Of Māori (Ngāti Hau/Ngapuhi, Te Arawa, Te Whakatōhea) and Dutch descent, I was raised on an eco-community in the Northern Rivers region of NSW Australia. I completed a Bachelor of Architectural Design from the University of Queensland in 2009, and a Masters degree in Architecture from UNITEC Institute of Technology in 2015.
I have experience working directly with Māori land trusts and other Māori groups to realise their aspirations, particularly in the area of papakāinga housing and marae development, and in working with mana whenua groups to express their cultural values and narratives through the design of our urban environments.
I am fortunate to live within my home rohe of Whangarei, where I am involved in a number of projects to support the re-establishment and development of papakāinga communities, and the enhancement and retention of Māori land.