Staff, Board & Tutors

Sione Tu’itahi

Executive Director of the Health Promotion Forum of New Zealand, RunangaWhakapiki Ake I Te Hauora o Aotearoa.

Ph (09) 300 3733

Skype: sione.tuitahi.hpf

Sione Tu’itahi is the Executive Director of the Health Promotion Forum of New Zealand, RunangaWhakapiki Ake I Te Hauora o Aotearoa. An educator, writer, and international health promotion leader, his areas of interest in health promotion include planetary health, determinants of health, human rights, community development, public policy, and workforce development.

Sione joined the forum in 2005 after six years as Pacific Manager at the Auckland RegionalPublic Health Service. He has also taught at a number of tertiary educational institutions. For more than 10 years he led the building of Pacific capacity at Massey University. A former journalist and broadcaster, Sione is the author of a number of books, academic papers, and children’s stories. As a voluntary community worker, he is a member of several national advisory groups in the education, health, and community sectors.

At the international level, he has been an advisor to a number of World Health Organization (WHO) initiatives, a key-note speaker and presenter at conferences, and is a member of the first Unicef Global Think Tank, 2022. Sione was the Vice President (2013-2019) of the International Union for Health Promotion and education (IUHPE) for the southwest Pacific region. He is a current member of the global executive Board of IUHPE, and its Vice-President for Communications, the first Indigenous person from the Pacific region to be elected to the role. IUHPE is an umbrella organisation for health promotion professionals and institutions throughout the world. Under his leadership, HPF successfully co-hosted the 23 rd World Conference on Health Promotion in Rotorua in 2019 with IUHPE. This was the largest public health conference to be held in Aotearoa New Zealand. He was also instrumental in establishing HPF as a national accreditation organisation under theIUHPE global framework for health promotion accreditation in 2021. In recognition of his significant contributions to health promotion and public health at the national and international levels, Sione was given the 2019 New Zealand Public Health Champion Award by the Public Health Association.

Leanne Eruera

Deputy Executive Director - Corporate Services

Contact: leanne@hauora.co.nz

Ph (09) 300 3735

Skype: leanne.eruera.hpf

Leanne is our Deputy Executive Director (Corporate Services). A member of Chartered Accountants Australia, New Zealand, Leanne also holds legal executive and human resource qualifications.

With close to 20 years combined experience in various business, and finance roles in the commercial and not for profit sectors, she has contributed at senior levels in areas of strategic planning, accounting and finance, system and business efficiencies, human resources, contracting, and project management. Leanne is particularly interested in Maori health, social and economic issues, and values the excellent leadership that HPF practises, under the principles of Te Tiritii o Waitangi and the Ottawa Charter.

Viliami Kulikefu Puloka

Deputy Executive Director Health Promotion (with Portfolio in Pacific Island development)

Contact: Viliami@hauora.co.nz

Ph (09) 300 3737

Viliami is our Deputy Executive Director (Health Promotion). He also holds the portfolio for Pacific Health Promotion. He joined us in June 2014. A Public health physician with a special interest in diabetes and obesity, Viliami brings with him a wealth of Pacific experience; combining his clinical skills and his Public health knowledge. He has gained a broad social and cultural appreciation from working with the diverse and unique islands of the Pacific. He has a strong multi-sectoral experience and programmatic approach in capacity building, project management and community development. Most recently, Viliami came from the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) based in New Caledonia. Supporting and working with the 22 Pacific Island countries and territories, he led the fight against non-communicable diseases.

Before that, Viliami worked as a clinician, as well as looking after the public health programmes in the outer islands of Tonga. He was the first director of health promotion and non-communicable disease at the Government of Tonga. Viliami has an MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) from the University of Papua New Guinea and a MPH (Masters in Public Health) in Health Education/Health Promotion from the University of Hawaii. He is also a Research Fellow at the School of Public Health, Otago University.

Sunila Mani

Business Manager

Contact: accounts@hauora.co.nz

Ph (09) 300 3738

Sunila Mani joined HPF in January 2019. Originally from Fiji she migrated to New Zealand in early 1996 with her family, two sons and her husband. Sunila is a qualified and experienced accountant with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business, majoring in accountancy.

Sunila has extensive knowledge and experience in business management and taxation and has held various senior positions in accounting, management, finance and office manager roles in a non-profitable organisation and other commercial sectors in New Zealand, Australia and Fiji. Sunila enjoys yoga, meditation and going for long walks that connect her to nature. She strongly believes in supportive community, healthy-eating lifestyle and routine exercise that will improve overall health and wellbeing.

Emma Frost (Te Rarawa, Ngati Kuri)

Health Promotion Activities Coordinator & Office Manager

Contact: emma@hauora.co.nz

Ph (09) 3003734

Emma joined HPF in January 2011 as Office Administrator and now holds the position of Health Promotion Activities Coordinator. She brings with her a wide mix of administrative, project management, community development and governance skills.

