PADA
Ngā Kaiārahi | Board of Trustees
Ngā Kaiārahi | Board of Trustees
Te Tiriti Relationship Governance Model
In July 2021, PADA implemented the Te Tiriti Relationship Governance Model, based on a three-whare model. This model reflects a true partnership between tangata whenua and tangata tiriti sharing the leadership and responsibility with co-chairs. Te Whare o Te Tiriti o Waitangi is the decision-making space where all the members come together to discuss, debate, and negotiate their various positions on any given topic. The whare of Tangata Whenua comprises whānau, hapū and iwi plus their descendants. The whare of Tangata Tiriti comprises all other people of Aotearoa and their descendants. Our Board of Trustees represents the length and breadth of Aotearoa New Zealand and we are committed to becoming a truly Te Tiriti honouring organisation.
Representation that is based on the structures of a partnership, rather than the number of people, is a fundamental point of difference from conventional decision-making. We believe that the three-whare model is helpful for enabling Tangata Whenua views to be heard. The Board also agreed to commit to equal representation of Tangata Whenua and Tangata Tiriti on the PADA Board by the end of 2023.
Leon Hohepa (Ngāti Tahu, Ngati Whaoa, Ngāpuhi), PADA Co-Chair Tangata Whenua
Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington
Ko Paeroa te māhunga
Ko Waikato te awa
Ko Manunui-a-rangi te waka
Ko Waimahana raua ko Maatarae te ūkaipō
Ko Tahu matua te tupuna
Ko Leon Hohepa ahau
Kia ora my name is Leon, I am a father to 2 beautiful humans and a Toi Māori Practitioner and Educator.
Through my personal journey I learned how important having a strong support system can be when raising a family. That is why I am so passionate and honoured to bring my skills and perspective to PADA.
Nimisha Waller, PADA Co-Chair Tangata Tiriti
Tāmaki makaurau AUCKLAND
Following our move to NZ in 1996, I worked as an employed midwife & subsequently as a Lead Maternity Care (LMC) midwife while working as a Senior Lecturer at AUT. The dual role enabled me to bridge academic theory with clinical reality in the New Zealand Maternity system.
Interest in perinatal mental health enabled me to be part of Trauma and Birth Stress (TABS) study days and subsequently PADA’s seminars. The focus of my master’s thesis was on women’s experience of traumatic birth and developing post-traumatic stress disorder while the Doctoral thesis sought to uncover the lived experiences of post-birth reflective conversations as experienced by LMC midwives and women/whānau. Opportunity to co-develop and co-lead perinatal mental health course at AUT (though for short duration) highlighted the importance of advancing education, clinical knowledge and professional practice in this area.
The passion for perinatal mental health also provided an opening to support PADA previously as a board member and now as Co-Chair Tangata Tiriti. I welcome the opportunity to strengthen awareness of perinatal mental health of women/person/whānau, and support the vital roles PADA play in providing advocacy, equitable access of support as well as awareness through training, networking and resources.
Te Whare Tangata Whenua
comprises whānau, hapū and iwi plus their descendants
Patsy Kainuku (Tūhoe)
Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington
Ko Ōhinemataroa te awa
Ko Nāti Tāwhaki te hapu
Ko Tūhoe te iwi
Ko Te Aare te ingoa whānau
Ko Patsy Kainuku ahau
Kia Ora, my name is Patsy, I am māmā to 5 and have experienced maternal distress with all my children. These experiences led me to pursue a career in the mental health and addiction field where I have spent most of my career working as a mental health and addictions clinician, then onto supervision and social policy. Most recently I have been working in Māori advisory roles specialising in Te Tiriti o Waitangi best practice and strategic engagement.
I am very passionate about enhancing the wellbeing of whānau and feel honoured to be part of the PADA board.
Ajay Nielsen (Te Atiawa), Treasurer
Kirikiriroa Hamilton
Ko Taranaki te maunga
Ko Waitara te awa
Ko Tokomaru te waka
Ko Te Atiawa te iwi
Ko Ajay Nielsen toku ingoa
Kia ora, my name is Ajay. I’m a māmā to three (including twins). Perinatal Mental Health became a passion for me soon after my son was born in 2016. Becoming a parent was a catalyst to a career change – while on parental leave I resigned from my job at Inland Revenue to start clinical psychology training at Waikato University.
