Having served thirty years in the public service, Kanita (Ngāti Ruanui, Rongowhakaata, Ngāpuhi) was destined to work in Hauora Māori. Kanita graduated university in 1992 with a double degree BA (Economics) and BCA (Commercial Law & Māori Resource Management). She returned to study in 2002 as a Te Rau Puawai scholar, gaining a Diploma of Arts (Psychology) and Year 1 PGDip Arts (Organisational Development & Mātauranga Māori Research Methodologies).

Kanita started her career in 1993 in policy advisory and project roles guided by the grassroots leader and CE, Parekura Horomia (Ngāti Porou). From the national offices of the Departmenrt of Labour, NZ Treasury, Ministry of Social Development and the Ministry of Health, Kanita worked alongside some formidable leaders in her first decade of public service. However, she has always felt her ngākau in community development and making a difference on the ground for whānau Māori.

In 2006, Kanita worked in management support services for primary health organisations in Midcentral and in 2011 Tamaki Makaurau, championing the way forward in system design of primary care and whānau ora services integration.

Kanita undertook a five-year stint in the Middle East as a senior consultant for the State of Qatar, managing the strategy team and facilitating the first, locally designed primary care strategy. Returning to Aotearoa in 2020, she was encouraged into the newly reformed Pae Ora sector for Collaborative Aotearoa, a national network of primary care leaders in healthcare home innovations, and Te Whatu Ora supporting the nine locality prototypes across the motu, working closely with three of the Iwi-led locality developments.

For the last twelve months Kanita has been working with our Crown Te Tiriti partner, Te Aho o Te Kahu. Kanita comes to us with a depth of national, local and international experiences, a thirst for learning, and a strong desire to drive excellence in a charitable kaupapa Māori organisation eliminating inequities for Māori affected by matepukupuku. Kanita enjoys spending time with her whānau whanui residing around the motu. Both of her parents experienced the inequitable and unjust journey of matepukupuku, which fuels Kanita to ensure our future generations have a very different set of choices available to them. Whānau for Kanita is that return to whenua, reo, kai and manaakitanga.

Contact Kanita
kanita@heiahurumowai.org.nz