Ō Mātou Tāngata
Our People

"E koekoe te tūī, e ketekete te kākā, e kūkū te kererū."

“The tūī sings, the kākā chatters, the wood pigeon coos.”

The outcome is always better when everyone is able to contribute their unique strengths.

We are a team of highly skilled researchers and innovators that believe in social responsibility and delivering positive outcomes for people and their communities.

John Leonard

Ngāti Rangiwewehi, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāi Tūhoe.

Dip Tch, G DipBIT (Hoaka Pounamu), BTchLN, PG DipEd.

  • John is the Chief Executive of Ihi Research. He brings extensive management experience, with over 25 years spent in the education sector, and 16 years as a school principal.

    John has led research and evaluation projects in Whānau Ora, Family Harm, community-based initiatives, and high-performance sports. This included comprehensive campaign reviews of the tier two nations' preparation and performance at the Rugby World Cup 2019, all Women’s Rugby World Cup 2022 teams, and 12 unions at RWC 2023; a review of the Australian Sailing Tokyo Olympic Campaign; and, campaign reviews for the Fijian Drua and North Canterbury Rugby.

    John and his partner Catherine, live in Waikuku and have a blended family of seven children and two mokopuna.

    Education & Qualifications

    University of Canterbury

    • Post Graduate Diploma in Education 2016

    • Bachelor of Teaching and Learning 2009

    • Hoaka Pounamu: Graduate Diploma in Bilingual and Immersion Teaching 2008

    Christchurch College of Education - Diploma of Teaching (Primary) 1989

Dr Catherine Leonard

Ngāi Tahu,

EdD, PG Dip Ed Psych, MEd Psych, BEd, BAppB

  • Catherine (formerly Catherine Savage) is the research manager at Ihi Research, working alongside her husband John. Catherine began her career as a psychologist, she worked with children and whānau in schools on the East Coast of the North Island.

    She spent ten years as a senior lecturer at Victoria University and completed her Education Doctorate at Massey University in 2006, which investigated the School Network Reviews of 2004.

    From 2010 to 2014 Catherine was the Chief Executive of Te Tapuae o Rehua, a subsidiary of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu. Since 2014, Catherine has been the co-director of Ihi Research and led various research and evaluation projects.

    She has produced a series of research and evaluation projects investigating social impact from innovative approaches to achieving social change. Her research interests lie in qualitative methodologies and working with grassroots community organisations to demonstrate evidence of change.

    Education & Qualifications

    Massey University New Zealand

    • Education Doctorate 2006

    • Post Graduate Diploma Educational Psychology 2000

    • Master of Educational Psychology 1999

    • Bachelor of Education (Teaching) 1992

    Otago Polytechnic - Bachelor of Applied Management: Transformation & Change 2014

    Te Wānanga o Aotearoa - Kāwai Raupapa (Intro to Arts) 2010

    Te Wānanga o Raukawa - Huia Te Reo 2016

Dr Anne Hynds

PhD, MA (Distinction), PG Dip Tch, PG Dip (TSSN), Dip Tch, BA

  • Anne is a senior researcher at Ihi Research. She brings a wealth of experience as an educator and researcher with a passion for achieving equity and excellence. Her particular interests lie in qualitative research and integrative literature reviews.

    At Ihi Research she has led and worked on various research evaluations. She previously worked as the Editor in Chief for the Oxford Bibliographies in Education (Oxford University Press) and was a member of the Teacher-led Innovation Fund (TLIF) Selection and Monitoring Panel, for the Ministry of Education, New Zealand. She has held academic positions at The University of Auckland and Victoria University of Wellington (VUW). She received an ‘Award of Excellence in Mentoring’ from Te Putahi Atawhai (VUW) in recognition of her academic mentoring for Māori and Pasifika postgraduate students.

    Anne lives in the Wairarapa with her husband Derek, where they both volunteer for the annual Featherston Booktown Karukaea Festival; a celebration of storytelling, books and ideas.

