Amohia Rolls

I am a descendant of Ngāti Kauwhata, Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki, Waikato and Ngāti Raukawa, and I am a proud mum of five. My whakapapa, whānau and connection to community are central to who I am and provide the foundation for the way I engage with people, particularly in supporting culturally responsive practice and the wellbeing of rangatahi, whānau and practitioners.

I bring 30 years of experience in education, including 15 years as a Principal across both English-medium and Māori-medium settings. I have also been privileged to establish and lead a new kura ā-iwi, which opened in 2024, creating an educational environment grounded in whakapapa, culture, identity and the aspirations of whānau. Alongside my education leadership, I have 20 years of governance experience across school, Rongo Mauri Trust and iwi boards. These experiences have developed my ability to lead, listen, challenge constructively, reflect deeply and support others through complex situations.

In 2018, I established Rongo Mauri in response to the needs I was seeing within the Camberley community. Rongo Mauri has since grown to two sites, extending into Feilding, with a team of 22 staff. Our work specialises in youth development, education, pathways, connection and potential, with cultural therapy being a key part of our approach to healing and wellbeing. As the leader of the organisation, I provide cultural supervision and support to my own staff, helping practitioners reflect on their practice, understand the cultural contexts of the people they work with, and remain grounded in safe, ethical and culturally responsive approaches. My supervision experience also extends beyond my own organisation, including providing cultural supervision and support to MSD workers and social workers in the wider community.

I am a Clinical Mental Health and Addictions Counsellor and have completed a Certificate in Supervision. My experience has reinforced for me that effective supervision is not simply about accountability or professional development; it is about creating a safe and reflective space where practitioners can explore their practice, recognise their own biases and assumptions, work through complexity, and strengthen their cultural confidence and capability. I bring an innovative cultural lens grounded in whakapapa, lived experience, clinical practice, education, leadership and youth development. I see supervision as an opportunity to support practitioners to grow in their practice while ultimately improving outcomes for the people, whānau and communities they serve.