I now work for Te Whatu Ora (Health NZ) as a Clinical Psychologist in the Perinatal Mental Health service. I’m privileged to be on the PADA board and have the opportunity to advocate for whānau facing perinatal challenges.
Bianca Taute (Te Arawa, Tainui)
Rotorua
Kia ora koutou katoa
Ko Te Arawa me Tainui ngā iwi
No Rotorua toku ūkaipō
I am Bianca Te Aroha Taute (PGCertHealSc-Otago) (MEdLeadership- Waikato), a proud single mama working in the privileged space of helping māmā adjust to the enormous role of being a mama. It it not an easy journey, but one that PADA assists by helping in normalise – that Perinatal Mental health does not discriminate between age, ethnicity, education or status.
It affects many mana wāhine in Aotearoa and PADA also provide amazing resources to assist in our mahi, but also builds our kete to learn more about these feelings and behaviours.
I am excited to be a voice on our board that represents the Māmā of Te Arawa I’m blessed to know. Ngā mihi.
Moana Uerata-Jennings (Ngāti Maniapoto, Waikato, Ngāti Mahuta)
Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington
Ko Pirongia te Maunga
Ko Waikato te Awa
Ko Tainui te Waka
Ko Purekireki te Marae
Ko Moana Uerata-Jennings toku ingoa
Kia Ora, My name is Moana Uerata-Jennings, and I am a māmā to two boys.
I have been working in the community and voluntary sector for over 17 years and I am
passionate in supporting whānau to live well.
I currently work for Maraeroa Marae Health Clinic, based in Porirua East as their General
Manager. We offer a range of health and social services with one of these being the
Wellchild Tamariki Ora service. We work alongside whanau of tamariki 0-5 and who may
have experienced post natal depression. Seeing the challanges they face drives me to be an
advocate for more maternal mental health support across the motu.
It is a privilege to be part of the PADA Board.
Te Whare Tangata Tiriti
comprises all other people of Aotearoa and their descendants
Dr Mathanki Vivekananda
Tauranga
I graduated from Auckland Medical school in 2013 and worked my junior doctor years in beautiful Rotorua. I then took three months off clinical medicine and spent time in Kenya teaching English at a rural primary school. Following this, I moved to Wellington and completed further training in psychiatry for a few years, then changed over to General Practice. My family then relocated to Tauranga which is now home for us! I work in General Practice and love my job. I enjoy working with people from different cultural backgrounds.
I am a mum to two young boys and motherhood has given me an invaluable amount of knowledge and understanding when it comes to maternal health as well as babies and toddlers in general. I have a strong passion for mental health and I am thrilled to be on the PADA Board.
Aidan Kyrke-Smith, Secretary
Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington
Becoming a dad was one of the most important, and most challenging, transitions of my life. I experienced postnatal depression, which opened my eyes to how often the mental health of fathers and partners is overlooked and the impact that can have on the whole whānau.
That experience led me to create Dadpression and then Dadventure, a kaupapa focused on supporting pāpā through the transition to parenthood. Through antenatal sessions and early parenthood support, I work with dads to build confidence, strengthen connection and better understand their role. Not just as parents, but as partners and people navigating a big life shift. At the heart of this mahi is a belief that when we support dads well, we create better outcomes for māmā, pēpi, and whānau.
Alongside this, my professional background is in digital product leadership, where I’ve spent over a decade building and improving systems across a range of sectors. That experience shapes how I think about access. How we use digital tools and experiences to reach more people, meet them where they are, and remove barriers to support.
Being part of PADA is a privilege. I’m passionate about helping grow awareness of perinatal mental health in a way that includes fathers and partners, and supports more equitable outcomes for all whānau. I’m particularly interested in how we can continue to evolve our approach through education, kōrero, and innovation. So that we ensure more people feel seen, supported and connected in this space.
