Sheridan Waitai

Sheridan Waitai is of Ngāti Kurī descent and grew up in Te Hiku o te Ika.  With significant experience in legislation and the policy environment in relation to indigenous issues, she has contributed to environmental, social, education and health initiatives.

She is the lead for her iwi for the WAI262 Fauna and Flora Claim, and Island work on Motu o Pao (Cape Maria Van Diemen) Manawatāwhi (Three Kings) and  Rangitāhua (Kermadec Islands) and coordinates a range of research projects,  relationships and partners nationally, and globally, to achieve shared prosperity, community resilience and mana motuhake for Whanau, Hapu and Iwi. Sheridan has become a resource person to a number of people and initiatives for biodiversity across the country and has inherited her late grandmother Saana Waitai-Murray’s passion for the welfare of Ngāti Kuri, Whenua and Whakapapa.  She has participated in a number of boards and has experience in the management of forums,  governance and  strategy groups.