On this page:
- Dr Tristram Ingham – Chair
- Bernadette Jones
- Jade Sophia Le Grice
- Leilani Maraku
- Maria Clarke
- Natalia Kaihau
- Riana Manuel
- Previous membership
Dr Tristram Ingham – Chair
(Ngāti Kahungunu and Ngāti Porou) MRSNZ, MBChB, MInstD
Tristram has lived with a physical disability since birth. He trained in medicine and is an Associate Professor of epidemiology at the University of Otago, researching the effects of health and disability on populations.
Tristram is passionate about how health systems and public policy can be transformed to achieve equitable outcomes for all disabled people including tāngata whaikaha Māori and their whānau.
He holds several governance roles including the chair of Te Ao Mārama Aotearoa Trust (Ministry of Health Māori Disability Advisory Group), and chair of the Muscular Dystrophy Association Central Region.
Since 2018 he has been a member of the Disabled Peoples Organisation Coalition and currently serves on the Independent Monitoring Mechanism to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Bernadette Jones
(Ngā Wairiki and Ngāti Apa)
Bernadette is a Māori health and disability researcher working for the University of Otago. She is a registered general and obstetric nurse with over four decades of clinical and research practice in Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia.
Bernadette has developed kaupapa Māori research methodologies supporting Māori community partnership approaches and she is passionate about achieving equitable health and wellbeing outcomes for all Māori in Aotearoa.
She has lived experience of disability and advocates across various non-governmental organisations and government sectors for the rights of tāngata whaikaha Māori and their whānau.
Jade Sophia Le Grice
(Te Rarawa and Ngāpuhi)
Jade is a Kaupapa Māori researcher in psychology and Associate Dean Māori in the Faculty of Science at the University of Auckland. Her work informs academic publications, psychology curriculum, health policy. She is a member of Ngā Kaitiaki Mauri, Te Ohaaki a Hine | National Network Ending Sexual Violence Together, and He Paiaka Tōtara, a Māori psychologists network.
Jade’s research explores how inequities in sexual and reproductive health are informed by vectors of social marginalisation, and how they surface in the context of lived experience. She also collaborates with mātauranga experts to consider solutions to social issues that resonate with Māori. Jade is inspired by Māori people working collectively and innovatively in community contexts and their aspirations for future generations.
Leilani Maraku
(Ngāti Raukawa)
Leilani is currently the Manukura (Chief Executive) for Mana o te Tangata Trust a Kaupapa Māori Mental Health & Addiction Peer Support Service in the MidCentral District Health Board, and Pouwhakahaere for Te Kete Pounamu. Leilani’s previous roles include Te Ūpoko o Ngā Oranga o Te Rae, a central region contract with district health boards supporting 18 Māori and non-Māori mental health and addiction providers with technical support, in-service training and enhancing tangata whaiora voice.
Leilani developed and delivered adult youth and their whānau addictions peer support services throughout the Manawatū region. This also included providing services within the Manawatū prison working with male offenders (18-32 years old) with mental health and addiction issues and their whānau outside the prison. It was followed by a joint initiative between four alcohol and other drugs non-government organisations providers with the Department of Corrections Community Probation – Single point of entry for referrals that rolled out from MidCentral District Health Board.
Leilani has the energy and drive and brings experience as a mental health and addictions worker from a consumer-focused platform, front line service delivery, administration and management.
Leilani is a strong advocate in ensuring that the voice of tangata whaiora and their whānau are included and being heard. Leilani believes this is paramount to implementing a whole system paradigm change across all sectoral sectors.
Maria Clarke
(Ngāti Awa)
Ko Putauaki te maunga
Ko Ohinemataroa te awa
Ko Mataatua te waka
Ko Ngati Awa te Iwi
Ko Patuwai te Hapu
Ko Maria Clarke toku ingoa.
Maria comes from a whānau well-known in the local community. She is instrumental in leading the health and safety of mokopuna in the Kohanga Reo; she is a respected whāea at the marae and is a supportive whānau member of the local sports communities.
Maria currently works as a Pouārahi for Mana Ātea in the rohe of Te Moana a Toi and Waiariki. Mana Atea is a Tikanga led provider of individualised, flexible supports. Mana Ātea provide supports for whānau following an injury or are disabled. In this mahi Maria supports whanau to achieve mana Motuhake, through the guidance and wisdom of tikanga Māori.
Maria has more than 20+ years’ experience as a leader and change agent, proactively developing and maintaining strong productive relationships in the Home and Community and ACC sector. Within these relationships Maria ensures that the voice of whānau with lived experience is at the centre of all the mahi she is involved in.
Maria is driven by strong principles of tika and pono. Those principles and values continue to influence every decision and initiative that Maria has made throughput her life. Maria continues to be driven to achieve improved outcomes for Māori with disabilities and injuries.
Natalia Kaihau
(Ngāti Te Ata and Ngāti Whātua)
Natalia Kaihau is currently the Service Manager for Te Kōtuku Ki Te Rangi. She is Te Kōtuku's second in command and manages all the operations of their services, residential sites and inter-relationship with clinical teams. Natalia she is also leads Te Kōtuku’s Ngā Parirau – Community Mobile Team in the planning, organising, and monitoring of outcomes.
Natalia is a qualified social worker and has had over a decade of senior management experience with a background in strategic planning, finance, banking and business. She is currently studying for her Master of Business Administration at Waikato University.
Riana Manuel
(Ngāti Pukenga, Ngāti Maru, Ngāti Kahungunu)
Riana’s is currently Interim Chief Executive of the Interim Māori Health Authority. She was Co-Chair of Te Apārangi: Māori Partnership Alliance from its inception in September 2019-April 2023. Her previous role was Chief Executive Officer of Hauraki Primary Health Organisation and Te Korowai Hauora o Hauraki. She has invested heavily in developing strategic, visionary leadership within the Māori and health sectors, and been involved with kaupapa Māori organisations for most of her career.
Ko Riana Manuel taku ingoa
Ko Moehau kei waho
Ko Te aroha ki uta
Ko Hauraki te Whenua
Ko Tikapa te Moana
No Te Awaawa o Manaia toku ūkaipo
Ko Ngāti Pukenga, Ngāti Maru, Ngāti Kahungunu oku Iwi
Ko Mataatua, Tainui, Takitimu oku waka.
Riana is a village girl who has spent her whole career working to improve the outcomes for Māori. A registered nurse by trade, Riana has enjoyed a career that has seen her work across many different parts of the sector developing strong relationships as she goes.
Riana is a daughter, a wife, a mother, a nanny (by far her favourite role), a sister, and an aunty to many. Riana is deeply committed to improving the health of wellbeing of Māori and believe in doing so it will impact positively on the health and wellbeing of Aotearoa.
Ma te kahukura, ka rere te manu.
Previous membership
The Ministry would like to gratefully recognise and thank the experts who have been previous members of Te Apārangi: Dr Kahu McClintock, Carla White, and Dr Jason Kohamutunga Tuhoe.