OUR PEOPLE
Meet the team behind our company
Mara Andrews
DIRECTOR AND SENIOR CONSULTANT
Ngāti Kahungunu / Ngāti Raukawa / Whakatōhea (Owner / Director / Senior Consultant):
Mara’s career spans more than three decades in Indigenous development, health, policy and governance. She has held roles with the former Department of Māori Affairs, Māori Land Court, Māori Trust Office, Iwi Transition Agency, Te Puni Kōkiri, the Central Health Authority and the Health Funding Authority.
Since co-founding Kāhui Tautoko Consulting, Mara has led transformative projects in Aotearoa, Canada, Hawai‘i and the Pacific — from reviewing health services in all 21 prisons in New Zealand, to playing a pivotal role in establishing the First Nations Health Authority in British Columbia, to supporting the creation of Te Aka Whai Ora and Iwi Māori Partnership Boards.
Mara holds an MBA from Henley Business School (UK) and a Diploma in Business Studies (Health Management) from Massey University. She is also a World Health Organisation Fellow (1999), with a research background spanning over 45 Indigenous communities across North America. She has now completed her PhD studying Tribal Self-Governance in Health Care in the US. Her work continues to influence health reform, organisational development and Indigenous governance.
Careene Andrews
SENIOR CONSULTANT
Ngāti Kahungunu / Ngāti Raukawa / Whakatōhea (NZ Director):
Careene Andrews brings a wealth of experience to her role as Co-Director and Senior Consultant at Kāhui Tautoko Consulting Ltd. With tribal ties to Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Raukawa, and Whakatōhea, Careene has dedicated her career to supporting Indigenous communities in New Zealand, Canada, and the Pacific. She holds a Certification of Te Reo Māori and has been recognised with a WHO Fellowship for her work in indigenous health.
Her career began at Flight Centre Corporate, where she rose from Travel Consultant to General Manager, earning global awards for her leadership. In 2008, Careene joined Kāhui Tautoko, focusing on enhancing services for Māori and Pacific communities. She played a key role in the company's expansion into Canada, where she now leads projects in culturally safe healthcare and policy development.
Careene's expertise includes strategic planning, governance, and quality assurance. She has led significant projects, such as evaluations for the Ministry of Health in New Zealand and the Assembly of First Nations in Canada. Her work ensures that indigenous perspectives are integral to program development and implementation.
Beyond her professional life, Careene is deeply committed to cultural advocacy and community service. She actively participates in Māori cultural practices and works to foster connections between indigenous and non-indigenous communities. Her dedication and strategic insight make her an invaluable member of the Kāhui Tautoko team.
Lisa Pohatu
SENIOR CONSULTANT
Ngāti Kahungunu / Ngāi Tāmanuhiri:
Lisa holds a Masters of Public Health from the University of Otago where her thesis topic focussed on understanding the motivation of Māori participating in Iron Maori, an indigenous led triathlon where the aim is to complete and not compete.
She is very passionate about being active, in any form possible as an individual or group fitness.
Her experience has predominantly been in the health sector having worked 5 years at the Hawke’s Bay District Health in Population Health as an advisory role in Smokefree, Injury Prevention, Sexual Health and Housing.
Lisa joined Kāhui Tautoko Consulting Ltd in 2020, after a short stint at Te Puni Kōkiri / Ministry of Māori Development where she focused on intersectoral relationships and evaluating funding streams and programmes.
Her passion for health has since opened opportunities to experience the roles of governance where she is a current Board member for the New Zealand Health Promotion Forum and supported the international union of health promotion and education conference (IUHPE) in Rotorua in 2019.
Celine Antipas
TEAM SUPPORT / CONSULTANT
Ngāti Kahungunu / Ngāti Raukawa / Whakatōhea and Samoa:
Celine brings a background in travel, project analysis, and office management to her work, alongside a deep commitment to people and teamwork. She has over a decade of professional experience across New Zealand and Canada, with roles ranging from Senior Supervisor and Travel Manager to Office Manager and Project Analyst.
Her career began in the travel industry, where she gained valuable experience connecting with people and building an appreciation for diverse cultures and communities. In recent years, she joined Kāhui Tautoko Consulting (Canada) Ltd, supporting projects and operations with her strong organisational skills and positive, team-focused approach. She brings her travel experience into her mahi at Kāhui Tautoko, supporting and enriching overseas learning exchanges between Aotearoa Iwi, Canada Nations and USA Tribes.
Outside of her professional career, Celine is passionate about sports, culture and community. She values time with her whānau and enjoys being active through netball and other outdoor pursuits. With a love of travel, Celine embraces opportunities to experience new places and cultures, which has strengthened her ability to connect with others in meaningful ways. Her commitment to teamwork, combined with her fun-loving and supportive nature, makes her a well-rounded and valued member of the Kāhui Tautoko team.
