Te Taiawatea (she/her/ia) is passionate about empowering whānau/hapū-led environmental policy and research, centering whakapapa to the taiao while remedying the violent impacts of settler colonialism.

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Te Taiawatea has a background in Māori environmental policy, conservation biology, customary fishing and biosecurity. She is a Global Atlantic Fellow, from Atlantic Fellows for Social Equity based in the University of Melbourne.   She has graduated with a Master of Social Change Leadership, Master of Conservation Biology and Bachelor of Science majoring in Marine Biology. 

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Te Taiawatea joined Te Tira Whakamātaki because, as she says, TTW is unapologetically ‘by Indigenous for Indigenous’ and that its team provides an opportunity to transform environmental policy without the bureaucracy.  Her role as Policy Manager enables her to focus on and support the aspirations of Māori and our relationship with the taiao.