Te Whāriki Takapou is governed by a Trust Board and incorporated as a Charitable Trust.
Our team of independent contractors are located around the country and collaborate on projects using internet-based technologies.
To contact us view our Contact page.
Dr Alison Green
Chief Executive
(Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Ranginui)
Alison provides overall leadership for Te Whāriki Takapou, supporting initiatives and collaborations in Māori sexual and reproductive health that reflect the aspirations and values of Māori. Alison is an experienced researcher and advocate for mātauranga Māori-informed approaches to improving the sexual and reproductive health of rangatahi and Māori communities.
Dr Jillian Tipene
Health Promotion & Research-Project Leader
(Te Rarawa, Ngāti Kahu)
Jillian has a background in Māori health promotion, Kaupapa Māori research, te reo Māori, translation theory, practice and ethics.
Dr Joeliee Seed-Pihama
Kura Kaupapa Māori-Project Leader
(Te Atiawa, Taranaki)
Joeliee brings her wealth of educational experience to work with Kura Kaupapa Māori and Wharekura to develop teacher-led sexuality education programmes and resources that are freely available for all Kura Kaupapa Māori and Wharekura to use.
Dr Kim Southey
STIs, HIV and Māori-Project Leader
(Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kuia)
Kim has experience in Māori health planning and research with a focus on reducing health inequity.
Dr Tawhanga Nopera
Takataapui Health Promotion & Research-Project Leader
(Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Wāhiao, Tūhourangi, Ngāti Tarawhai, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Amaru, Ngāti Tawake)
Tawhanga is a researcher on the Honour Project Aotearoa and, with Alison, advises on the Sexuality & Health Education Experts Steering Committee.
Rebekah Laurence
Knowledge Dissemination and Resources
(Ngāti Unu, Ngāti Maniapoto)
Rebekah is an emerging researcher in the field of takatāpui and Māori LGBTQI-plus wellbeing with a special interest in rangatahi. She develops resources aimed at takatāpui and Māori LGBTQI-plus communities using findings from the Honour Project Aotearoa study.
Cassidy Temese
Health Promotion
(Ngāti Unu, Ngāti Kahu, Ngāti Makahori, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Mahuta, Ngāpuhi)
Cassidy brings experience in sexual health promotion, rangatahi development and governance within the Waikato. Cassidy will be supporting the launch of the Honour Project Aotearoa and the HIV Stigma Index Report.
Dr Mera Penehira
Māori Advisor & Chair
(Ngāti Raukawa, Rangitāne)
Mera is an experienced researcher, university lecturer, and formerly a member of an international research team investigating resilience, blood borne viruses and STIs among Indigenous communities.
Dr Jane Morgan
Medical Advisor & Trustee
Jane is a sexual health physician and clinical director at the Hamilton Sexual Health Clinic. She is also an honorary senior lecturer at the University of Auckland, and a board member for several sexual and reproductive health organisations.
Vernon Waretini
Infrastructure & Trustee
(Te Arawa, Tūhourangi)
Vernon provides project management, financial and IT services to support our use of cloud-based technologies.