Crystal Tawhai
Crystal (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Mahuta) is a mana wāhine and kaupapa Māori researcher and PhD candidate in Waikato University's Management School.
She is committed to the reclamation of the mana of wāhine Māori, through contributing towards increased representation of wāhine Māori, support in leadership, and decision-making roles.
An important part of her research is that she is reclaiming her own identity as part of the process. As part of this journey, she is committed to learning Te Reo me ona Tikanga.
One of her most important roles is being an aunty and supporting her nieces and nephews in discovering their own greatness.
Crystal has connections to Southeast Asia, where she represented New Zealand at the University Scholars Leadership Symposium at the UN in Bangkok in 2017.
She joined the Asia New Zealand Foundation Leadership Network in 2019. Crystal has attended the Te Ao Māori Hui, Festival for the Future in 2019, has helped run a fundraiser for the Tapu te Ranga Marae rebuild, she attended the Te Kāhui Māori hui in Taranaki 2020 and the Rethinking Leadership Hui 2021.
Crystal is passionate about the possibilities that the collective leadership network can create and is excited for this opportunity to serve the leadership network whānau.