Janet Hoek

Janet is a Professor of Public Health in the Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington. She is PI of the Whakahā o te Pā programme and leads Whenu Rua.

Janet has followed an eclectic career path, having spent several years studying medieval and modern languages before working as a marketing academic. Janet’s strong interest in tobacco control policy and research led her to join the Department of Public Health, where she examines how policy measures could more effectively restrain tobacco marketing and prevent smoking uptake among young people.

Email: Janet.hoek@otago.ac.nz

Andrew Waa

Andrew is a senior lecturer and researcher based at Te Rōpū Rangahau Hauora a Eru Pōmare (Eru Pōmare Māori Health Research Centre), University of Otago, Wellington. He is one of the co-directors of the Whakahā o te Pā programme and co-leads Whenu Toru.

Andrew trained in Social Sciences and has over 25 years research experience in tobacco control. His work focuses on eliminating harm for Indigenous peoples from commercial tobacco. 

Email: andrew.waa@otago.ac.nz

Richard Edwards

Richard is a Professor of Public Health in the Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington. He is one of the co-directors of the Whakahā o te Pā programme and leads Whenu Tahi.

Richard trained in medicine and public health in the UK and has over 25 years research experience. His research focuses on smokefree policies and strategies for achieving the elimination of the use of  smoked tobacco products.

E-mail: Richard.edwards@otago.ac.nz

El-Shadan Tautolo

El-Shadan is an Associate Professor in the School of Public Health, AUT University, Auckland. He is an investigator within the Whakahā o te Pā programme and contributes to Whenu Tahi. El-Shadan has postgraduate qualifications in public health with over 10 years of research experience, including leadership of the AUT Pacific Health Research Centre. His research focuses on Pacific health priority issues, including strategies for addressing tobacco-related harm amongst Pacific families and communities.  

Mat Walton

Mat Walton is a Science Leader within the Social Systems Team at ESR and is co-leader of Whenu Toru within Whakahā o te Pā Harakeke. Mat has 15 years’ experience in public health policy research and teaching with a focus on the application of complexity theory and systems thinking in policy design and evaluation.

Lindsey MacDonald

Lindsey MacDonald is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Political Science and International Relations | Mātai Tōrangapū, Hononga Tāwāhi, at the University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha. Lindsey has studied and taught Political Theory and Indigenous politics, and a became registered claimant in WAI 2575 because of the disparities between Māori and non-Māori health outcomes. His work with Whakahā o te Pā programme involves using Q method to help understand the tobacco control system in hope of further reducing smoking, particularly for Māori.