Ko Mahuhu-ki-te-rangi te waka
Ko Te uri o hau, Ko Ngā Oho,
Ko Te Taoū ko Te Uringutu ngā hapū
Ko Mihi Blair ahau

With over 15 years of experience, Mihi Blair serves as the Kaiwhakahaere Hauora Māori, Mana Taurite at ProCare Health Ltd., Aotearoa’s largest Primary Health Organisation. Her career is dedicated to driving positive change for Māori and Pacific communities through strategic management, advocacy, and fostering partnerships with iwi. 

Mihi’s expertise spans community engagement, legislative processes, and funding management, with leadership roles across sectors such as health, housing, education, and social services. She serves on the board of Emerge Aotearoa Housing Trust and co-chairs Ngā Matapihi o Te Wairua – GPNZ Māori PHO Leaders Roopu. 

Her involvement in the Vaping Steering Group and the Smokefree Oceania Conference reflects her commitment to equitable policies and community well-being. At ProCare, Mihi ensures that the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi remain central to achieving better health outcomes for Māori and future generations. 

A proud māmā of three daughters, Mihi enjoys spending her time with her whānau and participating in iwi activities. 

Dr. Jarral provides clinical oversight and support across our equity-focused health targets and initiatives as the Clinical Director for Equity. He works as a GP at an inner-city practice serving high needs populations with very low-cost access, which informs his work around whānau-centred innovation and responsible technology. Dr. Jarral is also the Clinical Director of the national telehealth service CareHQ and is a guest lecturer at Tech Futures Lab. Collaborating with teams at the World Health Organisation, The Impact Collective and IEEE, Dr. Jarral hopes to shape a better and brighter collective future, using technology.

With over 20 years in finance and over 15 years in healthcare, Viv currently serves as the Head of Pacific Health at ProCare. She is fervently dedicated to achieving health equity for Pacific communities, advocating for fair resources and funding in primary care. Viv leverages her position to influence program delivery to better serve Pacific peoples and is an active member of the Equity Team, championing the needs of 70,000 Pacific individuals within ProCare practices.

Viv takes pride in her Tongan upbringing which has shaped her values and dedication to her community. She has passionately advocated and represented Pacific interests on various platforms, including ACC Pacific Advisory panel, the Bowel Screening Pacific National Network, the Rheumatic Fever/RHD Diagnosis and Management Guidelines – Pasifika Governance Group among others.

She draws strength and confidence from her personal experience navigating the healthcare system while caring for her husband, a cancer survivor, since 2007, supported by her two adult children and her unwavering Christian faith.

Ko Ngātokimatawhaorua Te Waka
Ko Nukutawhiti Te Tangata
Ko Hokianga Whakapau Karakia Te Moana
Ko Ngai Tūpoto Te hapū
Ko Motukaraka, Mitimiti āku Papakainga
Ko Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Te Aupouri ngā Iwi
Ko Patrick Mendes tōku Ingoa

Patrick Mendes serves as the Kaitohutohu Matua (Senior Māori Advisor) for ProCare. With 21 years of experience in adult, child, and adolescent mental health, Patrick brings extensive expertise to his role.

Patrick’s cultural leadership supports ProCare’s strategy to build meaningful partnerships with Māori, iwi, hapū, and whānau, responding to the needs of Māori and promoting equitable opportunities, particularly for tangata whenua o Ngāti Whātua.

He works across ProCare, focusing on the delivery of Cultural Competence Training to health staff, ensuring quality care and cultural integrity aligned with Te Tiriti o Waitangi. 

Patrick is married with four tamariki and five mokopuna. In his free time, he enjoys waka ama, kayaking, rugby league, netball, basketball, coaching, and touch rugby.

Ko Tutamoe, Maungakiekie oku maunga
Ko Tama te Uaua, Ōrākei oku marae
Ko Kaihu te awa, Waitemata te moana
Ko Mahuhu-ki-te-rangi te waka
Ko Te uri o hau, Ko Ngā Oho, ko Te Taoū ko Te Uringutu ngā hapū
Ko Tom raua ko Grace Makoare oku matua
Ko Johnny Iefata tōku hoa rangatira
Ko Tui Makoare-Iefata ahau
Kei roto au i te Equity team
He Project Lead ahau o Ara Hauora Mobile Outreach service

As part of the Equity team, Tui serves as the Project Lead for the Ara Hauora Mobile Outreach service. The eldest of six siblings, a proud mother of five tamariki, and grandmother (nannie) to 17 mokopuna, her journey is deeply rooted in whānau. 

With 30 years of community experience, Tui has held various roles, including serving on the National Tamariki Ora Advisory Board and working as a nurse in Tamariki Ora, Whānau Ora, mental health, and practice nursing. 

Her passion for improving health outcomes for Māori began with a focus on *te hauora o māmā me te pēpi* (the health of mothers and babies), adopting a holistic approach that considers the needs of the entire whānau within the whare. Since joining ProCare in January 2022, she has continued this nurse-led mahi through outreach services, embracing a whānau-centric approach that seamlessly integrates cultural and clinical engagement. 

This work keeps her grounded and reinforces her commitment to achieving positive health outcomes for Māori—always.

Valita has been with ProCare for over 20 years. Throughout her tenure, she has contributed to various capacities and currently serves as the Healthy Village Action Zone (HVAZ) Coordinator.

One of her standout achievements is leading the translation of the Stanford Self-Management Education (SME) training manual into Samoan—a project that has since gained national recognition and accessibility.

Valita's passion lies in working alongside communities, where she has a unique gift for connecting with people, providing education, and empowering them to take ownership of their health. As a committed Self-Management champion, she lives by the belief that “the answers lie within.”

Valita is a proud mother of six adult children (three sons and three daughters) and a Nana to six cherished grandchildren, who are her pride and joy. She holds the chiefly title Utunofu from her father’s village of Salepoua’e Saleimoa. Family and culture are central to her life.

Deeply rooted in her faith, Valita actively engages with her community, especially through her church family and prayer groups.