Emma has applied her international, national and community experiences in supporting social justice issues and education with particular emphasis on Māori aspirations. Her previous roles in the adult education and community health sectors provides a natural fit to the work of the Health Promotion Forum of New Zealand and supports her interest in social determinants and rights to health. With various voluntary roles within the Māori Women’s Welfare League, her local marae and, until recently, the Alternatives to Violence Project Aotearoa Emma continues an active role in furthering her ambitions for a fair and equitable society.

Mereana Te Pere (Waitaha, Tapuika, Ngāti Ranginui)

Māori Health Promotion Strategist

Contact: Mereana@hauora.co.nz

Ph: (09) 300 3739

Mereana has recently joined the team as a Māori Health Promotion Strategist after working for The Department of Corrections within the prison system and as a Sport and Health Kaiako through Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.

She comes to our organisation having worked predominantly in the education sector with Māori and rangatahi. Her professional and personal aspirations have centred around developing and advocating for strategies that achieve educational success for Māori, with a focus on supporting Māori learners disenfranchised from traditional methods of schooling and learning. Her future goals are in elevating the skills and knowledge of the work force to better meet the health needs and rights of Māori communities and whānau. Through health promotion Mereana aims to enable Māori communities to achieve a more sustainable and better quality of life.

Lavinia Ngatoko

Communications Advisor

Contact: lavinia@hauora.co.nz

Ph (09) 300 3730

Lavinia joined HPF as Communications Advisor in 2018. Lavinia who is of Fijian/Scottish ethnicity brings more than 20 years of professional experience in public relations and the media, where she has worked in television and print, to her role. Most recently Lavinia was a sub-editor for Pagemasters NZ (Australian Associated Press) where she worked on News Corp (Australia) and NZME’s regional newspapers. Lavinia is keen to utilise her communications knowledge and skills on advancing the health and wellbeing of all peoples and communities. A mother of two, Lavinia is an avid nature and animal lover who keeps fit by taking long walks with her dog.

HPF Board

Mark Simiona - Chair

Kia orana tatou katoatoa. Mark Simiona joined the Otara Health Charitable Trust in September 2012. He has a National Certificate in Public Sector Services (Leadership Development – Middle Management) and a National Certificate in First Line Management and worked for 2 years with the Salvation Army as a Family Store Manager and 14 years working with the Ministry of Social Development for Work and Income as a senior Service Centre Manager. Mark brings a variety of skills and knowledge including his strengths in leadership, people management, technical aptitude and staff development. Born in Hamilton, New Zealand he is from the beautiful island of Aitutaki in the Cook Islands. He is married with four children and two grandchildren.

Fay Selby-Law - Deputy Chair & Te Komiti Māori Chair
Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Raukawa ki te tonga

A background in nursing last century with a nearly 20 year commitment to caring for babies in the neo natal unit of Palmerston North Hospital, Fay has also worked in Whānau Ora including supporting teenagers having baby’s for her Te Runanga o Raukawa, followed by quit coaching in the Quit for our Kid programme, Quit Smoking Services and latterly Te Ohu Auahi Mutunga, a collective of Iwi and Māori providers in the MidCentral DHB region. During this period she also worked as a health promoter in the MidCentral Community Paediatric Team and completed a research project with Te Whare Rapuora enquiring as to why Māori do not attend outpatient clinic appointments at Palmerston North Hospital at a rate equivalent to that of non-Māori. Currently she is with Hāpai Te Hauora in their National SUDI Prevention Coordination Service travelling between her home in Palmerston North, office in Henderson, Auckland and where ever the need takes her. A mother of four and kuia to six, Fay is currently on the Netball Central Zone Board (home of the Pulse netball team), is a member of her marae (Ngatokowaru) committee, her hapū of Ngāti Pareraukawa representative on the Raukawa District Māori Council and chair of Te Rau o te Aroha – 28 th Māori Battalion Memorial Hall committee.

Sharon Kennedy-Muru - Secretary

Sharon is the Health Improvement Manager at Toi Te Ora Public health Unit for the Bay of Plenty and Lakes District Health Boards. Sharon has expertise in population health, health promotion, policy development, communication, organisational development and management. She is passionate about seeing every child reach their potential, and having studied both education and public health, understands the importance that partnerships between health, schools and communities play in achieving this. Sharon has three children aged 21, 16 and 15 years.

Grace Wong - Treasurer

Dr Grace Wong followed up her prior research about Asian youth smoking by completing her PhD research “Family influences on Asian youth smoking in the context of culture and migration to New Zealand” in 2014.

