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Headshots and Bios
Headshots and Bios
Petey Paul - MC
"Whaowhia te kete mātauranga" — to fill the basket of knowledge
Ko Whakapūnake tōku maunga
Ko Wairoa Hōpūpū Hōnengēnengē Mātangirau tōku awa
Ko Tākitimu tōku waka
Ko Ngāi Tahu Matawhāiti tōku hapū
Ko Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairoa tōku iwi
Ko Pētera Paora tōku ingoa tūturu. I tipu ake au ki Wairoa ēngari e noho ana au ki Matamata, Waikato, i te taha o taku Tāne me ā māua tamariki toko rima.
Tēna koutou katoa, my name is Petey (He/Him/Takataapuhi) and hail all the way from small town big hearted Wairoa/Mahia but reside in Waikato. For over the course of 20yrs I've been involved in many projects or community-driven developments that centre on the betterment, uplifting and wellbeing of Māori, Whanau katoa and our Rangatahi.
I have worked in Public Services for the past 5 years however have a strong background in Hospitality, Tourism and the Funeral Industry. I currently lead Inland Revenue's Rainbow Network as Co-Chair but also hold the Takatāpui Lead role for CARN. To be just a small part of helping to uplift, uphold and enhance our kaupapa here at CARN brings me great pleasure in introducing myself as the MC for CARN Conference 2025. Aio ki te Aorangi, Aroha ki te Aorangi, Koa ki te Aorangi, Pono ki te Aorangi, Tihē Mauri Ora.
Kerryn Pollock
Kerryn Pollock is an Area Manager and Senior Heritage Assessment Advisor at Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga. She leads the organisation’s Rainbow List, a project focused on improving the representation of queer lives, communities, and histories on the New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero — the national statutory list of Aotearoa’s place-based heritage.
Lori Leigh
Dr Lori Leigh (they/she) is an interdisciplinary researcher at the University of Otago whose work spans queer studies, arts and culture, public health, housing, social wellbeing, and urban studies. Their research explores how creative practices and culture influence community formation, public health, and wellbeing in urban contexts, with a focus on the experiences of marginalised communities.
Lori is an award-winning artist, writer, and educator, and in 2024 received a CLNZ | NZSA Research Grant for their upcoming book Homo Sweet Homo: The History of New Zealand’s Queer Homes. Their work is driven by a commitment to social justice, inclusion, and the power of the arts to foster connection. Lori also serves as a Trustee on the Board of Kawe Mahara Queer Archives Aotearoa.
Rhi Munro
Rhi Munro (he/they) has worked in community-led development, health promotion, and grassroots leadership for over ten years. He currently works in harm reduction for CAYAD (Community Action on Youth and Drugs), focusing on changing the systems and environments that perpetuate alcohol and drug harm among rangatahi. Rhi holds a Master of Information Studies from Victoria University and specialises in how movement and exercise can empower health and wellbeing in transgender and non-binary communities.
He is passionate about movement practices grounded in community, intergenerational peer support, harm reduction, and environmental restoration. Rhi is the co-founder of The Joyful Movement, a social enterprise transforming the relationship between movement and transgender communities in Aotearoa. A non-binary trans man and 2023 alumni of the New Zealand Leadership Development Programme, Rhi’s story was recently featured in TransGenerations, an NZME docuseries sharing the stories of transgender New Zealanders.
Sophie Parker
Sophie Parker (she/her) is a Senior Adviser Inclusion & Diversity at Ara Poutama Aotearoa, where she leads regional initiatives and advises on national policy to promote equity and representation across the workforce. With over a decade of experience in custodial operations, leadership, and facilitation, Sophie brings a strong focus on creating inclusive environments for both staff and people in the care of Corrections. She chairs their national Rainbow Network and sits on the Governance Group for the Cross-Agency Rainbow Network.
Sophie’s background includes operational roles across Aotearoa and the UK, paired with a commitment to improving workplace culture through education and advocacy. Her mahi is driven by a passion for ensuring everyone feels seen, valued, and safe, aiming to create a world that is more inclusive for those that come after her.
Jen Wilde
Jen Wilde (she/her) is a passionate advocate for inclusion and equity, whose leadership journey began with a personal turning point — coming out at age 30, a moment that surprised both herself and those around her. She identifies as a Pākehā, lesbian, neurodiverse cis woman and is a survivor of domestic abuse, bringing a deeply personal lens to her work in creating safer, more inclusive spaces.
Jen’s leadership path began as the lead of the Inland Revenue Rainbow Network, where she championed visibility and support for LGBTQIA+ staff. Her drive for systemic change led her to the governance of the Cross-Agency Rainbow Network (CARN), where she now serves as Chair, fostering collaboration across the public sector. Outside of her advocacy work, Jen is a Senior Change Manager at Inland Revenue, applying her values of empathy, resilience, and transformation to shape inclusive organisational culture. She lives in Te Papaioea Palmerston North with her wife, children, and a lively crew of pets.
