
Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban
Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Pasifika)
Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington. Aotearoa
DipSocWk Wgtn, PGDipDevStud Massey

Dr Lyn Carter
Kai Tahu, Kāti Māmoe, Waitaha, Te Rapuwai
Otago University (Emeritus), Aotearoa
BA, MA and PhD in both Social Anthropology and Māori Studies.

Tokintekai Bakineti
World Bank – Pacific Regional Oceanscape Project, KIRIBATI
Diploma in Tropical Agriculture (USP, Samoa), BSc-Agronomy and Soil Science (Univ. Hawaii), MA (Sussex Univ, UK)

Dr Rebecca Kiddle
Ngāti Porou, Ngā Puhi
Hutt City Council, Aotearoa

Ihaia Puketapu
Te Āti Awa, Ngāti Ruapani, Ngāi Tūhoe
BA Māori Resource Management

Dr Anita Latai-Niusulu
National University of Samoa, Samoa
PhD

Alison Anitawaru Cole
South Taranaki Ngāruahine, Ngāti Ruanui, and Taranaki Whānui
Principal Indigenous Law, Human Rights & Environment Consultant, Aotearoa New Zealand
LLM Graduate Masters in Law, Henigson Fellowship for 1st in Human Rights, Bachelor of Arts in Law, First Class Honours, Graduated 1st in College, 5th in Faculty
My happiest times as a child was working with my Grandfather in his workshop learning the art of whakairo. He worked on the buses his whole life and lived in State Housing in Porirua. Shortly before he died, I was moved into foster care as a ward of State. This period had a profound impact on my life. I gained direct insights on the nature of social injustice and structural inequality. This is a big part of my motivation to contribute to uplifting my community and working to address the challenges of our time. With climate change, we all hold the responsibility to urgently act to preserve our planet for future generations. Te Ao Māori and indigenous worldviews are perhaps the only pathway towards a sustainable future. Through the support of my extended community, I was able to graduate with first class honours from Cambridge University, where I was the first person in the 800 year history of the University to graduate in bare feet, wearing my iwi colours and piupiu. The next year I received my postgraduate degree in law from Harvard Law School as the recipient of the University’s fellowship for the highest grades in the study of human rights. I do my mahi for my Koro and all who will follow us.
Image: My Grandfather carved the wooden waka huia and tiki, the pounamu tiki is from my Māori naming ceremony, and the whalebone tiki was gifted to him from our marae. Gran’s piupiu was gifted to me at my graduation with her pounamu earrings. Our tipuna ancestors are our taonga. Kia ora to Soliders Road Portraits. Mauri Ora!

Willy Missack
National Biodiversity Conservation Specialist and Project Coordinator, Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, Vanuatu
Bachelor of Sciences, Technologies, Health, Specialising in the Life, Earth and Environmental Sciences and Master of Sciences, Technologies, Health, Majoring in Environmental Sciences, Specialising in Integrated Environmental Management

Dave Loubser
Managing Director and Lead consultant, Ecosystem Services Ltd. Aotearoa New Zealand
BSc and BSc (Hons) Wits, MSc (Appl. Sc) , UCT, MRSNZ