Melissa King-Howell

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, hapu and the not-for-profit sector, Melissa brings deep expertise in service design, operational performance, and system accountability. Her work has consistently focused on challenging institutional practice, strengthening outcomes for whaanau, and shifting how services are designed, delivered, and measured.

At the heart of Melissa’s leadership is a commitment to mana motuhake and whaanau-led solutions. Her work in Mokopuna Ora is focused on advancing a bold vision where iwi authority, cultural frameworks, and relational practice redefine how mokopuna and whaanau are supported — moving beyond state-centric models toward generational wellbeing and self-determination.

Mokopuna Ora is a leading voice in care and protection system change, bridging Crown and Waikato iwi perspectives while advocating for solutions grounded in whakapapa, tikanga and the lived realities of whaanau.