Ō Mātou Kaimahi

Our People

Ānei tō mātou poari

Our Board Members

Phillip Hikairo

Chief Māori Relations Manager – Ngāti Ranginui

Ko Mauao te Maunga
Tauranga te Moana
Ngāti Ranginui te Iwi
Ngāti Kahu te Hapū
Ko Piripi Hikairo tōku ingoa.

Janice Kuka

Chairperson – Ngai Te Rangi/Ngāti Ranginui

Janice Kuka is of Ngāi Te Rangi and Ngāti Ranginui descent and has been the managing director of Ngā Mataapuna Oranga since 2010. She spent her early years being educated at the local convent school in Te Puna then went on to Otumoetai College.

Janice has a professional background in Social Work and Community Development. She gained her formal qualifications in later years through Massey University whilst working as a Medical Social Worker at Tauranga Hospital. During this period, Janice was seconded to set up a Kaupapa Māori Service Unit. This unit provided Māori specific services within the hospital as well as follow up services in the community.

The development of hapū and community health has always been a strong interest for Janice and over the years has actively remained committed to this transformation process.

Janice is a Board Member of a number of community and Hauora Trusts, both locally and regionally.

Michelle Murray

Board of Trustee – He uri tēnei nō Whakatōhea me Tūhoe

Ko Mataatua te Waka
Ko Mākeo me Maungapohatu ōku Maunga
Ko Waiaua me Ōhinemataroa ōku Awa
Ko Ngāti Patu Moana me Mahurehure ōku Hapū
Ko Michelle Murray tōku ingoa.
Michelle Murray is the Executive Manager, Health Promotion Systems at the Victoria Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth) in Melbourne, and a Graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD).

Prior to this she was the Chief Executive Māori and Equity (Te Tumu Pae Ora) for ACC; the Chief Executive of two Primary Health Organisations, Hauraki PHO, and Eastern Bay Primary Health Alliance; a Planning, Strategy and Funding Portfolio Manager for the Bay of Plenty District Health Board and held a variety of management roles for Te Manu Toroa.

Michelle has an MBA with distinction and is currently finishing her doctorate on ‘Moving beyond institutional racism within primary healthcare’ with the Auckland University of Technology.

Michelle was born and raised in Kawerau before moving to Auckland, England and then settling in Tauranga for the last 23 years. Michelle is passionate about supporting our people to thrive!

Denise Kingi

Board of Trustee – He uri tēnei nō Whakatōhea me Tūhoe

As an AOD Counsellor, Lisa supports whānau who have alcohol, drug, and mental health addictions through 1:1 or group support. She’s also the Acting Team Lead Senior Support for the mental health team.

Ānei mātou ngā kaimahi

Our Management Team

Pat Cook

Te Tumu Whakarae (Chief Executive Officer)

Educated at Katikati Primary and Katikati College and finishing at Tokoroa High School.

Pat has a professional background as a Registered Nurse and a Bachelor of Nursing Degree. Pat has held Clinical Nurse Manager and Nurse Leader positions at Tauranga Hospital while employed with Te Puna Hauora Māori Health Services and later with Regional Māori Health.

She gained a Post Graduate Certificate in Advanced Māori Health, Post Graduate Diploma in Health Science and a Masters of Health Practice in Māori Health. In 2011 Pat was seconded to the General Manager role at Te Manu Toroa and formally secured the role in April 2012.

Pat is a Board Member on another Māori trust and a member of the NMOPHO Clinical Governance group.

Asmitha Patchay

Kaiwhakahaere Matua (General Manager Operations)

Janice Kuka is of Ngāi Te Rangi and Ngāti Ranginui descent and has been the managing director of Ngā Mataapuna Oranga since 2010. She spent her early years being educated at the local convent school in Te Puna then went on to Otumoetai College.

Janice has a professional background in Social Work and Community Development. She gained her formal qualifications in later years through Massey University whilst working as a Medical Social Worker at Tauranga Hospital. During this period, Janice was seconded to set up a Kaupapa Māori Service Unit. This unit provided Māori specific services within the hospital as well as follow up services in the community.

The development of hapū and community health has always been a strong interest for Janice and over the years has actively remained committed to this transformation process.

Janice is a Board Member of a number of community and Hauora Trusts, both locally and regionally.

Teresa Nepia

Kaiwhakahaere Kirimana (Contracts & Reporting Manager)

Ko Mataatua te Waka
Ko Mākeo me Maungapohatu ōku Maunga
Ko Waiaua me Ōhinemataroa ōku Awa
Ko Ngāti Patu Moana me Mahurehure ōku Hapū
Ko Michelle Murray tōku ingoa.
Michelle Murray is the Executive Manager, Health Promotion Systems at the Victoria Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth) in Melbourne, and a Graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD).

Prior to this she was the Chief Executive Māori and Equity (Te Tumu Pae Ora) for ACC; the Chief Executive of two Primary Health Organisations, Hauraki PHO, and Eastern Bay Primary Health Alliance; a Planning, Strategy and Funding Portfolio Manager for the Bay of Plenty District Health Board and held a variety of management roles for Te Manu Toroa.

