Tīhei Wāhine Ora through Pū-Rā-Kā-Ū - Te Auaha Pito Mata Awards Series
Description
The Community Research Te Auaha Pito Mata Awards are held to celebrate the impact of emerging researchers whose work uplifts communities, strengthens knowledge, and creates positive change in Aotearoa.
This webinar series introduces the 2026 Award winners and offers an opportunity to hear directly from these inspiring researchers as they share their work, insights, and aspirations for the future.
In this webinar, we meet Paula Ormsby, winner of the Billie Award, and learn about her outstanding contribution as a community researcher to ‘Tīhei Wāhine Ora: Wāhine from Gang Whānau Healing Intergenerational Trauma’. As Rangatira of Wāhine Toa, Paula’s longstanding relationships of trust helped connect participants with the researcher, while her leadership provided strength, guidance and community oversight throughout the project.
We will also be joined by esteemed researcher Paora Moyle, who conducted the Tīhei Wāhine Ora research. Paora brings 30 years’ social work experience and extensive Hauraki-based research into family violence, housing poverty, agency harm, disaster response, and abusive child-protection processes.
The webinar will be facilitated by Kaye Maree Dunn.
About the research:
Tīhei Wāhine Ora: Wāhine from Gang Whānau Healing Intergenerational Trauma, is a Health Research Council-funded research project conducted by Paora Moyle, with Paula Ormsby providing community leadership and oversight throughout the project.
Comments from our judges:
Through longstanding relationships of trust and accountability with wāhine from gang whānau, Paula provided community leadership and governance that strengthened the research from its development through to completion.
The judges particularly noted the research's uncompromising rejection of deficit framing, positioning wāhine as knowledge holders and lived experience as expertise.
Panelists
Paula Ormsby
Paula Ormsby is a Māori community researcher, advisor, and advocate with more than 25 years of experience across justice, health, education, housing, and community development. She is recognised for her work advancing kaupapa Māori solutions, strengthening whānau outcomes, and influencing system change through research, advocacy, and community engagement. Drawing on both professional expertise and lived experience, Paula has worked alongside government agencies, iwi, and community organisations to inform policy, lead community-led initiatives, and ensure the voices of Māori and underserved communities are represented in decision-making processes. Paula is the Rangatira of Wahine Toa a woman's movement in the Mongrel Mob. Paula is the recipient of the Billie Research Award, recognising her contribution to Indigenous and community-based research. Her work focuses on kaupapa Māori research, social justice, equity, and developing solutions that bridge community experience with meaningful system transformation.
Paora Moyle
Paora Moyle (Ngāti Porou) is a Mana Wāhine scholar, Principal Research Fellow and Director of Research at Te Whāriki Manawāhine o Hauraki. An award-winning researcher, social worker and survivor advocate, Paora has more than thirty years' experience working alongside whānau and communities across Aotearoa. Their research centres lived experience and kaupapa Māori approaches that place whānau knowledge, Māori authority and community priorities at the fore. Paora contributed to the Abuse in Care Royal Commission and Crown Response Office and was lead claimant in the Waitangi Tribunal's Oranga Tamariki Inquiry, with research spanning abuse in care, child protection, gang whānau, Takatāpui and disaster resilience.
Kaye-Maree Dunn
Kaye-Maree Dunn, co-founder of Making Everything Achievable, is a renowned Māori tech entrepreneur. Leading Ahau NZ and Indigital Blockchain, she's involved with North Hokianga Development Trust and Āhau Tātai Hono Trust and is a Sir Edmond Hillary Fellow. Dedicated to Māori and community development for over 24 years, her roles span Child, Youth, and Family, the Department of Labour, Māori Land Court, and NZ Maori Tourism. Active in Te Whare Hukahuka, she uplifts transformative capabilities in New Zealand's economic landscape. Recognised as Māori Entrepreneur of the Year in 2023, her recent pursuits include Social Enterprise Development and Governance Training.
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