Ko Te Pūoho ahau - he uri o Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāti Whātua, Ngāti Tama hoki. I was born and raised in Takapūwāhia, Porirua, and have always pursued pathways to create meaningful and real change for Māori communities.

Right across Te Tai Hauāuru, we know times are hard for our whānau. We see it at the petrol pump, and the supermarket, and in our healthcare clinics. But we also see hope. We see it at Matatini, we see it in manukōrero, we see it at our kura and kōhanga reo every day. To uplift Māori communities, we must stay focused. We are here to change this government. And Labour aims to do it by focusing on the big issues in our rohe; our jobs, our health, and our homes.

My diverse background in business, science, board governance, finance and social impact, has all been in the pursuit of this goal.

Challenging what is possible has been the backbone of my journey — from studying at Stanford Business School, to being a Fulbright Scholar, to joining the Obama Foundation Leaders. Those experiences opened my eyes to what’s possible when global best practice is guided by indigenous values. Everywhere I’ve been, I’ve carried our tikanga, our whakapapa, and the belief that Māori solutions, grounded in our own mātauranga, can stand proudly on any world stage.

My passion has always been Māori economic development. I’ve worked alongside iwi and financial institutions to embed indigenous values into investment decisions, and I continue to support Māori entrepreneurs and those in business so our people can thrive in the spaces that shape the future.

Today, I serve as the Kaihautū of Tapuwae Roa, where I help steward a $30 million fund dedicated to creating real, lasting change for all Māori. Our kaupapa is simple: foster Māori identity, invest in Māori potential, back Māori leadership, and build opportunities that uplift whānau and communities.

I’m also an experienced board governor, serving my own iwi, Ngāti Toa, as a trustee, as Chair of a Whānau Ora commissioning agency, Deputy Chair of Trust Tairāwhiti and investment committee member for Te Pae ki te Rangi impact fund.

Across all these roles, my purpose remains the same: to uplift our people, strengthen our communities, and ensure Māori have the resources, opportunities, and support to flourish — not just today, but for the mokopuna to come.