Te Kowhai Robinson

Te Kowhai is a skilled facilitator, legal professional, and advocate for Māori development, with extensive experience working across large and small community organisations, government entities, Iwi Rūnanga and Māori Organisations. With a passion for empowering communities and organisations to embrace te ao Māori, Te Kowhai brings a strategic, culturally grounded approach to all aspects of their work.

Areas of Expertise

Te Kowhai’s expertise spans a diverse range of areas, including:

• Māori Development and Facilitation: Supporting organisations to embed te ao Māori values into their strategies and initiatives, with a proven track record of facilitating strategy planning days and supporting organisations with kaupapa Māori and Te-Tiriti based frameworks.
• Progressive Procurement: Her expertise include implementing equitable procurement practices that empower Māori and Pasifika businesses, ensuring procurement strategies align with social and economic goals and navigating procurement policies to achieve outcomes that reflect their commitment to diversity and inclusion.
• Law and Legal Practice: A Law graduate with experience as a legal intern at one of Southeast Asia’s largest law firms – Rajah & Tann Asia. Skilled in analysing legal and trust documents, including shareholder agreements and various governance documents.
• Governance Leadership: An experienced governance professional, Te Kowhai has served as a trustee and board member for various Māori-focused organisations. Their leadership skills enable them to provide strategic guidance that strengthens organisational frameworks and fosters sustainable outcomes, including currently serving as a Trustee on the HĀ(History of Aotearoa) Charitable Trust Board.
• Community Engagement: Te Kowhai has worked alongside many Iwi, Hapū, and community groups to co-design solutions that reflect collective aspirations. Te Kowhai’s approach fosters meaningful relationships with a focus on building capacity within communities to drive lasting change for generations to come.
• Strategic Planning and Facilitation: Skilled in guiding organisations through effective strategy planning processes, tailored to meet their unique goals and needs.
• Te Ao Māori Support: Te Kowhai provides tailored te ao Māori support for organisations, including those with limited understanding of Māori cultural practices. Having worked alongside both international organisations and small local community groups, Te Kowhai bridges cultural gaps, helping to build strong, authentic relationships.