Kerry Dougall
Chief Maori Health Officer, Department of Corrections, New Zealand
Tena koutou
Ko Kerry-Leigh Dougall ahau, Ko Ngati Kahungunu ki Wairoa te iwi. My name is Kerry-Leigh Dougall and my ancestors are from Wairoa in New Zealand. I am the Chief Maori Health Officer for Ara Poutama, Department of Corrections Aotearoa, I have been with the Department for 18 months.
My role is a newly created role within health services to support the much needed focus on Maori holistic well being and how we embedded Maori methodologies and pedagogy to practice and integrate the holistic well being of people.
I have held and worked across a diverse range of areas, including education, social, health and family violence. Much of my career has been spent working within Maori communities focused on the reclamation of Maori ways of being and doing, using a strength based approach to traditional knowledge and practice. I completed my Masters in Indigenous Knowledge in 2015 which was based on the reclamation of Traditional Child Rearing utilising our ancient knowledge to raise children.
I am driven to support the transformation change needed to promote Maori Tino Rangatiratanga (self determination) and Pae Ora (Maori wellbeing). Ara Poutama through Hokai Rangi has a clear pathway for the reduction of our high numbers of incarceration rates for Maori, and sets a clear vision of the opportunities we have for enabling authentic partnership with Maori.
