Mike served with the New Zealand Army for twenty years and was involved in training and development as well as serving overseas and in many instructor and leadership positions. After a brief stint working through the Pacific Islands Mike returned to Aotearoa and worked for Manukau Urban Māori Authority with Dame Temuranga June Jackson. His role as operations manager included establishing the Restorative Justice programme at MUMA a programme that has been running in its current form since 1997. During this time Mike held positions on the RJA executive of Māori Caucus member and also the Chairman of RPA. Mike's work also included funeral directing, a director of George FM one of two radio stations MUMA had at the time, running Nga Whare Waatea Marae and all the associated programmes.. Mike worked with MUMA for 15 years before taking up the role as General Manager of Restorative Practices Aotearoa in 2012 for 11 years.

I entered the Public Service after graduating from Te Aute College and spent my early career in and around the Public Service, moving to work in and with NGOs, Companies and Federations working alongside some amazing mentors. I have also spent time working in education. I continue to serve on several boards, trusts and committees both in Wellington and around the country. Bringing together my experience from previous roles and my voluntary mahi aroha has allowed me to contribute to the design, development and management of He Herenga Kura. I am responsible for the management and oversight of our IT, HR, Quality Assurance teams and our front of house – receptionists, the first face of our organisation. These very crucial functions not only ensure operations adhere to regulations, policies and procedures but provide a competent and professional IT system for our service delivery teams. We are here to support the day-to-day business, ensure our staff wellbeing is looked after and to help guide and support our awesome kaimahi.

Ko Hikurangi te maunga Ko Waiapu te awa Ko Te Rahui te marae Ko Ngati Porou te iwi Ko te Whānau a Taki Moana me te Whānau o Taumata te Puhi ōku hapu Ko Puti Kaika tōku ingoa My role as General Manager of the Ratonga Whānau team is to lead a team with diverse skills and experience to support whānau facing social and housing issues in the greater Wellington region which extends up to Whanganui. My commitment is to a Kaupapa Māori approach which I believe is the key to unlocking the potential of our people and communities. My extensive experience over the seven years at this organisation includes starting as a Whānau Ora Kaiarahi to progressing through to this senior management role. My ultimate goal is to make a positive difference in the lives of whānau. I am committed to continuing to work towards this goal and to ensuring that our services are of the highest quality and are delivered with integrity, compassion, and respect.

I've had the privilege of working my way up to a senior management role with He Herenga Kura since starting with the then organisation Kahungunu Whānau Services in 2020 as the Housing First Kaimahi. This role involved ensuring whānau were able to maintain their tenancy arrangements and secure permanent living in homes. Within six months I was promoted to the Transitional Housing Manager and now as the General Manager of Ratonga Whare, I am excited to continue this work to support whānau into accessible safe and affordable housing. My responsibilities include managing property, tenancies, and maintenance teams to ensure the whānau in our service feel comfortable and safe in their homes. This requires a diligent and proactive approach to property management and ensuring that our maintenance teams are well-equipped to handle any issues that may arise. My interests include finding innovative solutions for social housing and leading the team to succeed in our organisation's goal of providing a Whanau Ora response to ending homelessness.