Panel: marketing māori for the world

Being a Māmā at 17 to Waiaria provided Haylee with motivation to move through University of Waikato Law school and into legal practise across Waikato and Tāmaki Makaurau, before joining Fonterra. During this time, she was part of the Maniapoto Māori Trust Board, Chair of Te Reo o Tainui (radio) and continues to support a whānau-owned tourist entity. As Pouhere Director, Haylee leads Fonterra’s Māori strategy team of 7 with focus on ensuring farms extract maximum value from the collective Co-op strengths: highest sustainable milk price, secure supply chain and scale of global markets. Prior to this role, Haylee led Fonterra’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion journey as Global Head of DEI. Haylee’s personable and optimistic approach is in finding space for everyone to contribute as part of an evolving Aotearoa connected out to the globe.

Kārena & Kasey Birda are renowned culinary experts and co-authors with a commitment to promoting Te Reo Māori and Māori culture through innovative cooking and storytelling. Raised in the culturally rich beachside community of Maketū, they draw deeply from their Māori heritage in their culinary creations.

Winners of Masterchef New Zealand 2014 they are now working on their next cookbook, which will be entirely in Te Reo Māori.
Through their cooking demonstrations, bespoke food events. and community engagements. Karena and Kasey continue to foster a deeper connection to Mãori language and culture, inviting everyone to experience the rich heritage of Aotearoa.

Panel: Te Tino Rangatiratanga

Nō Scotland, Ireland, Cornwall

Alice is an accidental activist, born and raised in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. She has had an eclectic career across events, community organising, volunteer management and more recently sports advocacy. Alice is a member of the strategic advisory board for Women in Rugby Aotearoa. An independent collective which has been assembled to get women’s rugby over the advantage line. She is a weekly sports columnist for the Herald on Sunday, a monthly columnist for ScrumQueens and hosts a podcast for WOMENZSPORTS where she interviews a different wahine each week who is representing Aotearoa in her chosen sport.

Nō Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairoa, Rongomaiwahine, Ngāi Tūhoe, Te Atihaunui-a-Papaarangi

Heni is a connector, a connector of worlds, a connector of oceans and a connector of people. Her work is driven by those things that enrich and sustain her life, her awa, moana, maunga, ngahere and whānau. Holding tohu in Te Reo Māori, Chemistry, Marine Science and Environmental Science she interweaves different knowledge systems into her work to achieve equitable outcomes for our future. She is working towards securing accessible pathways for our rangatahi in the science sector, developing research that centres on marae-based aquaculture and research ‘kia whakahoki te mauri ki te Ao Turoa’ reciprocating that which as been taken.

Ko Kopukairoa te Maunga, Ko Waitao te Awa, Ko Maataatua te Waka, Ko Nga Potiki te Iwi, Ko Romainohorangi te Tupuna, Ko Tahuwhakatiki te Marae

Ko Linda Munn au.

Linda’ artistic practice reinforces the principles of Tino Rangatiratanga by applying ancestral knowledge to explore the metaphysical and spiritual aspects of Māori tikanga. Her artistic passion centres on resistance, community, the protection of women and children against Domestic Violence and the sharing of knowledge. I want my body of work to reflect my forty years as an artist and activist.

Panel: The ahuwhenua economy

Liz lives in Featherston with husband Graham and is the mother of three daughters and nine mokopuna, three of whom are currently students at Wellington University. Liz is an avid reader and gardener and enjoys being at the coast.

Liz Mellish is the current Chairman of Palmerston North Māori Reserve Trust. Liz is also Chairman of Te Raukura, Te Wharewaka. Liz is the Deputy Chairman of the Federation of Māori Authorities and a member of Pouhere Taonga the Māori Heritage Board. Liz has Directorships on Metlifecare Palmerston North, Wellington Uni Professional, Hīkoikoi Management Ltd and Haukawakawa Ltd. Liz is Trustee of Featherston Booktown and Chairman of the Featherston Anzac Club.

