Kaumātua – Whare Tukutuku
Koro Hata Temo
Ko Maataatua te Waka
Ko Maungapōhatu te Maunga
Ko Hinemataroa te Awa
Ko Tuhoe te Iwi
Ko Ngaati Tawhaki, Ko Ngaati Rongo,
Ko te Maahurehure ngā Hapū
Kaiwhakahaere – Whare Tukutuku
Waitaha, Kāti Māmoe, Kāi Tahu
Tracey Potiki
Born in Ōtautahi and raised in the Kaiapoi takiwā Tracey met and married Tuari Potiki. They have 3 adult children, Aperira, Meremoana and Taoka. She is Taua to her mokopuna Aotea, Vanni, Tahumataa, Kotuku and Jaycee. She is passionate about working with Māori having spent years working for iwi in the area of health and whānau development.
Tracey has a background in the AOD sector and has been a strong advocate on behalf of vulnerable whānau for many years. Prior to her current role as Project Lead for Whare Tukutuku, an approach to elevate an alcohol and other drug (AOD) workforce, Tracey worked as Māngai ki Te Waipounamu for Te Rau Ora, a role in which she advocated for wellness and wellbeing programs. She has a passion for enabling whānau and communities to take control of their own lives, of their own mana, in being the best them, they want to be.
Tracey is an experienced project manager and has been responsible for the successful implementation of national services into the regions. Tracey is respected by her whānau, hapū and iwi and the many people she has worked with over the years in the AOD sector. She brings with her an eclectic range of skills and insights and compassion and empathy garnered from both her personal and professional life in helping others navigate their pathways to oranga.
Kaiāwhina Rangahau – Whare Tukutuku
Ngāti Ruanui, Ngā Rauru Kītahi
me Ngāti Tūwharetoa
Shawnee Brausch
Shawnee was born in Palmerston North, raised in Waiouru and has family now living in Feilding. Shawnee is completing a Master of Public Health in the Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, at the University of Otago. Her Masters project explores the stories of young wāhine Māori and their relationships with alcohol.
Shawnee moved to Dunedin in 2011 to study a Bachelor of Physical Education (BPhEd), followed by a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health (DPH) in 2015.
After graduating with the DPH, she became an Assistant Research Fellow in the Department where she interviewed Māori iwi, hapū and health providers about their experience of participating in the Local Alcohol Policy (LAP) submission process.
Shawnee’s future aspirations are to utilise her skills and expertise gained from her degree to empower Māori communities, particularly for her iwi and hapū.
She has always had a keen interest in Māori health and feel that Māori have the knowledge and capabilities to provide their own solutions to helping improve health statistics and outcomes within society. As an emerging Māori health promoter and public health researcher, Shawnee has a responsibility to utilise these skills to help create solutions and interventions from grass roots levels through to policy levels.
Kaiwhakarite – Whare Tukutuku
Ngāti Porou, Te Arawa, Tūhoe
Kyah Matthews
Kyah’s journey began in Rotorua, where she spent her first seven years before embarking on a new chapter in Western Australia’s outback for the following seven years. Eventually, she felt the pull to return to Ōtepoti, New Zealand. It was in this place that her healing journey and career started.
As she delved into a network marketing business, Kyah found her calling in inspiring healthy living. Simultaneously, she pursued a trade in the Automotive Refinishing Industry, leveraging her skills to establish a successful spray tanning business.
However, amidst her aspirations, Kyah felt a void between her future goals, personal growth, and her culture. This realisation motivated her to embark on a journey of self-discovery, embracing her whakapapa and taking bold steps to incorporate it into her professional life.
Currently, Kyah serves as the office administrator for Whare Tukutuku as part of Te Rau Ora, a role that connects her passion for exploring her being Māori while acquiring new skills that will assist with her journey forward.
Kaiāwhina – Whare Tukutuku
Scotland ōku tīpuna, Macdonald tōku pūtoi
Sam Moncur
Sam grew up on a farm as part of a big whānau in Eastern Southland. He came to Ōtepoti to study law at the University of Otago in 2017. After realising that law was not his calling, he switched to a Bachelor of Arts to focus on his passion for New Zealand history. His Honours project focused on interviewing people of Shetland descent and understanding why they choose to continue their cultural links.
Outside of his studies, he has had experience with administration and policy, and has links to many community organisations within Ōtepoti, including as a board member for the Friends of the Dunedin Botanic Garden.
Sam has joined Te Rau Ora to combine his skills with a desire to support a positive impact in the community, through his role as Kaiāwhina for Whare Tukutuku. This is his first role outside of university and he is very excited to be working for a kaupapa Māori organisation
