Donna Awatere Huata

MA Hons Diploma of Teaching Diploma of Educational Psychology

Donna currently holds the positions of Māori Climate Commissioner, Chair of Te Arawa Oranga Tamariki Working Group, Secretary of Te Whare Whakaruruhau o Te Arawa Building Social and Cultural Rangatiratanga and Secretary of Te Arawa Education Taskforce.

Formerly she has held the following positions:

  • Deputy Chair of New Zealand Māori Council including oversight of Water Claim

  • Representative on the UN Forum on Indigenous Peoples, NY, for New Zealand Māori Council

  • Appointor Board Member for Crown Forestry Rental Trust (secretary to the Board), NZ Council for Educational Research and Te Ohu Kaimoana

  • Representative of Māori Women’s Welfare League, Federation of Māori Authorities, Te Whanau o Waipareira Trust, National Urban MāoriAuthorities, Nga Mataa Waka and the New Zealand Maori Council on Te Kawai Taumata (Director Appointor Board) for Te Ohu Kaimoana

  • Worked with Sir Toby Curtis as member of the Māori Broadcasting group including being co-writer of the report establishing Māori Radio and Television.

Work Background:

  • 40 years as a Policy, Research and Training Business Owner with a client list that includes The Treasury, TVNZ, Radio New Zealand, New Zealand on Air, National Te Kohanga Reo Trust, The Reserve Bank, Saatchi, Te Mangai Paho, Justice, Royal NZ Army, Royal NZ Police, McDonald’s Restaurants + 28 other Crown Agency Clients.

  • Established 20 Māori Advisory Units within Crown Agencies including The Treasury, Conservation and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

  • Extensive course and product design in Literacy, Te Reo Maori (for ECE), Parenting Programmes (for Māori Women’s Welfare League), NZ Dip of Business, Early Childhood Education (Whakapakari ECE Diploma, National Kohanga Reo Trust).

  • Child Psychologist servicing South Auckland for eight years

  • Wine Producer (with whanau) - one of the handful of Māori Winemakers in the country

  • Eight years Education and Science Select Committee, led Inquiry into the Teaching of Reading

Other:

  • Founding Trustee, Te Runanga o Ngati Porou

  • South Pacific Representative, UN Mid Decade for Women, Copenhagen and USA

  • Author - Māori Sovereignty, Zero Tolerance, The Reading Race, My Journey