She undertook a comprehensive analysis of health policy and migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in New Zealand for MIPEX. Dr Grace Wong is a part-time senior lecturer in Nursing, Associate of the Centre for Migrant and Refugee Research at AUT since 2014, and a research officer for the Centre for Health and Safety Research at AUT since 2020. She is the director and founder of Smokefree Nurses Aoteaora/New Zealand which was funded by the Ministry of Health from 2009 – 2016.

Te Rukutia

Ko Taranaki te Maunga,

Ko Ngati Ruanui me Ngaruahine ngā IwiKo Araukuuku te Hapū

Ko Te Rukutia Tongaawhikau tōku ingoa

Ko Kaitiakitanga PG Dip In Prof Bi cultural Supervision, me Integrated Dip Marketing Comms ōku tohu mātauranga

He Kaiwhakarite ahau mo PGF Services

1For over 15 years Te Rukutia, alongside her whānau have supported mauhere on their journey of reintegration. Reconnecting individuals, families and wider community to Māori culture and nurturing respectful relationships within Taranaki; through community events and wānanga. An active member of her Hapū and Pā , from grassroots, to committees and seeking redress from the crown.

Te Rukutia joined the Department of Corrections as Advisor Māori and received the Silver Award for her contributions to the establishment of a new indigenous intervention; rehabilitating women through culture and Mana-Enhancing service “Te Mana Wāhine – The Unique Power of Women”. Te Rukutia soon became Senior Advisor Kaupapa Māori Supervisor of the Northern Region; where she focused on developing cultural capability, bi-cultural practice across frontline teams.

Te Rukutia is a qualified Kaitiaki in Professional Bi-cultural Supervision, having developed an indigenous applied practice model “Tatari Ake” and continues to support the Kaitiakitanga program for Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. She is currently applying these skills and knowledge as the Kaiwhakarite for the Problem Gambling Foundation in supporting the delivery of Mana-Enhancing Service and lead Public Health for PGF Services.

Selah Hart

Ngāti Kuia, Ngati Apa Ki Te Ra To, Ngai Tahu, Rangitane ki Wairau, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa.

Selah Hart is currently the Chief Executive Officer for Hāpai Te Hauora. She has both high level governance and strategic leadership skills and experience as well as a genuine commitment to, and connection with the community. Selah’s strategic acumen has been evident through her capable stewardship of Hāpai first as a senior leadership team member, then Chief Operations Officer, and now as CEO.

She has been at the forefront of defining Hāpai’s strategic goals which have included successfully expanding a regional public health organisation to one which holds four national contracts delivering for all New Zealanders. As a key member of a number of public health collectives for Hāpai, Selah has developed a broad and deep understanding of the New Zealand health sector and has strong relationships with all of the key stakeholders. This includes most large mainstream, Māori and pacific services that focus on Public Health across Aotearoa. As a key senior leader within a Māori-led organisation, Selah has always worked within a kaupapa Māori framework with a commitment to the principles of Te Tiriti. Finally, Selah has an authentic and demonstrated commitment to delivering for community members.

Dr Karyn Maclennan

Karyn is a lecturer in Hauora Māori, based in the Ngāi Tahu Māori Health Research Unit at the University of Otago. Her research is focused on Māori health and health inequities, and she has worked with whānau and communities on issues including type 2 diabetes, cancer supportive care, and mental health.

She has a background in optimal use of medicines and has worked in this area at the Ministry of health and in academia. Karyn is passionate about using creative, accessible, and engaging methods of communication to empower communities to have confident discussions and to make informed and positive decisions about their health and well-being. In this regard, she leads a kanohi-ki-te-kanohi community engagement programme that uses interactive, visual, hands-on resources to support young people and their whānau to have confident conversations and make informed choices about their use of medicines, and to build greater capacity to actively participate in addressing health issues in their communities and in society more generally.

Karyn has 3 children, is embedded in community, and is a member of Taranaki iwi ki Ōtepoti ohu, whose purpose is to facilitate connection of Taranaki iwi uri living in the Otago/Southland region with each other, and with their Taranakitanga.

Richard Rangi Wallace QSM - Kaumatua

“A healthy community is a wealthy community.”

Richard affiliates to nga iwi o Waitaha and Ngaitahu. He brings over 12 years national experience in various roles working with the RNZAF, Department of Maori Affairs, Internal Affairs, Maori Women’s Welfare League, Like Minds Like Mine to name just a few. He has been with the Health Promotion Forum of NZ for a number of years at a governance level.

At a regional and local level, the Ven. Wallace is the Anglican Church Bishop o Te Wai Pounamu, Trustee of Westcoast PHO, on the WCDHB Hospital Advisory Committee, Westcoast Marine Protection Forum, Executive of the Runanga o Makaawhio and other committees related to justice and health.

Term of HPF Board members

Tutors

Sione Tu’itahi

Director of the Health Promotion Forum of New Zealand, RunangaWhakapiki Ake I Te Hauora o Aotearoa.

