Ruru Harepeka Nako Hona

I began my career in the field of men's and family support through my work with the Men’s Violence Project (MVP), later known as the Stopping Violence Service (SVS). My role involved adapting the Duluth Model of Change to be culturally inclusive for male Tangata whenua in Aotearoa, challenging their core beliefs and replacing violence with cultural values like aroha, manaaki, tūmanako, and tikanga to foster healthy relationships.

I also worked with the STOP Programme, addressing sexually offensive and abusive behaviour in families. Using cultural approaches, I helped identify and address these behaviours, promoting honesty within whānau to create a brighter, abuse-free future.

Prior to that, I spent time with the Youth Specialty Service (YSS), where I assessed and supported adolescents. After a year, I transitioned to the Canterbury Regional Forensic Psychiatric Service, where I worked for over a decade with mentally unwell adults serving time for criminal activities. My goal was to provide a clear pathway for their rehabilitation, focusing on trust in themselves and others.

In my final role with the Youth Forensic Team, I aimed to prevent adolescents from becoming adult forensic Tangata whaiora. I worked closely with their parents and the judicial system, emphasizing collective support and guidance for these young individuals to ensure a confident and competent future. My philosophical view is that if we can support them now to support themselves tomorrow, they will be confident and competent to guide themselves into their future.

Dr Aleeta Fejo

Bio coming soon.

Dr Richard Fejo

Bio coming soon.

Miliwanga Wurrben

Bio coming soon.

William Tilmouth

Bio coming soon.

Catherine Liddle

An Arrernte/Luritja woman from Central Australia, Catherine has a strong background in senior management positions with First Nations organisations. Catherine has also held senior roles within the Northern Territory Education Department, the ABC, and NITV/SBS.

A journalist by trade, Catherine’s motivation has always been to drive change that leads to positive outcomes and options for First Nations people. Over the past 10 years she has led multidisciplinary teams, overseen workplace transformations, and advocated for policy reform.

Ariana Grant

Ariana has been in the wellness industry for 11 years in both Aotearoa and Australia. She is a mindset and soul activation coach dedicated to guiding our people on a transformative journey home. Having experienced pain, grief, and trauma, she understands the longing for an authentic life and the need for connection to mana, mauri, whakapapa and whenua. Many of us believe that our struggles will always define us, and often we have limited access to the necessary support to heal and be culturally understood.

Ariana felt and experienced this too, until she reached a turning point. Through Self-connection and the practical application of diverse tools she has gathered over the years, she activated her Mauri & Mana within her. Now, she is here to share this knowledge and be a voice that speaks to your soul and empowers you to do the same.

Andrew Fa'avale

Andrew is passionate about creating innovative solutions and strategies that benefit individuals and communities. While his background is in law, his strength lies in the breadth of his experiences. He has worked across various sectors globally, including government, non-profits, universities, business, and sports. His personal background and diverse living experiences in places like Hong Kong, Samoa, England, and the UAE have cultivated his deep interest in indigeneity, traditional knowledge, and culture.

Currently, Andrew is the Director of MANAWISE Group, an integrated community-advancement firm based in Queensland. MANAWISE Group comprises entities that provide residential care for the Department of Child Safety, a labour hire company, an advisory agency offering Pasifika cultural training and consulting, and a non-profit organization that runs mental health programs in schools.

Originally from New Zealand, Andrew is of Samoan descent and now resides in SEQ with his wife Nicola and their four children. He holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Master of Education degree.

Lea S Denny

Lea S. Denny is a wife, a mother of two, and a community member. She is of Hawaiian & Filipino descent, Hungarian-Jewish, and English ancestry, and her husband and children are Oneida and Ojibwe. She is a National Board Certified Counselor; community researcher on historical trauma healing; and currently serves on a CDC Indigenous research project on healing Adverse Childhood Experiences, the opioid epidemic, and healthy homes. Denny is intentionally shifting the paradigm around decolonizing mental health through what she calls Community Activated Medicine Framework™, Mental Health Without Borders Approach™, trauma informed policies, and her organizational care models. She has co-raised over 5 million in funding to serve Indigenous and underserved survivors of violence.

Denny is the President, CEO, and Clinical Director of the HIR Wellness Institute. Denny is dedicated to impacting workforce development through building a healing informed organization that focuses on training the next generation of helping providers. She serves on several local and national councils or committees, including: Committee Member of the Wisconsin State Task Force on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW), serving on the Data Subcommittee; honorary faculty member for the University of California Davis; Member of the ‘Ohana Center of Excellence Steering Committee, and Committee Member of the Violence Against Women’s Act STOP Implementation Planning Workgroup. She is publishing her research on historical intergenerational trauma in Indigenous communities and continuously provides consultation to tribal and community leaders on Indigenous decolonial mental health research projects and transgenerational trauma workgroups. Leaders and experts in the field of mental health have continued to quote and cite Denny’s work, including notably Stockbridge Munsee Band of Mohican Indians President in the 2022 Wisconsin State of the Tribes address, and the Nuerosequential Model of Therapeutics curriculum. Denny is an international speaker and has spoken at the 5th Annual Pathways to Resiliency conference in Cape Town South Africa; the 2nd and 3rd International Nuerosequential Model Symposium in Banff Canada, and speaks with many groups from the Department of State International Visitor Leadership Program. Denny is leading health justice on every level and redesigning what mental health service delivery means.

Learn more about Denny at her website LeaSDenny.com

Sharon Finnan White

Bio coming soon.