Leading healthcare provider ProCare is delighted to announce the appointment of Sarah (Hera) Kinred (Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei) as the Tangata Whenua representative on the ProCare Health Limited Board. Her appointment was effective from 1 April 2022.

This appointment has been made possible with the guidance and leadership of the Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Trust Board. Ngati Whatua Orakei are the tangata whenua of Tāmaki and its rohe, on the basis of take tūpuna, take raupatu, tuku whenua and ahi kā. For the past four years, Sarah has been working at Te Rau Ora as Kaitiaki Mātauranga Māori where she has been responsible for creating two Mātauranga Māori Qualifications and leading three wānanga (Kaitiaki Ahurea, He Puna Whakaata and Matatini Ora) across the motu.

Prior to this she has worked for Waitematā District Health Board, Open Wānanga and Te Wānanga O Aotearoa. Sarah is a trained teacher and also has experience in the Mental Health and Addictions space.

Taima Campbell, Chair of the ProCare Health Limited Board says: “Kei te whakaihu waka, tēnā koe (To the leader, greetings). We acknowledge and welcome Sarah to the Board. As part of our equity journey, we recognised there was a need for representation of Mana Whenua on our Board, so this appointment is a critical step for ProCare, and we look forward to Sarah’s leadership in shaping how the Board makes decisions.

“ProCare is committed to delivering equitable health and wellbeing services in Aotearoa and this appointment is another step forward in our commitment to Te Tiriti. He ika kai ake i raro, he rāpaki ake i raro (committing to a journey begins with the first steps),” she continues.

Commenting on her appointment, Sarah says: “I am extremely passionate about the hauora of my people and community. I am committed to ensuring that Mātauranga Māori is intentionally present and is a part of all decisions made at a governance level. I am unapologetic about being Māori, about the wellbeing of Māori and about reconnecting Māori to who we are and where we come from. In that connection lies the answers to our own wellbeing and our tino rangatiratanga.”