Thursday 6th August 2026 @ 7:00am - 9:00am
Overview
As Aotearoa New Zealand continues to grow as a bicultural nation, the ability to communicate meaningfully and respectfully with Māori and Iwi stakeholders has never been more essential for communications professionals.
This event brings together PR and communications practitioners to explore culturally grounded approaches to stakeholder engagement, moving beyond tokenism and toward genuine, trust-based relationships with Māori communities and Iwi organisations.
Central to this is an understanding of mātauranga Māori, the body of knowledge, values, and ways of knowing that are distinctly Māori.
Your panellists are:
Amomai Pihama
Communications & Engagement | Executive Leadership
IAWAI
Ko Ngaati Mahanga me ngaati Korokii-Kahukura ngaa hapuu, ko Waikato te iwi. I tipu ake a Amomai ki Taamaki Makaurau i roto i nga maataapono o o te Aho Matua, ki Hoani Waititi Marae. Kei Waikato raatou ko taana iti e noho ana i eenei waa nei.
Amomai is an executive leader working across Maaori partnerships, strategic communications, and public engagement. Her work is about building relationships that last between organisations, communities, iwi and stakeholders – particularly in complex environments where trust, credibility and genuine engagement matter most, across the public sector, iwi organisations and the not-for-profit sector. Amomai has led strategic communications, crisis response and stakeholder engagement through periods of significant change and understands how narrative, relationships and governance shape public confidence, and how to navigate that with clarity and care.
Shane Te Ruki
Maatauranga Maaori lead at Hamilton City Council
Shane is widely respected within Maniapoto as a practicioner and advocate for tradtional maatauranga Maaori. His grounding in this knowledge was nutured from an early age by the kaumaatua of Ngāti Unu and Ngāti Kahu at Te Kōpua, Kakepuku. Building on this foundation, he spent many years engaged in koorero and waananga with respected rangatira from across the Rohe Pootae, deepeing his understanding of tribal knowledge, history, and tradtions. Throughout his career, Shane has remained committed to the preservation, practice, and transmission of maatauranga Maaori, where in 1999 to 2025 he taught and facilitated waananga at his home marae in Te koopua, sharing knowledge and supporting the growth of future generations. He currecntly serves as Maatauranga Maaori lead at Hamilton City Council.
Jason Ake
With more than 30 years’ experience in the communications and marketing sector, Jason Ake (Ngaati Ranginui, Piriraakau, Ngaati Maahanga) was appointed the General Manager – Engagement and Communications at Waikato-Tainui in 2017. Trained as a journalist, Jason has strong connections with central government and private sectors and is also an executive member of Maaori radio iwi network, Te Whakaruruhau. He leads the team responsible for the marketing, communications and engagement functions at Waikato-Tainui, offering an iwi perspective on stakeholder engagement, consultation, and the importance of authentic relationship-building between communications professionals and iwi organisations.
Olivia Pitiroi-Gowling
2026 Matariki Scholarship Recipient
Communications & Engagement Coordinator
Hamilton City Council
Olivia is a young professional who recently graduated from the University of Waikato with a Bachelor of Communication, majoring in Public Relations and Māori and Indigenous Studies. A descendant of Ngaati Tuuwharetoa, Olivia grew up in Taupoo before moving to Waikato, where she now works as Corporate Communications Coordinator at IAWAI. As a recipient of the PRINZ Waikato Matariki Scholarship, Olivia is new to the committee and is excited by the opportunity to further develop her skills in public relations while creating space for Maaori voice within the industry.
