He uri whakaheke nō ngā hapū tini o Whangārei Terenga Parāoa me te Tai Tokerau, Ngati Whatua, Ngātiwai, Ngāti Hine, Ngāpuhi nui tonu.
May is an influential leader in the field of mental health nursing, newly appointed as Director of Innovations at Te Rau Ora and as a Nurse Consultant with Ngakau Consultancy. With more than 25 years of comprehensive experience across both government and non-government health, social, and education sectors, she has established herself as a crucial advocate for Māori health equity.
Her skill set encompasses senior executive management, project and operational management, quality improvement, policy and commissioning. Throughout her career, May has embraced key leadership positions, passionately working to enact positive change that uplifts communities and improves health outcomes.
Having been involved with the college since its inception in New Zealand, May has remained a committed member despite taking a step back for the past seven years. Now, she re-enters the college equipped with a fresh perspective and an enhanced range of skills acquired during her hiatus. Her prior contributions as a National Board member, Caucus member, Tuia te ao maramara Project member, and Vice President showcase her longstanding dedication to the college.
As the duly appointed Kaiwhakahaere for the Māori caucus, effective from November 10, 2023, May has brought her leadership to the Māori Caucus Biennial Wananga “He waka eke noa,” at Tauwhare Marae, Pukemoremore, Waikato. Her commitment to fostering collaboration and driving innovation promises to inspire and elevate the collective efforts towards equity in Māori mental health, addictions and the disability space.
‘Mā pango, mā whero, ka oti te mahi’
A whakataukī that refers to different people, or groups of people, cooperating and combining efforts to achieve a common goal, in this case, to bring together and whakamana te kaupapa o te mahi tahi Te Tiriti O Waitangi neehi hauora hinengaro I Aotearoa