We are excited to announce the appointment of Dr Michelle Johansson as our new Poukōkiri Mātauranga, Director of Academics.

Michelle is a Tongan mother, theatre-maker and educator. She serves as Kaiwhakahaere at Māia Centre for Social Justice and Education, the Creative Director of the Black Friars and Kāuru Kura | Director of Education at Ako Mātātupu: Teach First NZ. Michelle has had a long career in education, as a secondary school teacher; a lecturer and tutor at the Universities of Auckland and Melbourne, and as Head of Performing Arts at Manukau Institute of Technology. She currently serves on a number of boards of trustees, and is Chair of the Basement Theatre Trust.

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Michelle is an active researcher, committed to social justice. She has previously held scholarships with the NZ Federation of Graduate Women, the University of Auckland, and Yale University. South Auckland, decile-one born and bred, she is proud to work alongside amazing teachers, warriors, artists, activists, storytellers and change-makers to re-story Pasifika in the largest Polynesian city in the world, to activate indigenous knowledges, to grow future leaders and to hold courageous spaces for our young people to walk tall in all of their worlds.

Nau mai, haere mai Dr Michelle ki te whānau o Toi Whakaari.

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