Michelle has an MBA with distinction and is currently finishing her doctorate on ‘Moving beyond institutional racism within primary healthcare’ with the Auckland University of Technology.

Michelle was born and raised in Kawerau before moving to Auckland, England and then settling in Tauranga for the last 23 years. Michelle is passionate about supporting our people to thrive!

Kaiwhakahaere

Our Team Leaders

Lisa McGrath

Mental Health & Addictions Team Lead

As an AOD Counsellor, Lisa supports whānau who have alcohol, drug, and mental health addictions through 1:1 or group support. She’s also the team lead for the mental health and addictions team.

Janice Kuka

Chairperson – Ngai Te Rangi/Ngāti Ranginui

Janice Kuka is of Ngāi Te Rangi and Ngāti Ranginui descent and has been the managing director of Ngā Mataapuna Oranga since 2010. She spent her early years being educated at the local convent school in Te Puna then went on to Otumoetai College.

Janice has a professional background in Social Work and Community Development. She gained her formal qualifications in later years through Massey University whilst working as a Medical Social Worker at Tauranga Hospital. During this period, Janice was seconded to set up a Kaupapa Māori Service Unit. This unit provided Māori specific services within the hospital as well as follow up services in the community.

The development of hapū and community health has always been a strong interest for Janice and over the years has actively remained committed to this transformation process.

Janice is a Board Member of a number of community and Hauora Trusts, both locally and regionally.

Michelle Murray

Board of Trustee – He uri tēnei nō Whakatōhea me Tūhoe

Ko Mataatua te Waka
Ko Mākeo me Maungapohatu ōku Maunga
Ko Waiaua me Ōhinemataroa ōku Awa
Ko Ngāti Patu Moana me Mahurehure ōku Hapū
Ko Michelle Murray tōku ingoa.
Michelle Murray is the Executive Manager, Health Promotion Systems at the Victoria Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth) in Melbourne, and a Graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD).

Prior to this she was the Chief Executive Māori and Equity (Te Tumu Pae Ora) for ACC; the Chief Executive of two Primary Health Organisations, Hauraki PHO, and Eastern Bay Primary Health Alliance; a Planning, Strategy and Funding Portfolio Manager for the Bay of Plenty District Health Board and held a variety of management roles for Te Manu Toroa.

Michelle has an MBA with distinction and is currently finishing her doctorate on ‘Moving beyond institutional racism within primary healthcare’ with the Auckland University of Technology.

Michelle was born and raised in Kawerau before moving to Auckland, England and then settling in Tauranga for the last 23 years. Michelle is passionate about supporting our people to thrive!

Denise Kingi

Board of Trustee – He uri tēnei nō Whakatōhea me Tūhoe

As an AOD Counsellor, Lisa supports whānau who have alcohol, drug, and mental health addictions through 1:1 or group support. She’s also the Acting Team Lead Senior Support for the mental health team.

Kaiwhakahaere

Our Clinical Team

Tayla Darrah

Tākuta (Doctor)

Tayla (Ngāpuhi/Ngāti Maru) has recently relocated to the Bay of Plenty. She was previously working in hospital medicine and living in Porirua. She completed her Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery and diploma in Sports and Exercise Medicine at the University of Otago. She has a special interest in musculoskeletal injuries, mental health and woman’s health.

Hendrik Kroesbergen

Tākuta (Doctor)

Henk Kroesbergen, originally from the Netherlands, who moved with his whānau to New Zealand 15 years ago. After working for more than a decade in rural Te Awamutu he moved to the Bay of Plenty. He likes all areas of general practice, but is particularly interested in chronic disease management.

Trina Raimona

Nēhi (Nurse)

Ko Mataatua te Waka
Ko Mākeo me Maungapohatu ōku Maunga
Ko Waiaua me Ōhinemataroa ōku Awa
Ko Ngāti Patu Moana me Mahurehure ōku Hapū
Ko Michelle Murray tōku ingoa.
Michelle Murray is the Executive Manager, Health Promotion Systems at the Victoria Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth) in Melbourne, and a Graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD).

Prior to this she was the Chief Executive Māori and Equity (Te Tumu Pae Ora) for ACC; the Chief Executive of two Primary Health Organisations, Hauraki PHO, and Eastern Bay Primary Health Alliance; a Planning, Strategy and Funding Portfolio Manager for the Bay of Plenty District Health Board and held a variety of management roles for Te Manu Toroa.

Michelle has an MBA with distinction and is currently finishing her doctorate on ‘Moving beyond institutional racism within primary healthcare’ with the Auckland University of Technology.

Michelle was born and raised in Kawerau before moving to Auckland, England and then settling in Tauranga for the last 23 years. Michelle is passionate about supporting our people to thrive!

Liz Harland

Nēhi (Nurse)

As an AOD Counsellor, Lisa supports whānau who have alcohol, drug, and mental health addictions through 1:1 or group support. She’s also the Acting Team Lead Senior Support for the mental health team.

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