Milla Inkila
Milla Inkila (she/her) is an educator and researcher whose recent work focuses on fostering gender inclusion in Aotearoa New Zealand’s education sector and beyond. Originally from Finland and now based in Kirikiriroa Hamilton, she is passionate about collaborative learning, social justice in education, and the power of conversation to spark systemic change. Milla is the Postgraduate Director at academyEX, and her own recent second master’s research explored how educators can develop gender-inclusive mental models, leading to the creation of UNLEARN, a podcast inviting teachers to reflect on bias, challenge cisnormativity, and create braver spaces for all students, staff, and whānau. Her work blends design thinking, systems thinking, and participatory approaches, with a strong commitment to relational and culturally responsive practice.
Claire Richardson
Ko Mauao te maunga. Ko Tauranga te moana. I whānau mai ahau i Tauranga Moana. I tupu ake au i Waikato me Tāmaki Makaurau. Kei Te Whanganui a Tara ahau e noho ana. He Kaihautū Organisational Effectiveness ahau. Ko Claire Richardson tōku ingoa.
Claire Richardson (she/her) is the Kaihautū Organisational Effectiveness at Toitū Te Whenua | Land Information New Zealand. She brings extensive leadership experience from senior roles at Wellington City Council, the Ministry for the Environment, and Auckland Council, alongside work in non-government organisations.
Claire began her career internationally in film and television and has since led complex operational, commercial, and corporate functions across a range of industries. Her deep networks and knowledge of local government, especially in partnership with mana whenua, are invaluable to her mahi.
A champion of diversity and inclusion, Claire is an innovative, people-focused leader committed to building effective, inclusive organisations.
Jaz Alexander
Jaz is a queer Pākehā educator and advocate based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara | Wellington. With a background in sociology and gender studies, their mahi weaves together a commitment to queer liberation, radical harm reduction, and interrupting social injustice.
Born and raised in Te Waiharakeke | Blenheim, Jaz has spent over five years facilitating education and advocacy on behalf of rainbow communities across Aotearoa. Their work spans mental health, grassroots organising, corporate spaces, and community settings, always centring equity and connection.
Jaz is at their best when dancing, spending time in nature, or connecting with loved ones. They are passionate about beech tree forests, camping, and street fashion, bringing creativity and care to every space they’re part of.
Prudence Walker
Prudence is the Disability Rights Commissioner and spokesperson for rainbow, health, and housing rights at Te Kāhui Tika Tangata | New Zealand Human Rights Commission. With over two decades of experience in human rights, their mahi is grounded in a deep commitment to equity, social justice, and intersectional advocacy.
Prudence brings lived experience as a disabled and queer person, alongside 25 years of advisory and governance expertise. Their strategic approach is people-focused, and they are a skilled facilitator, often guiding learning and dialogue on complex issues with diverse audiences.
Originally from Wairarapa, Taranaki, and North Otago, Prudence now resides in Ōtautahi | Christchurch. Their qualifications in Hospitality Management, Human Resource Management, and Te Reo Māori reflect a lifelong commitment to learning and understanding people. Past roles include Chief Executive of a Disabled Persons Organisation, leadership positions within disability services, and governance roles supporting young people living with cancer.
Una Jagose
Una Jagose (she/her) is the Solicitor-General and Chief Executive of the Crown Law Office, appointed in February 2016 following an extensive and distinguished career as a public sector lawyer. She holds an LLB from the University of Otago and an LLM with First Class Honours from Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.
Una has held senior legal and policy roles across government, including Chief Legal Advisor at the Ministry of Fisheries, Deputy Solicitor-General at Crown Law, and Acting Director of the Government Communications Security Bureau. She was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2016 and has represented the Crown in courts at all levels.
Her mahi is grounded in a deep commitment to public law, constitutional integrity, and leadership in the legal profession. Una has also contributed to legal education, teaching public law at Te Herenga Waka’s School of Government. She was recognised with a Women of Influence Award in 2020 and named a Distinguished Alumni by Victoria University in 2023.
Digby Carter
Digby Carter (he/him) is an Insights Analyst in Social & Community Statistics at Stats NZ, where he contributes to the development and delivery of census data content and outputs. His work focuses on identity-based concepts, including the design and analysis of data relevant to the LGBTIQ+ community in the 2023 Census, alongside other key measures such as ethnicity, languages spoken, and religious affiliation.
Digby presented at CARN 2023 on the collection of LGBTIQ+ data and is excited to return to share insights from the 2023 Census. His mahi is grounded in a commitment to inclusive data practices that reflect the diversity of Aotearoa’s communities.
Clare O’Connell
Clare O’Connell (she/her) is a Principal Advisor, Specialist Data Capability at Stats NZ, where she provides guidance across programmes on best practices for working with LGBTIQ+ data. She played a key role in the analysis and reporting of 2023 Census data for rainbow communities, helping to ensure visibility and representation in national statistics.
With a background in mathematics, education, and LGBTIQ+ inclusion and advocacy within Government and policy spaces, Clare’s mahi is driven by a commitment to data equity and informed decision-making. Her work supports a more inclusive Aotearoa, where diverse identities are accurately reflected and valued.
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