Distinguished Professor Jacinta Ruru MNZM, FRSNZ
Raukawa, Ngāti Ranginui
Te Pou Koko, Māori | Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Māori
Email dvc.maori@otago.ac.nz
Professor Ruru leads Te Tari o te Pou Koko Māori in providing strategic advice on giving effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi in academic and research domains.
Distinguished Professor Jacinta Ruru profile
Hiria Palmer
Ngāi te Rangi, Ngāti Rangi, Te Atihaunui-a-Pāpārangi
Taituarā Matua | Executive Assistant
Email dvc.maori@otago.ac.nz
Tel +64 3 556 6121
Hiria provides high-level confidential executive support and advice, and is the first point of contact for the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Māori. She manages the Deputy Vice-Chancellor's appointments, meetings, and email correspondence.
Hiria returns to Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka after a six-year absence working for charitable trusts in both Ōtepoti and Murihiku. She brings a wealth of knowledge and a wide range of skills, qualifications and experiences, particularly in kaupapa Māori and management environments. She is very familiar with the ideals and aspirations of hapori and has achieved a long career in these spaces. Lending her insights to support and elevate kaupapa Māori initiatives is a high priority as is providing pathways for rangatahi to reach their potential.
Hiria considers her education at and work history for Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka provided the platform to put her Master of Business Administration into action. Most recently she supported Waihōpai Rūnaka as their operations manager and then moved to the Mīharo Murihiku Trust as their Business and Finance Manager ensuring sustained financial viability for their Māori and Pasifika art, culture and education initiatives.
Janine Kapa
Kāi Tahu, Kāti Māmoe, Waitaha
Kaitohu Matua Māori | Senior Strategic Adviser Māori
Email dvcm.analyst@otago.ac.nz
Janine provides strategic research and policy advice and analysis to support the delivery of the University’s Māori academic strategic objectives including to whakamana i Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Janine has been passionately involved in Māori education for over 30 years – in the compulsory and tertiary sectors; from the classroom to the board room; locally, regionally, and nationally.
With a background also in applied research, communications, project management, strategic development, and systems change, Janine co-founded Kia Māia Bicultural Communications in 1999, and has held Māori leadership roles with Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu (2003-2005), the University of Otago (2007-2017) and Otago Polytechnic (2017-2022).
Most recently, she has held senior executive roles with Te Pūkenga, leading the integration and implementation of Te Pae Tawhiti, Te Tiriti o Waitangi Excellence Framework, contributing to the co-creation of Aotearoa NZ’s new national vocational education network.
Janine shares a joint appointment between the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Māori Office and Strategy, Analytics and Reporting Office.
Aoraki matatū!
He taura whiri, he hononga
We work closely with:
- Office of Māori Development
- Associate Deans Māori in Divisions, Faculties and Schools
- Te Huka Mātauraka: Māori Centre
- Te Poutama Māori
- Kaimahi Māori staff
- Te Rōpū Māori
- Te Tumu School of Māori, Pacific and Indigenous Studies
- Māori-specific positions including Māori strategic advisors
- Māori research centres and units