He tangata: Our people
Rirpeti Haretuku, Chair
Riripeti is of Ngāpuhi, Tūhoe and Te Arawa descent. She has been actively involved in the development of Maori health for at least 20 years. Her primary aim is to ensure health interventions; services, products and health provision connect with Māori audiences and fit with community expectations and realities. In 2000 Riripeti was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for services to Māori Health.
Riripeti has recently joined Mauriora Associates from her position as the Quality Improvement Manager within the Health Sponsorship Council (HSC). She was responsible for increasing the Māori and Pacific cultural capacity of the HSC and developing their Māori and Pacific responsiveness plan.
Riripeti was the National Māori SIDS Program Coordinator/Director from 1994 to 2008, a comprehensive national health campaign to reduce sudden infant death syndrome in Māori communities, a key tutor for a Maori local Women’s Welfare League branch, to improve the Māori truancy rates within South Auckland colleges, and a tutor at Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT), within the Māori Studies Department.
Riripeti has served two terms with Hauora.com (National Māori health workforce development) and is currently the chairperson. She is also a member of the executive board of Te Whiringa Trust (National Māori community health workers collective). Riripeti has served as a committee member of the National Health Committee, Public Health Advisory Committee, and the National Breastfeeding Committee and she remains a strong advocate for Māori smokefree.
Linda Thompson, Trustee
My work experience is in Māori health, nursing and provider developments. I have been employed in my early career over a period of fifteen years as a clinical general nurse, and a Practice, District and Public Health Nurse, as well as a Nursing Tutor. This background experience was fully utilised in the next phase of my career where my attention focused on Māori health development, particularly in my home and tribal regions of: Whanganui, Southern Taranaki, Rangitikei and Manawatu.
In this twenty years period, I was employed as a Nursing Tutor, Public Health Nurse, Māori Health Director for the Manawatu Whanganui Area Health Board, a Health Professional Advisor for the Ministry of Health Head Office, and a Chief Executive for two major Māori health organisations; one an Iwi Health Authority and service provider; the other a Māori Development Organisation and Primary Health Organisation, having been actively involved in leading the establishment of both these entities.
During this time I also took the opportunity to establish my own limited liability company and have traded as a Health Management Consultant since 1995. Since 2008 I have been involved in the establishment of the first kaupapa Māori Nursing degree programme in the country and project lead its accreditation achievement through Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi. Following this I have been engaged on a diverse range of Projects from assisting the wānanga with the ongoing development of the nursing programme and currently chair of it’s Nursing Advisory Group; to managing the project for Māori ‘Do Not Attend’s’ with the Auckland District Health Board Maori Health Unit – He Kamaka Oranga.
I currently manage the (Ministry of Health) Whānau Ora Innovations Project with Te Puna Hauora o Te Raki Paewhenua through its Primary Health Organisation (PHO). I am experienced in governance and executive management roles as well as in health management consultancy, providing advice and specialisation in Māori and health provider developments.
Lynette Stewart, Trustee
Ko Whangarei Terenga Paraoa te moana e hora nei;
Ka tu mai aaku maunga whakahii a Manaia
Me eeraa o roto o Tainui
Ka tu te Ao, tu te po.
Ka titiro atu ki nga iwi, Te Patuharakeke, Ngatiwai me Tainui waka
Me nga marae o aaku tuupuna, mai Takahiwai, mai Whananaki, me Tainui:
Na ka mohio au ki toku heke;
Ko Rini Te Rahui Pita toku Matua
Ko Joan McInnes toku Whaea
Ko puta mai ko ahau e tu nei ki mua I a koutou!
Tihei mauri ora!
Executive positions over the past twenty years have encompassed;
Senior Management, Crippled Children Society, Auckland. 1990-1996.
Chief Executive, Te Tai Tokerau MAPO. 1996 -2011
Governance / Appointments over past twenty years.
Auckland Regional Authority (Board member, Yellow Bus Company.1992-1995
Northland District Health Board, Deputy Chair 2000-2001.
Northland District Health Board, Chair, 2001-2009.
National Health Committee, Board Member, 2000-2008
National Public Health Committee, Board Member 2000- 2008.
Health Workforce Advisory Committee, 2004-2006.
Treaty of Waitangi, Public Information Program Advisory Board.2003-2006.
Community Service.
New Zealand Association of Social Workers- President, 1992-1994.
Te Tai Tokerau Maori Rural Health Training Consortium Board Member- 1998-2011.
Educational Qualifications.
Post.Grad. Dip of Business, 2000. (University of Auckland)
Masters of Management, 2006 (University of Auckland).
Awards.
University of Auckland.
2008. Distinguished Alumni Award
Queens Birthday Honour Award 2006
Companion of the New Zealand Oder of Merit (C.N.Z.M )
University of Auckland Business School 2003
Mira Szazy Maori Business Leadership Award (Inaugural)
Professional Memberships.
Institute of New Zealand Directors Inc. -Member. 2000-2011.
