Meet our whānau
Dr Erena Wikaire
DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER
Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine, Te Hikutu, Te Kapotai
Erena is a Kaupapa Māori researcher with over 20 years’ experience in Māori and Indigenous health. She is Director of Te Ramaroa Ltd and a Hōhua Tutengaehe Postdoctoral Fellow at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi. Her PhD focused on the re-normalisation of Rongoā Māori, and her Master's explored success factors for Māori and Pacific health students. Erena’s research interests include Rongoā Māori and Indigenous healing, Māori health workforce development, mental health and addiction, and performance sport. She brings deep kaupapa Māori insight and a commitment to transformative research grounded in community, culture, and mātauranga Māori.
Kayla Wikaire-Mackey
KAUPAPA MĀORI RESEARCHER
Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine, Te Kapotai, Tainui, Ngāti Porou
Kayla is a Kaupapa Māori researcher with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Waikato, majoring in Psychology, Kaupapa Māori Psychology, and Māori and Indigenous Studies. With four years’ experience supporting and coordinating Te Ramaroa projects, she brings exceptional insight into rangatahi realities, mental health, digital media engagement, and technology-informed research operations. Kayla is also manager of the Moerewa Tigers Premier League team and leads a current research kaupapa exploring the implementation of whānau wellbeing initiatives through sport-based platforms.
Margaret Wikaire
EXECUTIVE SUPPORT
Margaret is the heart of our operations, with over 30 years’ experience in Māori health, administration, event management, and community development. With Ngāti Hine and the communities of Kawakawa, Moerewa, and the Bay of Islands, she has worked tirelessly to support whānau wellbeing — through roles with Ngāti Hine Health Trust, founding the Kawakawa Community Trust, and serving as a Bay of Islands–Whangaroa Community Board representative. She also contributes to cultural and community initiatives and brings valuable insight to our research. Margaret brings compassion and unwavering commitment - both to our kaupapa and to our whānau as a our mum and Nany.
Dr Jordan Waiti
SENIOR KAUPAPA MĀORI RESEARCHER
Jordan (Ngāti Pikiao, Ngaati Maahanga, Te Rarawa) has been researching and teaching in Māori health and wellbeing for the past 18 years. In 2015 he completed his PhD in Māori Public Health - with a focus on Whānau Resilience. In 2018 he was recognised as one of the 100 Māori Health Leaders. He is a certified PWC Rescue Operator, Surf Instructor and also co-founder of Aotearoa Water Patrol - a Mātauranga Māori-based Water Safety provider.
Shaquille Graham
KAUPAPA MĀORI RESEARCHER
He uri ahau nō Te Arawa me Tainui waka, ā ngā hapū ō Ngāti Rangitihi me Ngaati Maahuta.
I am passionate about the health and wellbeing of my people. I have a purpose and passion for the betterment of Aotearoa and tangata Māori; addressing the multidimensional inequities overwhelming our communities. I believe it is my responsibility as a gate keeper of our next generation to ensure our people, and our communities are given the best foot forward to pae ora. I am grateful for an inherently diverse range of skills that has enabled me to uniquely connect through a plethora of different avenues. These streams of mahi are all rooted in the same fundamental kaupapa - servitude to my people, and the betterment of collective community hauora.
Hinemaukurangi Simpson
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