Kiriwaitingi is the Head of Māori Alliances/Te Upoko o Ngā Kāhui Māori at Zespri International Ltd, which is the world’s largest marketer of kiwifruit.  In her role, she works to integrate Te Ao Māori into the organization, develop strategy with Māori growers, and advocate for Māori interests in the industry and in government.  In her role she has led Māori grower delegations offshore and into market, including to Singapore, Europe, Los Angeles, Hawaii and Asia. Prior to Zespri she was the CEO of Māori Investments Limited, a Māori asset management company for 10 years where she grew the organization by $100M.  She has experience acquiring and developing kiwifruit orchards, a successful blueberry business and also forestry. 

Keri works in Māori and Indigenous trade and international relations, in the Ministry for Primary Industries.

The diverse experience Keri has gained, working in Parliament, government, and the non-government sector enables her to lead initiatives internationally, such as in APEC. She has lead Māori delegations overseas, where she aims to develop their knowledge and experience to advance Indigenous economic empowerment. Keri works alongside Māori and Iwi organisations to increase their export opportunities, and international engagement, including facilitating indigenous to indigenous connections. She uses design thinking within the public sector, to create value and improve government systems and processes, so they better respond to Māori and Iwi needs and aspirations.

RITE KIA RITE: A mother & daughter journey

Mereana & Haley are a mother/daughter duo presenting based on their journey of doing things their way in alignment with the values as a Māori whānau. Their position is unique in that they chose not to send our daughter to school and to have her learn through and from the land and also from operating the business with me.

They both have been attending Huihuingawāhine for 5 years as business owners of O TE MOTU CREATIONS and this year they share their journey with us all!

Affiliating to the iwi of Te Atiawa, Taranaki, Ngā Ruahinerangi, Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāti Apakura, Ngāti Kahungunu, Rangitane, Ngai Tahu and Kāti Mamoe. Amokura Panoho is a proud mother of five children and five mokopuna.

Amokura has 30 years+ experience in relationship management and engagement, leading community, and people-centered strategy development, planning and delivery programmes. Her professional roles have included public service union organisation, managing government funding programmes and developing Māori Land Incorporation grants programmes. Through her consultancy Kura Consulting Limited she works with organisations to strengthen their capacity to deliver strategic outcomes for Māori communities, hapū and Iwi.

Minister Nicola Willis is a prominent New Zealand politician serving as the Deputy Leader of the National Party. With a background in business and extensive experience in public policy, she has become a significant advocate for practical solutions that address the economic and social challenges facing New Zealanders. Known for her dedication to financial responsibility, Willis prioritizes policies aimed at improving access to affordable housing, strengthening educational outcomes, and supporting a stable economy. Her approach emphasizes balanced, forward-thinking initiatives intended to elevate living standards and provide practical, long-term solutions for families and communities across New Zealand.

Traci Houpapa is the chair of the Federation of Māori Authorities. She specialises in governance and leadership, and strategic and economic development. 

Traci is a Chartered Fellow of the NZ Institute of Directors, and recognised as a role model for other directors and business leaders.  She has been named as one of the top ten most influential women in New Zealand agribusiness and the Listener’s top ten influencers in NZ.  She won the Westpac Fairfax Media Women of Influence Board and Management award and has been named on Westpac’s NZ Women Powerbrokers list.    Traci has been awarded the Massey University Distinguished Alumni Service Award for services to New Zealand agribusiness and Maori, and named amongst the BBCs 100 Most Influential Women in the World.  Traci is also a Distinguished Alumni of the Institute of Strategic Leadership (Australasia). 

Maramena Roderick is a multi-award-winning leader in New Zealand broadcasting. She became TVNZ’s first Māori foreign correspondent based in Europe and first New Zealand female journalist sent into war zones, winning awards in nearly every genre of news and current affairs. As an independent, Maramena focused on supporting emerging Māori production houses and creators with continued success, winning awards for best reo Māori programming.

In 2024, she became the Head of News and Current Affairs for the Māori Television Service. Under her tenure, the newsroom won more awards than in its entire previous 10 years. Maramena has been the Director of Content, Director of Marketing and Director of Partnerships for Whakaata Māori, responsible for all programming; marketing and communications; statutory reporting to government; media law, negotiations and stakeholder relationships.

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