Our People

Ngā Rangatahi Toa’s activities are delivered by a skilled and values-driven team led by Executive Director Huia O’Sullivan. Huia brings together a team that has expertise in creative practice, tikanga Māori and youth development. Our creative teaching artists drive delivery and facilitate dynamic artistic experiences across a range of disciplines.

 

Over the years this has included such artists as Teremoana Rapley, Laughton Kora, Jordyn with a Why, Tama Jarman, Diggy Dupé, Dominic Hoey, Cat Ruka, Tyrone Te Waa, Coco Solid, Priya Sami, Chris Graham, Brooke and Starce O’Neill, Matariki Whatarau, Thomas Rose, Bella Kalolo, Lionel Wellington and many more.

 

These teaching artists are supported by our experienced youth development practitioners who ensure our programmes are safe, inclusive and responsive. Our pou tikanga guide the cultural integrity of the programme, who we consult with regularly and who are an active part of our activities. This core whānau is further supported by dedicated volunteers who contribute to delivery and community engagement.

KAIĀRAHI / LEADERSHIP

HUIA O’SULLIVAN – EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Huia O’Sullivan (Te Atiawa) is a respected Māori leader in youth development, kaupapa Māori wellbeing and Māori mental health. With over two decades of experience she is recognised nationally and internationally for her steadfast advocacy for rangatahi whose lives sit at the intersections of vulnerability and potential. Grounded in and guided by her whakapapa to Te Atiawa ki Taranaki, Huia leads with relational integrity, cultural depth and an unshakeable belief in the mana of young people.

 

Huia currently serves as our Executive Director, where she has strengthened the organisation’s trauma-informed practice, creative wellbeing pathways and high-trust community partnerships. Her leadership is marked by a commitment to rigorous safety practice, genuine co-design and the creation of protective factors that uplift rangatahi hauora.

 

Huia’s broader career spans several significant regional and national roles, demonstrating her influence as a systems-level thinker and practitioner:

 

● Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Te Rangi – CAYAD: Regional Lead, Tauranga Moana
● Mental Health Foundation: Mental Health Promoter for Lakes and Taranaki DHB’s
● Social Investment Agency (formerly The Families Commission): North Island
Community Engagement Lead
● Big Brothers Big Sisters Auckland: General Manager overseeing regional mentoring and youth support infrastructure.

 

Across all of her work, Huia is known for her unwavering aroha, her clarity of purpose and her ability to carve pathways that restore, elevate and empower vulnerable rangatahi and their whānau. She stands as a significant voice within the indigenous wellbeing landscape of Aotearoa and a powerful advocate for transformational youth support.

AHI KĀ / CORE TEAM

MARYANN WHYTE – OPERATIONS MANAGER

Maryann is of Samoan heritage and brings over 30 years of experience across customer service, account management, project delivery, and health & safety. She’s the one who keeps everything ticking along, supporting our Executive Director and making sure our mahi with rangatahi, their whānau, and the wider community stays true to the kaupapa of Ngā Rangatahi Toa.

POUĀRAHI / CREATIVES

KARLOS SAUNDERS-TUNKS

As a proud mokopuna from Te Whānau-ā-Apanui and Whakatōhea, Karlos is a musical guru whose artistry has intertwined with some of Aotearoa’s most celebrated talents, from Kora, Troy Kingi, Diggy and Moana and the Tribe. His guitar work graced Melodownz’s debut album, marking the beginning of an illustrious journey. With a foundation in Jazz from Auckland University, Karlos set his sights beyond the horizon, immersing himself in the vibrant music scene of Japan during his formative years.

 

Today, he continues to captivate audiences alongside Kora and Troy Kingi, weaving his unique sound into their dynamic performances. A cherished member of Ngā Rangatahi Toa, Karlos brings not only his remarkable musical talent  but also a deep sense of belonging and support to our kaupapa.

DIGGY DUPÉ

Diggy Dupe, a dynamic artist of Niuean and Māori whakapapa, is renowned for his powerful contributions as a vocalist, song writer, spoken word artist and rapper.

 

His lead single from the album That’s Me, That’s Team, titled ‘Keke Boy,’ masterfully blends Niuean and English, aiming to immerse his audience in his native tongue and inspire them to connect with and celebrate their own cultural roots.

