted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the Queen of New Zealand as a Grand Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit. At the same time he became a Companion of the Queen’s Service Order. 

April 2015 – August 2024

Dr Will Allen is an independent systems scientist, action researcher and evaluator. He has more than 30 years of experience in sustainable development and natural resource management. Through his work he seeks to bridge local, Indigenous and organisational perspectives, and help diverse groups work together to develop a shared understanding around goals, actions and indicators.

Prior to developing his own consultancy and research practice in 2010, Will worked for Landcare Research where he led the Collaborative Learning for Environmental Management group. He is a founding member of the Aotearoa New Zealand Evaluation Association, and currently a member of its Southern South Island Branch steering committee. He leads the Transitions to Sustainable Development network for the ESocSci – Engaged Social Science hub. Will developed and manages the Learning for Sustainability (LfS) website as an international clearinghouse for on-line resources around collaboration and innovation processes. He brings experience from working with a wide range of different end-user stakeholder sectors.

• Learning for Sustainability (LfS)

August 2018 – August 2024

Dr Amohia Boulton is Executive Director of Whakauae Research Services, the only tribally-owned health research centre in Aotearoa, under the auspices of Ngāti Hauiti. She holds honorary positions at her former university, Victoria University of Wellington, where she is both an Adjunct Research Associate at the Graduate School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health, and a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the Health Services Research Centre.

Amohia has a background in public policy and research interests that span Māori health leadership and governance, service-level evaluation, and the interface between national health policy and service implementation. Amohia is currently involved in a range of research projects in the areas of chronic conditions, tobacco policy, Whānau Ora and rongoā Maori. Her methodological expertise lies in conducting kaupapa Māori research projects with a strong translational component.

At an international level Amohia is a member of the Australasian Evaluation Society and a member of the Editorial Board for the Journal of Indigenous Wellbeing: Te Mauri Pimatisiwin. Her passion is to lead high quality research, grounded in Māori realities, which can shape policy to transform the lives of Māori whānau, hapū and iwi.

• Whakauae Research Services profile

August 2018 – August 2024

Dr Lorraine Brooking is a rural GP based in Cambridge with a special interest in diabetes management and care. She splits her clinical time between hospitals and practices including working in Kaitaia, Taupō, Te Kūiti and Tokoroa. 

Lorraine is a fellow of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners, a member of the College’s Education Advisory Group, and was appointed Apprentice Member of the College Governance Board in 2017.

August 2020 – August 2024

Dr Justine Camp recently completed a PhD developing a Māori health model for whānau across the lifespan and across generations, the first health model created by Kāi Tahu.

For her PhD, with Brain Research New Zealand, and supervised by Associate Professor Anne Marie Jackson (University of Otago), she created a whānau health compass in partnership with Master Navigators and with her Hapū from Puketeraki. She continues to work with Brain Research NZ, looking at Māori views on neurological disease and stimulation.

Justine’s career in research includes her Master’s degree which looked at the impact of type 2 diabetes on whānau and she has spent many years as a lecturer at the University of Otago and Otago Polytechnic.

May 2021 – August 2024

Dr Libby Harrison is General Manager Health and Environment at the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR). Libby held a number of consulting and management roles, including serving as a General Manager at both Landcare Research and the Environmental Protection Authority prior to joining ESR. Originally from the UK, she earned her PhD in insect pest control from University College, London University.

May 2018 – July 2024

Professor Helen Nicholson worked as a doctor in hospital and community settings before taking up an academic position in the Department of Anatomy at Bristol University. She moved to the University of Otago in 2000 to become Professor of Anatomy and subsequently became head of the Department of Anatomy. In 2007 she was appointed Dean of the Otago School of Medical Sciences (now School of Biomedical Sciences) and in 2011 was the Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise) for six months.

Helen was appointed as Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International) at University of Otago in February 2014 and inaugural Deputy Vice-Chancellor (External Engagement) in mid-2015. This role focusses on strengthening external engagement, raising the profile of the University of Otago and attracting high quality domestic and international students to study at Otago.  Helen is also a member of the Ageing Well National Science Challenge Governance Group, the Confucius Institute Board, the Executive of the International Federation of Associations of Anatomists and an Associate Trustee of Men’s Health Trust New Zealand.

May 2017 – August 2024

Dr David Schaaf is Principal Advisor Pacific/Te Aho O Te Kahu Cancer Control Agency.

David has previously worked as a Public Health Advisor with Pacific Health Development at Counties Manukau Health District Health Board and as a Senior Advisor at the Ministry of Health where he helped implement Ala Mo’ui: Pathways to Pacific Health and Wellbeing 2014-2018, the Ministry’s strategic document for monitoring the Health Sector’s performance on improving the health of Pacific people in New Zealand. Other roles have included Principal Research Analyst at the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs and senior research fellow at the School of Population Health at the University of Auckland. His research interest has focussed on chronic disease prevention. David is also a member of the Ageing Well National Science Challenge Governance Group.

November 2021 – August 2024

Dr Matt Edwards (Ngāti Ruanui, Ngāruahine) is a lecturer at the University of Auckland who works on Bayesian nonparametrics and gravitational wave astronomy.  He previously worked for Statistics New Zealand on household sample survey methodologies, time series methods for key economic indicators, and confidentiality for the integrated data infrastructure (IDI).  He is a member of national and international gravitational wave consortia.

November 2021 – August 2024

Associate Professor Lara Greaves (Ngāpuhi, Pākehā, Tararā), School of History, Philosophy, Political Science and International relations at the Victoria University of Wellington, is a frequent commentator on policy issues in national and international media. She is one of the editors of the seventh edition of Government and Politics in Aotearoa and New Zealand (Oxford University Press), and a member of the Independent Electoral Review.