Keynote Speakers
Kawiti Waetford
Raised on the beautiful Tutukaka Coast of Northland New Zealand, Kawiti is a multi-talented Māori opera singer, performer, educator and public speaker. As an alumnus of Otago University, Kawiti was mentored by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and has performed with her nationally and internationally. In NZ, Kawiti has sung in concert with the NZ Symphony Orchestra, the Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra and the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra.
Kawiti graduated with a Masters degree in Advanced Vocal Studies from the Wales International Academy of Voice and studied in Venice, Italy. He has an extensive background in New Zealand Māori Performing Arts and has acted at The Globe Theatre, London, in Shakespeare’s “As You Like It.
As a first-language speaker of Te Reo Māori he is actively involved in the education and mentorship of young Māori leaders, using his unique linguistical and musical skills to both expand the use of Te Reo Māori into new domains, and to instil the knowledge passed down to the generations of today. Based in Northland New Zealand, Kawiti continues to perform both nationally and internationally whilst working alongside the charitable trust - Toimata Foundation - to educate, connect and empower young Māori people and communities in Te Reo, Mātauranga Māori and our natural environment.
Susan Sawyer
Professor Susan Sawyer holds the Chair of Adolescent Health at the University of Melbourne and is Director of the Centre for Adolescent Health at the Royal Children’s Hospital, a World Health Organization collaborating centre. A paediatrician by training, she has helped develop the field of adolescent health in Australia and increasingly internationally in her role as president of the International Association for Adolescent Health. Her clinical and research interests primarily relate to quality health care for adolescents, including mental health. She has published over 270 peer review publications, including two Lancet series on adolescent health and the 2016 Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health and Wellbeing.
David Shanks
David Shanks is New Zealand’s Chief Censor and leads the Classification Office, an Independent Crown Entity. David and the Office work to inform and empower New Zealanders to experience and share content in a positive way while safeguarding our tamariki and rangatahi from harm. We conduct research into wide ranging topics, most recently into young people’s experiences of pornography.
As a parent David has a passion for the job and a determination to modernise the approach to the changing world of media content.
Guled Mire and Veena Patel
Guled is a former refugee who is passionate about advancing and encouraging the social well-being, inclusion and development of New Zealand’s ethnic and former refugee communities. Guled is a writer, speaker, young leader and community advocate. He is recognised as one of New Zealand’s most prominent young voices advocating for a more humane, inclusive and welcoming society. He serves on the boards of a number of community organisations, and is the co-founder of Third Culture Minds, a non-profit organisation dedicated to unlocking the potential of ethnic youth and improving their mental health and wellbeing outcomes.
Veena is the co-founder of Third Culture Minds. She is passionate about promoting open conversations about mental health and removing barriers to young people accessing the help they need. Fairness drives Veena, she is motivated to work on projects that contribute to improving outcomes and empowering communities. She is passionate about creating opportunities and championing the leadership development of young diverse women.