 

Through his music, Diggy weaves the stories of central Auckland, expressing a sense of alienation due to the demographic changes in the suburb which he grew up in. With a growing discography, Diggy earned himself well deserved accolades at the 2024 Pacific Music Awards as Best Hip Hop Artist & Best Male Pacific Artist.

 

Diggy continues to be a beacon of talent and cultural pride. For the past four years, Diggy has been a cherished Poū Ārahi at Manawa Ora, bringing his unique energy and expertise to mentor our rangatahi. His unwavering commitment to Ngā Rangatahi Toa never fails to light up the faces of our young people, and we eagerly anticipate the continued impact of his mentorship and musical guidance.

NIKAU HINDMAN

Nikau is Wellington born with whakapapa to Ngāi Tahu. He is an Aotearoa music producer and ⅓ of the Naughty Natives rap crew, honing energy from experiences growing up across the country.

 

“My whole life I have been surrounded by art and musicians, from a baby I have been front stage at music festivals taking inspiration from the likes of ‘Fat Freddys Drop’, ‘Trinity Roots’ and ‘Ladi6’ to create my own identity with my music, blending classic Aotearoa sound with modern Hip Hop.”

 

Nikau released his debut album ‘Blacksand’ in 2020 and has since has played shows around Aotearoa, including festivals and supporting acts such as Correla. He also cooks Hāngī daily for Rewi Spraggon at the Hāngī Master. Since pre covid days, Nikau has been a part of our Ahi Kaa, relentlessly supporting all our kaupapa and forming beautiful tuakana-teina relationships with our rangatahi.

MATARIKI WHATARAU

Since completing acting and performing arts training at WPAC and Toi Whakaari: The New Zealand Drama School, Matariki has spent the 18 years working as an actor for stage, screen (The Pā Boys, Gone Girls), radio, podcasts and animation throughout Aotearoa and abroad.

 

He is also a musician and vocalist (Modern Māori Quartet) and has toured all over the world with that mahi. He has also been a director for TV and theatre and has even dabbled in writing for stage and screen.

ARTISTIC ADVISORS

CHRIS GRAHAM

Chris’s acting career spans a number of decades. He also works within the education system enabling young people as a resource teacher learning and behaviour (RTLB). Chris has been the Artistic Director of Manawa Ora for six years.

LAUGHTON KORA

Laughton Kora is an acclaimed New Zealand musician, performer and creative whose artistic practice spans music, theatre, composition, and screen work. With roots in Whakatāne and a lifelong immersion in music — beginning on stage with his father’s band at age six — Laughton has been a significant presence in Aotearoa’s creative landscape for decades. He first won national attention with Smokefree Rockquest and later formed the influential band Kora with his brothers.

 

Beyond performing, Laughton’s creative work includes musical direction and composition for theatre, film, television, Māori television, short independent films, and national and international campaigns. He has also appeared in significant theatrical roles, including Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar and parts in Little Shop of Horrors with Auckland Theatre Company, and has supported other musicians through production collaborations.

GOVERNANCE BOARD

CAREY TASKER – CHAIR

Cary (Ngāti Whakaue) is the chairman of the board of Ngā Rangatahi Toa. He is a chartered accountant currently working as a Principal Commercial Advisor at Auckland Council.

SHELBY ROBERTS – TREASURER

Ko Ngapuhi taku iwi, Ko Ngati kura taku hapu. Shelby is a values-based decision-maker with experience in navigating both private and public sector organisations. She shares her home with her husband, their four tamariki, her mama Jennifer and kuri (dog) named Ramona.

VALANCE SMITH

Valance is of Māori (Ngāti Mahuta, Te Parawhau, Te Uriroroi, Te Mahurehure ki Whatitiri), English and Chinese descent. As Kaihautū Tiriti – Tiriti Strategist for AUT, Valance provides strategic leadership to the Vice Chancellors Office, as well as academic and cultural leadership across the university. His current research includes mātauranga Māori solutions for Kauri Dieback, and maramataka and its connection to physical activity.

ANDREW MELVILLE

Andrew is Pākehā of Scottish and English descent. He is a facilitator, mentor and storyteller, working with teams and leaders to centre ngā tangata and te taiao in their life and mahi. He works with Māori entrepreneurs and emerging leaders, supporting them to embed mātauranga into their purpose and mahi while navigating the mainstream systems of business and government. Andrew published The Weave, The Surprising Unity in Difference in 2016, and has co-authored three other books.