Our kaikōrero
We are thrilled to be hosting a group of inspiring speakers at Whakamanawa 2026. Our kaikōrero will share their wisdom and insights across a wide range of issues including care, justice, resilience and grief, systems transformation, pay equity, disability rights and more. We will be adding more speakers to our programme over the coming weeks, so keep an eye out for updates.
Brendan is a senior public sector leader with extensive experience across policy, regulation, governance, digital technology, and the delivery of services in large and complex organisations. Across his career, Brendan has led significant system and service reform, with a strong focus on using evidence, data and operational insight to improve outcomes for New Zealanders. He is the Acting Secretary for Social Investment and Chief Executive of the Social Investment Agency. Read more.
We’re thrilled to welcome sporting and broadcasting legend Jenny-May Clarkson as our MC for Whakamanawa 2026. Jenny-May is a dynamic broadcaster, celebrated sportswoman, and advocate for community and cultural empowerment. With over 30 years of professional experience, she has excelled in roles spanning television and radio broadcasting, international sports, coaching, and social advocacy.
Tu is an experienced Māori leader (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Taranaki whānui) specialising in strategic commissioning, data-driven insights, and kaupapa-led system transformation. She leads across outcomes, data governance, communications, and sector engagement at a regional and national level. Read more.
Kaye-Maree Dunn, co-founder of Making Everything Achievable, is a renowned Māori tech entrepreneur. Leading Ahau NZ and Indigital Blockchain, she's involved with North Hokianga Development Trust and Āhau Tātai Hono Trust and is a Sir Edmond Hillary Fellow. Dedicated to Māori and community development for over 24 years, her roles span Child, Youth, and Family, the Department of Labour, Māori Land Court, and NZ Maori Tourism. Active in Te Whare Hukahuka, she uplifts transformative capabilities in New Zealand's economic landscape. Recognised as Māori Entrepreneur of the Year in 2023, her recent pursuits include Social Enterprise Development and Governance Training.
Dr Lucy Hone is a world-leading resilience expert and one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most trusted voices on how humans cope with loss, change, and uncertainty. Trained in resilience psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, and holding a PhD in wellbeing science, Lucy is an Adjunct Fellow at the Universities of Canterbury and Pittsburgh. Her mission is to make resilience science practical, accessible, and honest — never sugar‑coated or simplistic. Read more.
Gwyn has been actively involved in the Community and Social Service Sector for nearly 30 years in a wide variety of roles. Her background and formal qualifications are in the area of Social Work and Community Development both as a practitioner and an educator. She has 30 years experience in Local Government, community organisations, the education and volunteer Sector with a range of roles from frontline delivery, to management, consultant and governance experience. Read more.
Melissa King-Howell (Ngaati Maahanga, Ngaati Te Wehi, Maniapoto, Tuuhourangi) is the Programme Director for Waikato-Tainui, Mokopuna Ora, focused on a Waikato iwi system transformation of Aotearoa’s care and protection landscape. With a career spanning local and central government, iwi, hapuu and the not-for-profit sector, her work has consistently focused on challenging institutional practice, strengthening outcomes for whaanau, and shifting how services are designed, delivered, and measured. Read more.
Amanda Malu is the Secretary for Children and Chief Executive of Oranga Tamariki—Ministry for Children. She has held senior leadership roles across the public and social sectors, including Chief Executive of Education New Zealand, Deputy Chief Executive at ACC, and Chief Executive of Whānau Āwhina Plunket. Amanda is of Ngāi Tahu descent and is passionate about improving outcomes for tamariki, rangatahi, and whānau.
Tracey McIntosh, MNZM, is Ngāi Tūhoe and is Professor of Indigenous Studies and Head of School of Te Wānanga o Waipapa at the University of Auckland. She is a Commissioner of Te Kāhui Tātari Ture: Criminal Cases Review Commission and a former Chief Science Advisor for MSD. Tracey is a prison abolitionist scholar. Read more.
Tania (Tūhoe) has 30 years of experience across Aotearoa and the UK in roles spanning policy, campaigning, community innovation, and economic equity. She gravitates toward tackling complex social and economic issues and has pioneered work introducing social procurement in Aotearoa. She is the Chief Executive at Good Shepherd New Zealand. Read more.
Saunoamaalii Karanina Sumeo is a mother of three, originally from the village of Vailima, Upolu, Samoa. She was the Pacific Advisor to the People's Select Committee on Pay Equity.
Her previous work as the New Zealand Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner included inquiries into the Pacific Pay Gap and ethnic pay gaps, migrant exploitation and modern slavery, and calling for pay transparency law.
Saunoamaalii holds tertiary qualifications in science, social work, and a PhD in public policy.
Fonotī Pati Umaga is a celebrated Samoan musician and dedicated Pacific and disability advocate, with a remarkable life story that has just been showcased in a new theatre work Music Portrait of a Humble Disabled Samoan at the Wellington and Auckland Arts Festivals. Read more.
Dame Marilyn Waring is Emeritus Professor of Public Policy at Auckland University of Technology. Marilyn is known internationally for her ground-breaking work in political economy, Counting for Nothing/ If Women Counted.. She served three terms in New Zealand’s parliament, was a member of the Board of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, the Councils of Creative New Zealand and Massey University, the QEII National Trust and the Institute of Judicial Studies, the WHO Council on The Economics of Health for All. She recently served on the People’s Select Committee into Pay Equity.