Contact: Sione@hauora.co.nz Ph (09) 300 3733 Skype: sione.tuitahi.hpf

Sione Tu’itahi is the Executive Director of the Health Promotion Forum of New Zealand, RunangaWhakapiki Ake I Te Hauora o Aotearoa. An educator, writer, and international health promotion leader, his areas of interest in health promotion include planetary health, determinants of health, human rights, community development, public policy, and workforce development.

Sione joined the forum in 2005 after six years as Pacific Manager at the Auckland RegionalPublic Health Service. He has also taught at a number of tertiary educational institutions. For more than 10 years he led the building of Pacific capacity at Massey University. A former journalist and broadcaster, Sione is the author of a number of books, academic papers, and children’s stories.

As a voluntary community worker, he is a member of several national advisory groups in the education, health, and community sectors. At the international level, he has been an advisor to a number of World Health Organization (WHO) initiatives, a key-note speaker and presenter at conferences, and is a member of the first Unicef Global Think Tank, 2022. Sione was the Vice President (2013-2019) of the International Union for Health Promotion and education (IUHPE) for the southwest Pacific region. He is a current member of the global executive Board of IUHPE, and its Vice-President for Communications, the first Indigenous person from the Pacific region to be elected to the role. IUHPE is an umbrella organisation for health promotion professionals and institutions throughout the world. Under his leadership, HPF successfully co-hosted the 23 rd World Conference on Health Promotion in Rotorua in 2019 with IUHPE. This was the largest public health conference to be held in Aotearoa New Zealand. He was also instrumental in establishing HPF as a national accreditation organisation under theIUHPE global framework for health promotion accreditation in 2021. In recognition of his significant contributions to health promotion and public health at the national and international levels, Sione was given the 2019 New Zealand Public Health Champion Award by the Public Health Association.

Viliami Kulikefu Puloka

Senior Health Strategist (with Portfolio in Pacific Island development)

Contact: Viliami@hauora.co.nz

Ph (09) 300 3737

Viliami is our Deputy Executive Director (Health Promotion). He also holds the portfolio for Pacific Health Promotion. He joined us in June 2014. A Public health physician with a special interest in diabetes and obesity, Viliami brings with him a wealth of Pacific experience; combining his clinical skills and his Public health knowledge. He has gained a broad social and cultural appreciation from working with the diverse and unique islands of the Pacific. He has a strong multi-sectoral experience and programmatic approach in capacity building, project management and community development. Most recently, Viliami came from the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) based in New Caledonia. Supporting and working with the 22 Pacific Island countries and territories, he led the fight against non-communicable diseases.Before that, Viliami worked as a clinician, as well as looking after the public health programmes in the outer islands of Tonga. He was the first director of health promotion and non-communicable disease at the Government of Tonga. Viliami has an MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) from the University of Papua New Guinea and a MPH (Masters in Public Health) in Health Education/Health Promotion from the University of Hawaii. He is also a Research Fellow at the School of Public Health, Otago University.

Mereana Te Pere (Waitaha, Tapuika, Ngāti Ranginui)

Māori Health Promotion Strategist

Contact: Mereana@hauora.co.nz

Ph: (09) 300 3739

Mereana has recently joined the team as a Māori Health Promotion Strategist after working for The Department of Corrections within the prison system and as a Sport and Health Kaiako through Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.

She comes to our organisation having worked predominantly in the education sector with Māori and rangatahi. Her professional and personal aspirations have centred around developing and advocating for strategies that achieve educational success for Māori, with a focus on supporting Māori learners disenfranchised from traditional methods of schooling and learning. Her future goals are in elevating the skills and knowledge of the work force to better meet the health needs and rights of Māori communities and whānau. Through health promotion Mereana aims to enable Māori communities to achieve a more sustainable and better quality of life.

Sue Taylor

Ko Te Maipi räua ko Tararua oku Maunga
Ko Wairaka räua ko Waiwiri oku Awa
Ko Takitimu räua ko Tainui oku Waka
Ko Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa räua
ko Nga Rakawa ki te Tonga oku Iwi
Ko Ngai Tumapuhia-a-rangi räua ko Ngāti Kikopiri toku Hāpū
Ko Hiwaru Kahu Paku oku matua
Ko Sue Taylor taku ingoa

Sue is a company director of T&T Consulting Limited. She has a background in training, facilitation and co-ordination primarily in Māori Tobacco Control and smoking cessation. Before moving into the tobacco sector she worked in AOD and Social Services. Her involvement with hāpu and iwi development is of paramount importance as is spending quality time with immediate and extended whānau, particularly mokopuna.

Sue lives in Horowhenua and favourite R&R is spending time at her marae at Riversdale Beach located on the Wairapapa coast.

