Rebecca works for Shine, a specialist family violence agency, as the National Trainer for the Health New Zealand Violence Intervention Programme (VIP). She supports VIP coordinators across Aotearoa to equip health professionals to recognise and respond to family violence. A Registered Nurse for more than 20 years, Rebecca has worked in community and inpatient mental health and addiction services, supporting people experiencing family violence to access safety and specialist support. She has taught professional ethics and therapeutic skills to undergraduate nursing students and has provided clinical tutoring and professional supervision to health professionals.

Rebecca is part of The Garden, a Christian faith community, and she and her husband have previously served as pastors and church leaders over many years. She enjoys hanging out with her husband and their three teenage boys, spending time with friends, and getting out into West Auckland’s beaches and bush. Rebecca is passionate about this mahi, about the difference health professionals and church communities can make when they are well informed and able to offer a safe response to victim survivors.

John is the sole GP in Kāwhia, the resting place of the Tainui waka, on the coast, southwest of Hamilton. He has so far committed 34 years to this community, but this time has been enriched by a year with SIM in Benin before he started; half a year in the Kimberley, northern WA; brief trips with Marine Reach to Fiji and Vanuatu; and 3 months observing the training of rural doctors in Northern Ontario. His wife, Sue has played a key part in all these ventures. They have 3 children, David who is also a GP, Erika, a paediatric nurse, and Alice, a te Reo teacher.

Fiona Langridge is a Pacific raised Palangi, paediatric physiotherapist and child health researcher. She has experience in global health for children, specifically the Pacific region. She is currently a Cure Kids senior research fellow with the University of Auckland working on projects related to child health in the Pacific region. She has worked as a paediatric physiotherapist and developmental coordinator with children and communities in Aotearoa, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Her research includes the Fiji Oxygen Project, Child Protection in Tonga, Climate change and mental wellbeing – impacts on Pacific peoples, Pacific infantcare practises, and the Growing Up in New Zealand study. Her areas of expertise are: global child health, Pacific child health, respiratory health, climate change, community engagement, and child protection. Fiona is active in her church community in Manukau City, where her husband is a pastor.

Faumuina Professor Fa’afetai (Tai) Sopoaga is the Director, Va’a o Tautai (VOT) – Centre for Pacific Health at the University of Otago. Tai is from Samoa and moved to New Zealand to pursue tertiary studies. She is a public health physician, trained as a GP and was awarded the Companion of the NZ Order of Merit for services to education and the Pacific community. She received the Prime Minister’s award for tertiary teaching excellence, and endorsement for excellence in supporting Pacific learners. Faumuina’s work involves strengthening engagements with local, national, and regional Pacific communities seeking opportunities for mutual benefits when engaging them in the work of the university in teaching, services and research. 

Averil has recently completed a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) research project examining social service responses to family violence in rural Aotearoa New Zealand. She also works for Te Whatu Ora as a Healthcare Assistant at her local rural hospital, bringing together academic insight and frontline rural health experience to inform cross-sector engagement supporting family violence victim/survivors in rural communities.

Miranda works for Hikitia! as a Community Mobiliser in the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence, as well as being the Business Lead for Restorative Justice Nelson. She has previously worked as Clinician in the Family Violence sector working with people of all ages using and impacted by family violence. Miranda also has a Masters Degree in Theology and worked in children’s and youth work for All Saints Anglican Church Nelson for seven years, a church to which she continues to belong. Miranda grew up in the UK and has spent most of her adult life in Aotearoa as a proud tangata tiriti. When not at work Miranda is often acting, singing, tramping or playwriting. She is currently writing a podcast musical about a justice-driven 15th century nun!