    Education & Qualifications

    Victoria University of Wellington

    • PhD 2007

    • Master of Arts (with Distinction) 2000

    Wellington College of Education

    • Advanced Postgraduate Teaching Diploma 1997

    • Postgraduate Diploma Teaching Students with Special Needs 1997

    Auckland College of Education

    • Higher Diploma of Teaching 1994

    • Diploma Teaching students with Hearing Impairment 1991

    • Diploma of Teaching 1992

    Auckland University - Bachelor of Arts 1989

Letitia Goldsmith

BA Psychology

  • Letitia Goldsmith holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Canterbury. She is currently studying toward her Masters degree in Business Administration. Letitia has been with Ihi Research for over six years and holds the roles of Project Manager and Researcher. Letitia brings her extraordinary organisation and project management skills to her job and ensures that our timelines are always met, data is collected on schedule, project risks are identified and managed, and our ethical procedures are followed.

    Letitia previously coordinated the Whenua Kura programme for Te Tapuae o Rehua on behalf of Ngāi Tahu Farming, Lincoln University and Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu. During this time Letitia managed a variety of portfolios (including work experience, programme coordination, pastoral coordination, external engagement and transition to employment). In this role Letitia worked alongside local rūnanga to ensure the delivery of Whenua Kura was consistent with their aims and aspirations.

    Over the past six years Letitia has contributed to research and evaluation across a range of topics including sport, health, wellbeing, Whānau Ora, and education.

    Education & Qualification

    University of Canterbury - Bachelor of Arts Psychology and Education

Olivia Martin

Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairoa

BA Philosophy, Certificate of Whānau Ora

  • Olivia holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Canterbury majoring in Philosophy and Indigenous Studies. She is currently studying toward her Masters degree in Philosophy.

    Prior to studying Olivia was a therapeutic support worker at Stand for Children in Ōtautahi for 3 years, a job she loved. This role sparked an ongoing interest in kaupapa Māori support interventions for tamariki.

    Olivia has been with Ihi Research since she completed her degree in 2021. During this time she has worked on a variety of research and evaluation projects including the evaluation of 298 Youth Health Centre, Te Ora Hou Truancy Innovation and Whānau Ora wave commissioning.

    Olivia has an interest in rongoā Māori and holistic health and wellbeing.

    Education & Qualifications

    University of Canterbury - Bachelor of Arts Philosophy

    Tipu ora - Certificate in Whānau Ora

Dr Madeline Shelling

Ngāti Porou,

PhD, BSc Hons

  • Madeline has recently completed her PhD under Te Kupenga Hauora Māori at the University of Auckland. Te topic of her research was, “Kai security, A Kaupapa Māori critique and reconceptualisation of food security and food sovereignty definitions and assessment frameworks in Aotearoa.”

    Madeline did her undergraduate study in Geography and Environmental Sciences, and then focussed her postgraduate study on Geography and Development studies, particularly in the field of food security. She has lived in the Philippines undertaking participatory food security research with ECOWEB, among the Higaonon Indigenous Peoples in Mindanao, and also in Zimbabwe working for Foundations for Farming, a NGO providing agricultural sustainability training to disadvantaged communities.

    She has a strong passion for food security and Indigenous rights, and is excited to be combining these passions and engaging in further food security and food sovereignty research in Aotearoa.

    Madeline is also a full-time CrossFit athlete, competing both nationally and internationally since 2018 and is currently ranked 6th in Oceania.

    Education & Qualifications

    Auckland University

    • PhD - Māori and Pacific Health 2024

    • BSc Hons First Class - Geography and Development Studies 2018

    Te Whare Wānanga o Aotearoa - Te Ara Reo Maori Level 4 – He Pī Ka Rere 2018

    Auckland University of Technology - AKCOP Certificate of Proficiency in Te Reo Māori 2012

Negeen Sanaei

BSW(Hons)

  • Negeen Sanaei is a passionate and dedicated Registered Social Worker with a profound commitment to justice and community service. She completed her Bachelor of Social Work with Honours at Canterbury University and is currently pursuing a master’s in criminal justice.

    Negeen's professional background is diverse. She has worked with the Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) at Christchurch Women’s Hospital as a social worker, additionally, she served at Oranga Tamariki within Youth Justice, where she specialised in intensive work with dual case clients, focusing on youth offending and care and protection. Her role included writing s334 and s335 reports for the youth court, showcasing her expertise in writing court documents.