Advisors

Anne Ratliff

(Dip.Business P.M.E.R) - Human Resources Consultant

Anne works alongside the HPF Executive Director with a key focus on managing organisational change in order to implement business objectives in line with strategic plans. She also advises on employment relations executive and governance issues.She says “With extensive experience and a strong track record across the not profit, public and private sectors my contribution will help you to implement effective ‘people’ strategies in order to take your organisation forward. I am challenged by the complexity organisations face in providing high quality professional services with limited resources whilst meeting and exceeding the expectations of funding authorities, customers and other stakeholders.”Anne can be contacted on her mobile phone 021 283 3262

Avril Stott

Accountant and Financial Advisor (MA (Sociology)

For over 20 years Avril has been working as a small business advisor for the self-employed, small to medium companies and non-profit organisations. Her philosophy is to combine business solutions with community values. Avril works with a variety of non-profit organisations providing services and training that allows them to fulfil their potential in supporting their community. She is currently a guest lecturer for Unitec Community Development Department in the topics of Financial Management and Accountabilities. Avril can be contacted by email avril@sideline.co.nz

Margot Nicholson (LLB,G.Dip.NFPMngt) – Legal and NFP Adviser

Margot Nicholson has worked with the Health Promotion Forum since 2004 by providing legal and strategic advice to both the Executive Director and the Board. She works with a variety of not for profits and has a particular passion for working with great organisations and resolving challenges in a way that strengthens the organisation and its people.

She says “I love working with the Forum and sharing the skills and resources that I have. I believe in the work that they are doing and support them as much as I can. The commitment of the Executive Director, her team and the Board makes working with them a privilege.”

Contact Margot by email margot@nfpworks.co.nz or
by phone 09 303 2178 / 09 303 2178

Academic Reference Group

The Academic Reference Group provides academic advice about key areas of HPF work and developments in the field of health promotion.

Dr. Sari Andajani-Sutjahjo

Dr. Sari Andajani-Sutjahjo attained her PhD in Public Health, at the Key Centre for Women’s Health in Society (WHO Collaborating Centre), School of Population Health, the University of Melbourne. Her doctoral project was conducted in Indonesia examining the experiences of motherhood and determinants of women’s emotional wellbeing in early motherhood. She has been a recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship, the British Chevening Scholarship, the Delta Kappa Gamma Women Scholarship and the AusAID Scholarship. In the past 20 years, Sari has worked in a number of appointments including teaching and research, community health and development and health promotion with multi-disciplinary and international teams in Indonesia, USA, Australia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Currently she is a senior lecturer at the Department of Community Health Development, at AUT University. She is a Member of the Ka Mau Te Wero Board and has worked closely with Tamaki community in the past 4 years. Sari was one of the recipients of the Lottery Community Research Sector Grant (2010-2012) conducting Random Household Survey and Assets Mapping Project with the Tamaki urban community in Auckland. Findings of this research will be used to inform the next 5-year Strategic Plan of social and community development in Tamaki communities. She has published in a number of peer-review international journals including the Qualitative Health Research Journal, Reproductive Health Matters, and Culture, Psychiatry and Medicine, and The Asia Pacific Journal of Anthropology. Sari has particular interests in human rights and health promotion, international health, women’s health and emotional wellbeing, reproductive and sexual health and gender based violence.

Richard Egan

Richard Egan is a senior lecturer in health promotion, based in the Cancer Society Social and Behavioural Research Unit, Department of Preventive & Social Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago. His background includes five years working as a health promoter / professional advisor in a Public Health Unit and five years secondary school teaching. Richard’s Master’s thesis examined spirituality in New Zealand state schools, his PhD thesis explored spirituality in end-of-life care and he has qualifications in theology, English literature, religious studies, and public health. Richard’s academic interests centre on supportive care in cancer, health promotion and the place of spirituality in health and well-being. Richard is a mixed methods researcher, with a particular focus on qualitative research. Richard is a past-president of the NZ Public Health Association.

Dr. Lian Wu

Associate Professor Lian Wu (BMed, MHSc, PhD) is the Major Leader of Health Promotion (Unitec). He is also a visiting professor of Fudan University (Shanghai, China) and has 20 year research and teaching experience (University of Auckland) in respiratory diseases, disease prevention and public health. So far, he has published more than 25 journal articles and two books in health related fields. His researches were previously funded by HRC, AMRF, Lottery Health, Chinese Natural Fund etc.

Rachel Simon Kumar - Lecturer

Associate Professor Rachel Simon-Kumar teaches Health Promotion at the University of Auckland. She has previously held lecturing positions at the University of Waikato and Victoria University of Wellington and worked in policy research in Wellington. She has degrees in Psychology (Univ. of Kerala, India), Development Studies (JNU, New Delhi), and Women’s Studies/Public Policy (Univ. of Waikato). Her research interests include gender and policy, Third World development, reproductive health, ethnicity, and state-community engagement. She is currently co-editor of the Women’s Studies Journal of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Reference Groups

Interns over the past years

At the HPF we enjoy a wonderful, and mutually beneficial relationship with our interns, who join us for periods ranging from three to six months. During their time they gain experience in the profession or conduct invaluable research to help shine a light on the many aspects of health promotion.

