– Senior Consultant
Te Kowhai is a lawyer, governance and strategy advisor, and organisational development practitioner with extensive experience working alongside iwi, Māori organisations, government agencies, charitable trusts, and community organisations throughout Aotearoa. Te Kowhai began her professional career as a legal intern with Rajah & Tann Asia, one of Southeast Asia’s largest law firms, based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. She later returned to Aotearoa, where she has built a career in Māori Governance and Māori Development. As a Senior Consultant at Mather Solutions Limited, Te Kowhai leads governance reviews, strategy development and kaupapa Māori advisory projects. Her work focuses on supporting boards and leadership teams to strengthen governance effectiveness, clarify strategic direction, enhance organisational capability, and create sustainable pathways for future growth.
Drawing on experience across governance, law, public policy, Māori development, and organisational leadership, Te Kowhai brings a practical and strategic approach to complex challenges. She is recognised for her ability to navigate diverse kaupapa, facilitate meaningful conversations, and provide advice that balances governance best practice, organisational realities, and te ao māori.
Areas of Expertise
Governance Reviews and Governance Advisory
Te Kowhai specialises in governance reviews and board development. She has supported iwi organisations, Iwi-Māori Partnership Boards, charitable trusts, and community organisations to review constitutions, governance manuals, leadership structures, board charters, and governance frameworks to strengthen governance practice and organisational performance.
Recent governance advisory experience includes leading governance review and development work with Te Karu o Te Ika Poari Hauora and Te Rūnanga o Rangitane o Wairau and supporting various Māori board governance and leadership development wānanga.
Strategic Planning and Facilitation
Te Kowhai leads strategic planning and engagement processes for iwi, Māori and corporate organisations. Her approach combines governance insight, a te ao māori tirohanga(world-view), skilled facilitation, and practical implementation planning to support organisations in developing strategies grounded in the aspirations of their people.
Most recently, Te Kowhai worked alongside Ngāti Rangi to support the development of their iwi strategy, supporting more than 11 engagement hui with whānau, hapū, iwi members, and rangatahi across Aotearoa. This work focused on ensuring the voices, aspirations, and priorities of Ngāti Rangi whānau were reflected throughout the strategy and future direction of the iwi.
Organisational Development and Leadership
Te Kowhai works alongside boards and leadership teams to strengthen organisational capability, leadership development, governance maturity, accountability frameworks, and organisational culture.
For the past three years, Te Kowhai has worked alongside OCS New Zealand to support their organisational development journey and implementation of te ao Māori within the organisation. This has included providing strategic advice, facilitating leadership discussions, supporting cultural capability development, and helping leaders navigate what meaningful integration of te ao Māori looks like within a large corporate environment.
Māori Development and Te Tiriti Advisory
Te Kowhai supports organisations to strengthen their understanding and application of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, kaupapa Māori approaches, and Māori-Crown relationships. Their work focuses on embedding Māori perspectives within governance, strategy, organisational development, leadership, and service delivery.
Recent clients have included the Institute of Directors, Genesis Energy, Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, and a range of iwi and Māori organisations throughout Aotearoa, supporting governance capability, Te Tiriti implementation, stakeholder engagement, and strategic development initiatives.
Education
Te Kowhai holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts conjoint degree from Waipapa Taumata Rau – the University of Auckland. During their studies, they served on several prominent student boards, including as an Executive Board Member of Ngā Tauira Māori and Te Mana Ākonga, the National Māori Students Association.
In addition to her legal qualifications, Te Kowhai has pursued advanced studies in Te Reo Māori, earning a Diploma in Te Reo Māori Fluency from Te Wānanga Takiura o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Aotearoa, as well as a Diploma in Te Reo (Rumaki) Level 6 from Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.
Te Kowhai is presently based in both the Mather Solutions Tāmaki Makaurau office and Te Tai Tokerau.