Heather Gifford

Dr. Heather Gifford is the founding director of Whakauae Research, a pioneering iwi research unit that focuses on transformative research for Māori communities. With a passion for utilizing research to drive meaningful change, Gifford has dedicated her career to ensuring that the voices and needs of whānau, hapū, and iwi are at the forefront of public policy and health decisions. Her visionary leadership has established Whakauae as a leading organization in Māori research.