The Speakers

Headshots and Bios

Martine Hartley-Parsons

Leadership Coach & Organisational Development Specialist, Pito Mata Consulting

Martine Hartley-Parsons brings decades of leadership in inclusion, equity, and Rainbow advocacy across Aotearoa’s public service. A former senior leader and social worker, Martine has championed visibility and belonging throughout her career — from co-founding the gQ network (precursor to CARN) to leading the public service’s first Rainbow workforce survey, WeCount 2019.

She is the founder of Out to Lead, Aotearoa’s first leadership programme for Rainbow-identifying people, and a certified coach known for her courageous, compassionate approach. Martine’s work with the Leadership Development Centre helped embed inclusive leadership across senior public service programmes. Through Pito Mata Consulting, she continues to support leaders and systems to grow with purpose. Based on the Kāpiti Coast, Martine is a proud step-parent, gardener, and advocate for change — one starfish at a time.

Sandra Dickson

Sandra Dickson (she/they) is a Pākehā gender non-conforming woman of Scottish, Canadian, and English descent with 30 years’ experience working in Takatāpui and Rainbow communities, and in family and sexual violence prevention at local, national, and international levels. She is autistic, bisexual, and a survivor. In 2015, Sandra informally founded Hohou Te Rongo Kahukura to bring focused attention to the experiences of violence within Takatāpui and Rainbow communities. Today, she continues to contribute to the organisation’s research, community development, and violence response mahi, and holds advisory roles with Vine and government.

Bex Fraser

Bex Fraser (they/them) is a Pākehā non-binary trans bisexual person with 23 years’ experience as a facilitator, manager, and volunteer in community organisations. Their work centres on social justice, intercultural practice, and violence prevention for marginalised communities, including former refugees and migrants, single parents, and queer people. Bex has been involved with Hohou te Rongo Kahukura since 2015 and currently co-ordinates the Sensitive Claims Service, supporting Takatāpui and Rainbow people who have experienced sexual harm.

Kahukura Rogers-Rahurahu

He uri ahau nō Ngāti Raukawa, me Ngāti Tahu – Ngāti Whaoa, me Ngāti Kahungunu, me Ngāti Hāmua. They are also the second generation of English and Irish immigrants.

Kahukura (they/them/ia) is a Takatāpui (trans, non-binary, queer) neurodivergent person with over 15 years’ experience in community-led development, arts, mental health, and advocacy. They are passionate about Te Ao Māori, interculturalism, and creating safer environments for whānau and young people, shaped by their experience as a parent. At Hohou Te Rongo Kahukura, Kahukura is the Whānau Worker for the Integrated Safety Response with NZ Police, providing crisis intervention for Takatāpui and Rainbow people following family harm incidents. They also offer social work support to those who seek help directly from the organisation, outside of police involvement.

Swathi RR

Swathi (she/her) is a Kairuruku at Hohou Te Rongo Kahukura, where she co-ordinates projects, administration, communication, and community development functions. She has lived in Aotearoa for seven years and holds a doctoral degree in Education from the University of Waikato. Swathi is passionate about research, education, and community development. She has recently contributed to the development of online resources and training modules from the Elder Voices research and is currently working on research related to elder abuse in Takatāpui and Rainbow communities.

Senior Sergeant Rhona Stace

Senior Prevention Partnerships Advisor – Inclusion New Zealand Police

Rhona has served in the New Zealand Police for 30 years, including six years as a School Community Officer and 12 years as a Senior Prosecutor within the Police Prosecution Service. Since October 2022, she has been in her current role supporting the Manager – Inclusion. Rhona describes herself as a parent, a poet, and an active member of her local Anglican church congregation. She lives in the suburbs with one of her two adult children and two cats — and just happens to also be transgender.

Julia de Bres

Associate Professor Julia de Bres (she/her) is a sociolinguist at Massey University and a researcher in transgender health. She currently leads a Marsden Fund research project on family support for transgender young people in Aotearoa (Project Village Aotearoa). Julia is an administrator of the national support group NZ Parents and Guardians of Transgender and Gender Diverse Children (NZPOTC) and coordinates PATHA’s Trans Health Research Network.

Jay Bailey

Jay (they/he) is the Intersex Ambassador for Intersex Aotearoa, the national organisation advocating for and supporting intersex people across Aotearoa New Zealand. Working from the intersectional lens of being queer, trans, and intersex, Jay is committed to uplifting the intersex community and strengthening relationships within the wider rainbow community.

Originally from Porirua and now based in Ōtepoti Dunedin, Jay brings lived experience and a deep passion for advocacy to their mahi. Their work is grounded in a vision of a more inclusive future, where intersex voices are heard, respected, and celebrated.

Taine Polkinghorne

Taine Polkinghorne (he/him) is the Senior Advisor on sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics (SOGIESC) at Te Kāhui Tika Tangata | New Zealand Human Rights Commission. Over nearly eight years in this role, he has witnessed significant shifts—both progress and challenges—in rights for Rainbow communities across Aotearoa.

Taine’s mahi is informed by his academic research, including master’s work on substance use among trans and non-binary people in Aotearoa, which he is currently developing into journal articles. He is Tangata Tiriti and lives in Tāmaki Makaurau, where he enjoys volunteering and is passionate about cats, books, and tea—preferably all at once. He’s always keen for book recommendations.

Brad Poulter

Brad Poulter (he/him) is the Acting Director of Diversity and Inclusion at the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF), where he leads strategic efforts to embed inclusive practices across the organisation. A former Royal New Zealand Navy sailor (2001–2019), Brad brings extensive operational and instructional experience to his mahi.

Throughout his naval career, Brad served aboard several HMNZ Ships in roles including Military Police Investigator, Flight Deck Officer, and Maritime Operational Evaluator. He also contributed to leadership development as a Senior Instructor and continues to serve as a Navy Reservist.

Brad leads Tāne Toa, NZDF’s men’s inclusion and gender equality programme, working alongside Wāhine Toa and Rainbow Inclusion to advance gender equity and inclusion within the Defence Force. His work is grounded in a commitment to fostering a culture of respect, equity, and belonging.

Originally from Wellington, Brad now lives on the city’s South Coast. Outside of work, he enjoys strength training, spending time with friends and whānau, and exploring the coastline.

Connor Mcleod

Connor McLeod (he/they) of Rangitāne o Wairau is the Director of Uenuku Consulting and a Diversity and Inclusion Advisor at Massey University. With over a decade of experience in takatāpui and rainbow advocacy, Connor’s mahi is grounded in a commitment to equity, visibility, and systemic change.

Connor has worked with organisations including InsideOUT Kōaro, Victoria University of Wellington, and Wellington City Council, contributing to inclusive policy, education, and community development. His work reflects a deep dedication to uplifting rainbow communities and fostering spaces where all identities are respected and celebrated.

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