Ancy Paul Ancy came on board as an intern at HPF in December 2014. When she wase studying for a post graduate diploma in Public Health from the Auckland University of Technology, North Shore Campus. Her background in management and as a homeopathic doctor has afforded her a wealth of experience in working with people from all walks of life. Ancy is also a passionate public health volunteer. “I am indebted to the HPF team for offering me an internship opportunity,” said Ancy in the report at the end of her internship. “It has enlightened my perspective on the health promotion sector of New Zealand. It has also given me a rare opportunity to connect with public health champions in New Zealand. Each and every member in the HPF has been a storehouse of years of experience and expertise in health promotion.” Ancy has written a number of essays and articles in her native language, Malayalam, for which she won a number of awards at her graduation. She has also presented a research paper: “The efficacy of treating cancer with homoeopathy” at two Science Congresses in 2010 and 2011. She is mother to a two year old boy and comes from Kochi, a city in Kerala state, India. She enjoys Bollywood dancing and is a firm believer in dancing as a health promoting tool.

Teresa Xu Teresa joined HPF in early June 2014 and was with us for six months, to research and create tools for health promotion for Asian populations. Teresa is in her final year studying the Masters of Public Health at the University of Auckland. Her thesis topic was around how Chinese young people viewed and practiced gambling, and what social and cultural influences had on their gambling views and practices. She is passionate about helping others, especially about helping others in improving their health, and she also has an interest in improving the health of the Asian population.

Emily Arps Our South Island intern Emily joined us in May 2014. During her time with us, Emily will be looking into the resilience and response of health promotion workers and services in Christchurch following the earthquakes. Emily has a Bachelor of Arts in education and psychology, and is currently completing a Master of Health Science at the University of Canterbury. For her thesis, she is researching the effect of gratitude intervention on youth mental health. Emily has lived in Christchurch since she was a young child. Her strong passion for health promotion comes from personal experience, a passion for helping others and her studies.

Ina Becker It was New Zealand’s reputation for best practice in health promotion that drew German student Ina Becker to the Health Promotion Forum in 2013. Beginning her five-month internship with HPF in September, Ina relished the opportunity to gain practical experience in the field. “It was great to get to know some of the health promoters working in the community,” she enthused. Working on an assignment for her university exploring the Māori health promotion model `TePaeMahutonga´, Ina’s main goal here was to learn more about health promotion approaches. She also enjoyed experiencing a lifestyle that is somewhat different to that in her German home town of Frechen. In June 2014 Ina graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Health Communication from the University of Bielefeld. She is now studying for a Masters in Prevention and Health Promotion or Public Health, while she plans another visit to Aotearoa New Zealand.

Hannah Duncan Hannah joined the HPF in late July 2013 to research the public health response of developed countries to refugees and asylum seekers. Her work had a particular focus on New Zealand, in light of recent policy changes here and in the Pacific region. We are very much looking forward to seeing the result of this work, which promises to reveal some interesting (if sometimes uncomfortable) truths about the way we support this vulnerable group both here and overseas. Hannah was in her fourth (postgraduate) year at the University of Auckland’s Centre for Developmental Studies, where she was studying for a Bachelor of Arts Honours degree in Development Studies.

Rachael Fleming Rachael also joined the HPF in late July 2013. Her work focused on exploring the role of social media in health promotion. She is worked with the Health and Human Rights Group to devise a social media strategy and to expand their social media presence. Rachael created a basic website, as well as creating an effective process of regular and relevant communications via Facebook and Twitter. Like Hannah, Rachael was also in her fourth year, studying for a Bachelor of Arts Honours (postgraduate) degree in Development Studies at Auckland University.

Maori

Matariki a time for reflection and celebration

June 23, 2021

Matariki: Te Tau Hou Māori is one of our favourite times of the year and a chance for whanau and friends to reflect on the past, celebrate the present...

4

Maori

Healthcare system reforms welcomed

April 22, 2021

HPF has welcomed Government’s plans to revamp and strengthen the healthcare system to provide more equitable and better health care for all New Zealan...

13

Maori

Programme boosts rangatahi wellbeing

December 10, 2020

A health and wellbeing programme designed to support rangatahi to enhance their hauora and develop a sense of identity and belonging was successfully ...

5

Maori

Being a Māori health promoter, more than just a job

October 15, 2020

Now more than ever we are able to put a spotlight on tough topics and hold people accountable so we can create a fairer society for everyone, writes H...

7

Maori

Reflecting on a decade with HPF

October 15, 2020

The significant contribution that Trevor Simpson has made over the past decade to HPF, Maori health promotion and the world was reflected on at a fare...