Kataraina Godfery
SENIOR CONSULTANT
Ngāti Awa / Samoa:
Kataraina Godfery hails from Kawerau, where she has strong connections to Ngāti Awa on her mother’s side and Lalomanu, Samoa, on her father’s side. Growing up at the base of Putauaki and surrounded by her marae, Kataraina was instilled with values of resilience and community spirit by her family. She holds a Bachelor of Business and a Master’s in Professional Economics, during which she honed her skills in public policy and service delivery. Her previous experience includes eight years working in government, where she focused on advancing te ao Māori across various sectors, and she has built lasting relationships with colleagues dedicated to supporting Māori development.
At Kāhui Tautoko, Kataraina plays a vital role in empowering Indigenous communities through her work on significant projects. She has been instrumental in the development of the Indigenous Patients Feedback Pathway for the Fraser Health Authority, fostering collaboration among First Nations and government representatives to ensure the pathway effectively meets the needs of Indigenous patients. Additionally, she has contributed to drafting Health Director Guidebooks for the First Nations Health Authority, providing essential resources that support Health Directors in delivering effective healthcare services to their communities.
Outside of her professional pursuits, Kataraina is deeply committed to Māori Culture and community engagement. She enjoys spending time with her whānau and actively participates in traditional Māori performing arts and mātauranga (reclaiming indigenous knowledge systems). An avid traveller, Kataraina embraces opportunities to explore diverse cultures, enriching her understanding of the world and enhancing her ability to connect with others. Her dedication to community service, combined with her passion for cultural advocacy, makes her a well-rounded and valuable member of the Kāhui Tautoko team.
Patrick Hape
SENIOR CONSULTANT
Ngāti Kahungunu / Ngāi Te Whatuaiāpiti / Ngāi Te Rangikoianake:
Patrick Hape is a Senior Consultant who brings experience from all Kāhui Tautoko Consulting offices. His fluency in the use and translation of te reo and tikanga Māori has supported his navigation of indigenous communities and systems around the world.
He is a proud graduate of Victoria University and Te Panekiretanga o te Reo Māori - the Institute of Māori Language Excellence. He brings an understanding of indigenous research and development to the team.
Calling Te Hauke home, Patrick is kept busy by his whānau, hapū, and singing karaoke for his marae.
Home always inspired and grounded Patrick during his previous employment with the Kōhanga Reo National Trust, Victoria University, Māori Land Court, Waitangi Tribunal, and other NZ Government ministries (Justice, DPMC, Te Arawhiti, Culture and Heritage).
Since joining Kāhui Tautoko in 2016, he has grown his ability to apply indigenous focussed solutions to a variety of projects in Aotearoa, Canada, and Hawaii. He has supported a variety of projects including: the facilitation of Native Hawaiian health engagements, producing reports summarising First Nation LGBTQ2+ health priorities, and organising Māori health focussed conferences.
His love for the performing arts is reflected in everything he does. He is willing to sing at meetings to increase engagement and dance around challenges found in systems. Patrick is values-driven, solution focussed, and whānau-orientated. His grounding in te ao Māori enables him to navigate various roles and systems, providing an array of skills that support the diversity of our work.
Ben Hingston
SENIOR CONSULTANT
Ngāti Whakaue / Ngāti Tūwharetoa / Ngāti Pukenga ki Maketu
Originally from Rotorua, Ben has a strong commitment to enhancing Māori health equity, backed by extensive experience in service commissioning and delivery within the health sector. He excelled academically at Rotorua Lakes High School, graduating as dux in 2010. Ben went on to complete a Bachelor of Social Sciences at the University of Waikato, followed by both BA (Hons) and MA degrees at the University of Auckland, where he won an award for the best piece of research in New Zealand Politics in 2016. His career in health began at Tipu Ora, providing a firm foundation in hauora Māori before going on to drive positive change in mental health and addictions commissioning at Lakes District Health Board. Ben then departed for the wild West Coast of Te Waipounamu leading the West Coast DHB Planning and Funding team, and later took on significant roles leading service commissioning at Te Aka Whai Ora and the Planning and Performance Group at Health New Zealand.
Since joining Kāhui Tautoko Consulting, Ben has dedicated himself to improving Indigenous health outcomes in Canada, focusing on capacity-building for First Nations communities. His notable projects include supporting Musqueam Indian Band Health Department to develop their next 10-year Community Health and Wellness Plan, guiding the vision and mission of the department and supporting the development of the 5-year strategy for the ‘səlilwətaɬ healing together journey’ with the Tsleil-Waututh IRSS ɬewətəl̓ Project Steering Committee. Ben's analytical skills and commitment to collaboration have allowed him to support meaningful initiatives that resonate deeply with Indigenous experiences and aspirations.
Outside of work, Ben enjoys learning about new cultures, travelling, and hiking. His recent move from Greymouth to Vancouver has provided him with ample opportunities to embrace the outdoors and immerse himself in the vibrant local culture. Passionate about learning and growth, Ben values the experiences that both work and life offer, seeking to foster connections and understanding across communities.
Casual Staff
As well as the core team we have other casual staff who work for the different offices at different times for specific projects. At times we may have 6 – 7 people working on a project and at other times it may only be one of us.
Kaumātua Support
In addition to the staff mentioned above, the organisation is supported by a dedicated team of Kaumātua / Kuia who work with our staff on a variety of projects.
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