Learn more about our qualified and experienced staff
We are happy to announce the growing list of qualified academics that are joining the teaching staff here at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi. We endeavour to offer the best courses taught by qualified and experienced academics. Our academic staff add strength to the value of our offerings and are an important part of our future moving forward.
Read on to learn more about our qualified and experienced academic staff:
Distinguished Professor Graham Smith
CEO/ Vice Chancellor at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi
Distinguished Professor Smith is an internationally renowned and prominent Māori educationalist who has been at the forefront of the alternative Māori initiatives in the education field and beyond. His academic background is within the disciplines of Education, Social Anthropology and Cultural and Policy Studies, with his recent academic work centring upon developing theoretically informed transformative strategies related to intervening in Māori cultural, political, social, educational and economic crises.
Read Graham's full biography
Dr. Wiremu Doherty
Executive Dean
Wiremu comes from a secondary school background, where he was Assistant Principal at Saint Stephen's School until its closure, and prior to moving to Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi was the Principal of Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Hoani Waititi Marae and Executive Director at Manukau Institute of Technology.
Read Wiremu's full biography
Dr. Paul Kayes
Academic Registrar and Director of Te Whare Taiao – Institute of Indigenous Science
Paul’s current academic interests include his role as Academic Registrar and as Director of Te Whare Taiao. This means he has responsibility for implementing the Institute of Indigenous Science strategic plan, and through that working with Iwi especially in areas such as marine biology and customary fishing.
Read Paul's full biography
Associate Professor Te Tuhi Robust
Director Operations (Northland)
I graduated with a Bachelor of Education from the University of Auckland in 1968 and completed a Master of Education in Māori Education (Honours) with Second Class Honours in 2000. I then commenced my Doctor of Education studies in 2001 in the School of Education now the Faculty of Education.
Read Te Tuhi's full biography
Dr. Rāpata Wiri
Senior lecturer Māori Language
Rāpata is a senior lecturer in Māori language, society and culture with the Bachelor of Humanities degree...he has been a lecturer at the Universities of Auckland (1995-2001), Hawai’i (2002-5) and Waikato (2006-9) prior to coming to TWWOA.
Read Rāpata's full biography
Dr. Michael Kearney
Course Co-ordinator, Bachelor of Environmental Studies (Mt Albert Campus, Auckland)
Mick's thesis for his Phd is a topic that gets the interest of many Māori as it looks at the aquacultural potential of New Zealand short finned and long finned eels. His presentations on the topic of tuna (eels) also get a good response from Māori as they are still a valued taonga for Māori.
Read Michael's full biography
Cheryl Stephens
Director - National Institute of Māori Education
I trained as a primary school teacher and worked in that sector for over 20 years before coming to Awanuiarangi in 1999. During thie time I had the opportunity to be seconded as Māori recruitment officer; Resource Teacher of Māori and trained as an Education Review Officer and Reading Recovery teacher.
Read Cheryl's full biography
Te Mauri Apiata
Community Education and Te Pouhono Regional Monitor, School of Iwi Development
Te Mauri was raised within the community of Rūātoki. He holds a Bachelor of Applied Science Degree and a Post Graduate Diploma of Māori Resource Development from Massey University.
Read Te Mauri's full biography
Hine Waitere
Director of the Indigenous Leadership Centre within the National Institue of Māori Education
I have recently joined the team having arrived from Massey University where as a senior lecturer I taught within the Masters program educational administration/leadership programIn relation to teaching, I graduated from Waikato in 1980.
Read Hine's full biography
Len Hetet
Pūkenga Matua - Senior Lecturer
Multi Media Graphic Design
I have been in the design and print industry for the past 20 years and have a vast range of knowledge in... managing people, design jobs, print and merchandise production and managing budgets for design and print jobs.
Read Len's full biography
Monte Himone Aranga
Pūkenga Matua - Senior Lecturer (Level 2)
MAO415 - Advanced Study of Mātauranga Māori
Born in Whakatāne, with initial schooling in Te Teko then Kawerau and Opotiki Colleges then finally Meadowbank Technical College in Sydney; gaining entrance into the University of New South Wales. After twenty years in Poihākena Monte was advised to return to Aotearoa by his tutors in Ataarangi at Bondi Beach.
Read Monte's full biography
Tamati Waaka
Academic Advisor/Manager, School of Iwi Development
Born and raised in Whakatane, Tamati has a background in Māori broadcasting, sports, politics, Māori issues and current affairs.
Read Tamati's full biography
Rosina Taniwha
Educational Research and Development Manager - National Institute of Maori Education
Drawn by the opportunity to be involved in the development and implementation of a Maori medium Kaupapa Maori degree (Te Iti Rearea – Early years 0-8ys) I commenced my journey with Awanuiarangi in 2006.
Read Rosina's full biography
Dr. Herman Pi’ikea Clark
Associate Professor
Born and raised in Hawaii, Dr. Herman Pi’ikea Clark completed a B.A. in Hawaiian Studies and a Master’s of Fine Art in Visual Communication Design from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
Read Pi’ikea's full biography
Les Jones
Lecturer Bachelor of Humanities
I have spent most of my working life in education primarily in the tertiary sector in a variety of roles including teacher and accountant.
Read Les' full biography
Parearau Nikora
Awhi Tauira Academic Student Support Advisor
Educated at Ruatoki High School and Hukarere Girls College Napier
Read Parearau's full biography
Nikora Taipeti
Lecturer
“E ngā tūtei kei māharahara mai koutou ko ahau tēnei ko Te Maitaranui”
Read Nikora's full biography
Sheryl Lee Ferguson
Lecturer
I have been involved with the development of two education degrees at the Wānanga, Te Iti Rearea Bachelor of Teaching and Learning Early Years and the current Bachelor of Education (Teaching).
Read Sheryl's full biography
Linda Jones
Team Leader, Awhi Tauira Student Support (with some lecturing duties)
Linda is originally from Palmerston North. Career highlights include co-managing own business as well as lecturing at the tertiary level in New Zealand, South Africa and England.
Read Linda's full biography
Miriama Postlethwaite
Deputy Head of School of Undergraduate Studies
I was born in Whakatane, raised in Kawerau and educated in a host of schools beginning in Nuhaka, Whakatane, Kawerau and finally finishing my seventh form year in Auckland.
Read Miriama's full biography
Warren Te Tai
Pouako
I tupu ake au i Mauao, Tauranga Moana. I kuraina mātou ko āku teina ki reira, nā ka mutu i te kura takawaenga o Mauao, ka tonoa au ki Hato Petera, i reira au mō te rima tau. Ka mutu au ki reira ka tīmata au ki Te Whare Wananga ō Waikato, ka whiwhi au i taku Tohu Paetahi i te tau 1988.
Read Warren's full biography