2

Maori

Celebrating Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori

September 15, 2020

“Ko taku reo tāku ohooho, ko taku reo tāku māpihi mauria.” Koinei tētahi o ngā whakataukī ka pēnei mai te Māori. E ai ki ngā korero, ki nga whakaaro h...

3

Maori

New action plan to boost Māori health and wellbeing

August 4, 2020

A new action plan that will help to achieve better health outcomes for Māori has been welcomed by HPF. Whakamaua: Māori Health Action Plan 2020-2025 i...

10

Maori

Mātauranga Framework positive

July 28, 2020

The launch by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) of its Mātauranga Framework is a positive step towards recognising the role of indigenous k...

3

Maori

Health promoter isolated in Matakohe

April 20, 2020

When HPF’s Executive Director, Trevor Simpson and his wife Vanessa decided to make a radical change to their career-based lifestyle, sell up and take ...

8

Maori

Tweet inspires anti-racism event

March 6, 2020

An inaugural anti-racism, Te Tiriti o Waitangi and decolonisation online and offline open-access event to be held this month was inspired by a tweet f...

5

Maori

Waitangi Day a time for reflection

February 4, 2020

Waitangi Day on Thursday, February 6 marks 180 years since the signing of Te Tiriti O Waitangi (Treaty of Waitangi) and is a time to reflect on our na...

2

Competencies

Health Promotion and Organisational Transformation- a formal training approach

December 5, 2019

HPF’s Executive Director Trevor Simpson discusses the importance of organisation-wide training The success of an organisation often rests on the skill...

3

Maori

Stats show speaking Te Reo protects against alcohol harm

November 1, 2019

A report into hazardous drinking in New Zealand reveals that Māori who drink alcohol and live in deprived circumstances are less likely to have a harm...

3

Maori

Māori leaders recognised

October 23, 2019

HPF commends a new initiative by Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga (NPM) New Zealand’s Māori Centre of Research Excellence to celebrate and recognise the caree...

4

Global

Matariki a new framework for the future

July 11, 2019

Twenty years after introducing “Te Pae Mahutonga” as a framework for health promotion in New Zealand at an HPF conference in 1999, Sir Mas...

7

Global

Indigenous health promotion- guiding principles for planetary wellbeing

July 10, 2019

HPF’s Deputy Executive Director Trevor Simpson, one of the principal architects of the Waiora Indigenous Statement reflects on its significance ...

2

Global

Indigenous leadership high on the agenda

November 29, 2018

By Trevor Simpson In April next year Aotearoa New Zealand will welcome the global health promotion workforce to Rotorua City for what is arguably the ...

8

Maori

He Rīpoata Karahipi – HPF Scholarship Report

September 13, 2018

I tēnei tau ka tū tētehi o ngā mahi whakapakari o HPF ki Tāmaki Makaurau, arā , ko tō mātou Certificate of Achievement in Introducing Health Promotion...

3

Maori

Kiwis urged to celebrate Te Reo Maori

September 11, 2018

All New Zealanders are being encouraged to take part in Māori Language Week which launched on September 10. Nau mai ki Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori – ...

4

Maori

History of mana wahine celebrated

August 29, 2018

As Emma Frost walked out of Te Papa where she had just shared about her tupuna Meri Te Tai Mangakahia she felt cleansed and reinvigorated. “Moving out...

5

Maori

Adrian Te Patu: adapting to the environment

May 23, 2017

Health Promotion Forum is privileged to have had a brief catch-up with Adrian Te Patu. Adrian is a past board member of our organisation and is curren...

14

Maori

Te Tiriti o Waitangi is a ‘professional imperative’

September 13, 2016

A new paper, published in UK publication Ethnicity and Health in June, indicates we have a way to go to address ongoing inequities for Māori and other...

16

Case Studies

Te Kōpae Piripono: early childhood education based whanau intervention

March 27, 2016

Te Kōpae Piripono is a successful whānau intervention based in Taranaki. Te Pou Tiringa and the National Centre for Lifecourse Research, University o...

3

Maori

Māori under-represented in the medical workforce: survey

February 3, 2016

According to the New Zealand Medical Workforce survey released in late January 2016, Māori are under-represented in the medical workforce, when compar...

10

Equality

Towards Health Equity – putting tools in the kete

October 13, 2015

In October 2015 HPF’s Deputy Executive Director Trevor Simpson and Senior Health Strategist, Dr Viliami Puloka together presented to a multi-sec...

8

Case Studies

Health promotion is at the heart of Hapai te Hauora

October 7, 2015

Zoe Aroha Martin-Hawke is National Manager – Te Ara Ha Ora: Māori Tobacco Control Leadership service at Hapai Te Hauora. Jo Lawrence-King find...

