Roopū Whakahaere
Tuari Potiki
(Chair)- Ngāi Tahu, Kāti Māmoe, Waitaha
Tuari affiliates to and is a member of six of the seven papatipu rūnaka in the Otago/Southland region; Ōtākou, Puketeraki, Awarua, Waihōpai, Hokonui and Ōraka/Aparima.
Tuari has been extensively involved in the Maori health, mental health, education and justice sectors for more than 25 years. He has worked in a number of different roles as a Māori alcohol and drug clinician and tutor before moving into management roles in both the public and non-government sector.
From 1994 – 1997 Tuari managed the Taha Māori programme at Queen Mary Hospital, Hanmer Springs before moving to the Community Alcohol and Other Drugs Service in Christchurch where he helped establish a Whānau Clinic for Māori clients and a Māori Methadone programme.
Tuari also has extensive governance experience and was recently appointed to the Whānau Ora Independent Reference Group. He has also served terms on the boards of the Southern District Health Board, Canterbury District Health Board, the Canterbury Community Trust and Ngāi Tahu’s Health and Social Service agency He Oranga Pounamu. He was also the Senior Māori Advisor to the National Addiction Centre who sit within the University of Otago. Tuari is currently the Acting Chair of the New Zealand Drug Foundation, Chairperson of the New Zealand Needle Exchange Programme and is a director for Te Rau Ora.
Tuari is currently the Director of Maori Development, Otago University.
For inquires about this roopū please contact us.
Dr Vicki MacFarlane
Te Arawa
I am of Te Arawa descent with a handsome Māori father and a beautiful blonde blue eyed mother and I was born and bred in Auckland. I have been a GP for 19 years and more recently have been working with people with addictions. My heart belongs to general practice. I love the diversity of the job, the challenges, the privilege of being part of people’s lives and the opportunity to work with wonderful caring colleagues who share the same vision of what good medicine is. I continue to strive to be the best doctor I can be and to provide the highest quality medical care with compassion and kindness.
Gilbert Taurua
Te Ati Haunui-a-Pāpārangi, Ngāti Pāmoana and Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kāwa
Gilbert holds a BA (Hons), Certificate and Post Graduate Diploma in Social Work from the University of Canterbury. Christchurch born, married with 3 special children. Gilbert has 30 plus years’ experience working across the broader health, social services, education and justice sectors. Half of which he has held in senior Māori roles both in community and statutory sectors. Gilbert has worked at an executive management level within DHBs and understands the dynamics between quality clinical care within a changing fiscal environment. He has significant governance experience, including policy, practice, research and evaluation. Some of his previous roles include; Principal Advisor Māori New Zealand Drug Foundation, National Māori Manager for the Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand and Director Māori Health with the Whanganui District Health Board. He is currently the Chief Māori Strategy and Improvement Officer with Southern District Health Board and WellSouth Primary Care Network.
Dr Rawiri Jansen
Ngāti Raukawa
Formerly a resource teacher of Māori language, Dr. Jansen completed his medical training at Middlemore Hospital in South Auckland in 2000. This was his second attempt at Medical School having interrupted his studies to be an activist and protestor (Māori land, Māori language, Nuclear Free Independent Pacific and 1981 Springbok Tour). Dr. Jansen provided clinical teaching, Te Reo and Tikanga Māori programmes for Māori health professionals throughout the country for several years. He has been Chairman of Te Ataarangi Trust (a national Māori language organisation), and Chairperson of Te Ohu Rata o Aotearoa (Māori Medical Practitioners Association). He has self-published a Māori medical phrase book in 2006.
Dr. Jansen’s main focus now is providing clinical leadership towards Māori health equity as a General Practitioner and Clinical Director for a Primary Healthcare Organisation.
Selina Elkington
Ngāti Koata, Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāti Kuia
Ko Wetekia te maunga
Ko Wharariki te awa
Ko Tainui te waka
Ko Whakatū te marae
Ko Ngāti Koata, ko Ngāti Toa Rangatira rātou ko Ngāti Kuia ngā iwi
Ko Selina Elkington ahau
Selina has taken up a new position at Ōtākou Health, Tiaki Taoka in Ōtepoti and is looking forward to the challenges that this mahi will have. Previously she was Operations Manager Nova Star, Christchurch. She has been an addiction practitioner for many years and is a Registered Practitioner and Accredited Supervisor. As a Māori woman she has seen the devastating effects that drugs and alcohol can have in people’s lives and the significant role that trauma plays in this. Selina feels really privileged to work in kaupapa that can support and create change. She believes in working with the potential of people to promote whānau ora (well-being of the family) and in doing this you have to be living the life and walking the talk.
Dr Mike Ngawati
Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine
Mike is a consultant psychiatrist and clinical lead for Te Atea Marino Māori addictions service, as well as being the current clinical director of Whītiki Maurea Maori Mental Health and Addiction Services Waitemata -Te Whatu Ora.
He has a passion for working in the field of Māori addiction treatment and working towards improving equity in access and service provision for Maori tangata whai ora and their whanau within the addiction sector and secondary mental health services.