    A New Zealand-born Iranian, Negeen has demonstrated leadership within her community. Following the tragic 2019 Mosque attacks, she received a scholarship for her exemplary service to the Muslim community, highlighting her unwavering commitment to helping others in times of need.

    Negeen is renowned for her excellent communication skills and her ability to build strong, trusting relationships with clients. Her natural ability to connect with people makes her an effective facilitator and advocate, always striving to support and empower those she serves.

    Education & Qualification

    University of Canterbury - (BSW(Hons)- Bachelor of Social Work with Honours

Ngaroma Crown

Rereahu

  • Ngaroma joins Ihi Research as a seasoned interviewer and an articulate communicator, with a decade of dedicated support to numerous non-profit and community initiatives. Her experience spans immediate disaster relief efforts and the coordination of logistics for vulnerable communities.

    Over the years, Ngaroma has had the privilege of collaborating with government entities and NGOs in various roles, conducting thorough workplace reviews and audits, and delivering detailed, insightful reports. Her expertise also extends to social media, where she effectively amplifies awareness and fosters engagement for the causes she champions, harnessing digital platforms to maximize community impact.

Kate Standring

Ngāpuhi

Communication Specialist

  • Kate has worked in the media and print industry in New Zealand and the United Kingdom for more than 30 years. She spent the past 15 years as the editor of an award-winning community newspaper.

    In 2017 she established her own business, Allokate Creative Communication. Kate’s aim is to make communication, and its presentation, as easy as possible enabling her clients to get on with what they do best.

    Kate’s passion is communication. For Ihi Research this means ensuring we communicate research findings as best we can to the people who matter. Our research often has multiple audiences, using Kate’s skills we develop a communication plan that ensures key messages are disseminated to all stakeholders. Kate can turn impact research into clear concise media releases and supporting communication documentation such as infographics.

    Kate and her husband David have a dairy, cattle and sheep farm in Wairoa, Northern Hawkes Bay.

Tanita Bidois

Waikato-Tainui, Ngāti Ranginui

BA (Hons)

  • Tanita is a researcher at Ihi Research and recently graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with First Class Honours in Māori & Indigenous Studies.

    Tanita recently worked as senior policy advisor at Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu, working in the Whānau Ora policy and research space for almost four years. Tanita also recently worked as a guest lecturer at the University of Canterbury in the Māori & Indigenous Department on embedded social disadvantage and contemporary development for whānau Māori.

    As an undergraduate student, Tanita worked as a research assistant and tutor at the University of Canterbury on topics relating to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and te reo Māori.

    Tanita is passionate about evaluating kaupapa through an intersectional lens on topics including equity, Māori development, Whānau Ora, feminism, gender, and sexuality.

    Qualifications

    He Pī Ka Rere (Te Reo Māori Level 4) – Te Wānanga o Aotearoa (2021)

    University of Canterbury

    • Bachelor of Arts (Māori & Indigenous Studies, Sociology) (2022)

    • Bachelor of Arts with First Class Honours (Māori & Indigenous Studies) (2023)

Sarah Hutana-TeAho

Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāi Tahu

BA Te Reo Māori

  • Sarah (BA Te Reo Māori & Māori Media and Communication) has recently joined Ihi Research as a reasearcher.

    Sarah brings a wealth of knowledge in Te Reo and Tikanga Māori, and Te Ao Māori (The Māori Language, customs and world).

    She has a background in Tutoring and Māori Mentorship at The University of Waikato, as well as 9+ years' experience in teaching Te Reo and Tikanga Māori at a tertiary level, both at the university and at The Eastern Institute of Technology. Sarah has also served as a consultant in professional settings and brings with her expertise as a Te Taura Whiri i Te Reo Māori (Māori Language Commission) qualified translator, and as a past pupil of Te Panekiretanga o Te Reo Māori and recent graduate of Te Pōkaitara (Ngāti Kahungunu Academy of Language Excellence).

    She has a deep reverence for writing and how it allows us to express and convey meaningful messages through words.

    Sarah has four beautiful tamariki or children, who she lives with in Heretaunga, in the North Island, and is inspired by every day.