8

Community

Health Promotion: Enlightenment, engagement and empowerment

September 13, 2015

Health Promotion: Enlightenment, engagement and empowerment View the powerpoint presentations from a workshop with Professor Sir Mason Durie on 17 Sep...

9

Equality

Indigenous health gap – social determinants key

July 29, 2015

A feature article on an Australian TV website has highlighted the issue of the indigenous health gap; an issue that echoes the situation of Māori here...

8

Maori

Māori Health Promotion: five important facets for building the discipline

May 7, 2015

Five key elements, outlined in a 2010 paper by Dr Mihi Ratima remain imperative to the success of Māori health promotion today. Commiss...

10

Maori

Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Health Promotion – a partnership in progress.

April 21, 2015

By celebrating and realising indigenous Māori elements of te Tiriti health promotion, HPF and its members are striving to be at the cutt...

6

Maori

Working with communities to participate in the submission process

January 12, 2015

This guide helps communities have a voice in the submission process. Produced by Regional Public Health, it gives advice and tips for health promoters...

3

Equality

Improving Access to Primary Care for Māori and Pacific Peoples

December 30, 2014

This literature review, commissioned by the former Health Funding Authority in December 2000, examined the most relevant literature on strategies that...

3

Maori

“Mauri ora!” Strong endorsement of population health from Tariana Turia

July 15, 2014

Outgoing co-leader of the Maori Party, the Honourable Tariana Turia, signalled her support for public health and health promotion this week. In a hea...

2

Community

Chatham Islands provide excellent health promotion model

April 2, 2014

In a recent Health and Social Needs report prepared by Litmus Ltd for the Ministry of Health the Chatham Island community was described as havi...

1

Maori

Hauora: one of the motivators behind Te Tiriti o Waitangi

February 6, 2014

Every year Waitangi Day provides a useful basis to reflect on our nationhood and the common historical grounds that brought us all together. At the sa...

3

Family and child

Whanau Ora: a model for people around the world

February 4, 2014

A speech to parliament on Wednesday 28 January 2014 by Minister Tariana Turia has highlighted the groundswell of support for Whanau Ora as a mo...

6

Global

HPF making its mark on world health agendas

December 18, 2013

HPF – and New Zealand – is making a significant contribution to world health agendas. Its most recent input was to the scientific ...

2

Equality

Reducing Inequality: A Strategy for a Cause

December 14, 2013

Bruce Jesson Lecture 2013 “Assertive, if not aggressive approach” called for by the Right Hon Sir Edmund Thomas Retired Court Appe...

2

Competencies

Mental health workforce: training in Māori health models needed

November 12, 2013

Māori mental health patients are twice as likely as non-Māori to be put into seclusion. Workforce development has been identified as on...

3

Maori

Maori public health leaders agree three areas for action

October 15, 2013

Three key project areas were agreed at a recent hui taumata (summit) of Māori Public Health Leaders at Te Ohāki Marae in Huntly. The three agre...

6

Global

New Zealand health promotion held up as international best practice

September 30, 2013

Health promotion programmes in Aotearoa New Zealand were held up as models of best practice in August at the annual conference of the world’s most hig...

3

Economics

Another R Word: Recession

September 13, 2012

1

Community

He Mara Kai (the food garden)

September 13, 2011

He Mara Kai (the food garden) is an initiative focusing on good nutrition and physical activity by supporting Kohanga Reo (Māori speaking early childh...

1

Family and child

Whānau Ora

September 13, 2011

7

Maori

Te Pae Mahutonga: Mason Durie

January 1, 2011

[pdf-embedder url=”http://hauora.info/hauora/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/maori_health_model_tepaemahutonga.pdf”] Te Pae Mahut...

4

Maori

Te Wheke: Rose Pere

January 1, 2011

Another model of Māori health is based on Te Wheke, the octopus and the eight tentacles that collectively contribute to waiora or total wellbeing. Vie...

4

Maori

Te Whare Tapa Whā: Mason Durie

January 1, 2011

The four cornerstones (or sides) of Māori health are whānau (family health) tinana (physical health) hinengaro (mental health) and wairua (spiritual h...

7

Equality

Te Tiriti o Waitangi

October 25, 2010

Te Tiriti o Waitangi has been identified as the founding document of Aotearoa and the key to health promotion in this country.

2

Maori

TUHANZ (Treaty Understanding of Hauora in Aotearoa New Zealand)

September 13, 2010

This essential document, produced by HPF in 2002, provides understanding of the application of te Tiriti o Waitangi in health promotion practice in Ao...

3

Maori

Māori health promotion – a comprehensive definiton and strategic considerations

September 13, 2010

The purpose of this paper is to provide a definition of Māori health promotion and to discuss Māori health promotion strategic issues to inform practi...

3

Maori

TUHA-NZ

June 9, 2010

TUHA-NZ is a framework developed in 2000 to assist health promoters to apply Treaty based thinking and planning to their health promotion practice.

3