SPORT FOR DEVELOPMENT: INDIGENOUS PERSPECTIVES
Our games by our rules
OUR PEOPLE
Together the researchers on this project have an extensive background in research focusing on Sport For Development in Indigenous communities across Oceania
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR ROCHELLE STEWART-WITHERS
Te Āti Awa
Prior to academia Rochelle was a Registered Nurse for 16 years, holding a number of senior clinical, leadership and advisory positions at the District Health Board and Ministry of Health levels. She is also Deputy Chair of the Board of the New Zealand Mental Health Foundation. It was Rochelle's nursing background and time spent in developing countries, alongside her growing interest in the development industry and humanitarian space, which saw her move from nursing to Development Studies.
In 2007 she completed a PhD in Development Studies with Massey University. She is now Head of Programme for the Institute of Development Studies at Massey University. Development Studies at Massey is ranked in the Top 50 Development Studies Programmes globally according to QS Ranking.
Rochelle has two clear threads to her research platform. The first thread investigates the way sport is used in developing countries, and with Indigenous populations, to achieve social and economic goals and bring about social justice. The second thread relates to how scholars do research and this can be seen through her outputs on fieldwork, methodology and ethics. Rochelle is a feminist and Indigenous researcher.
PROFESSOR FARAH PALMER
Ngāti Maniapoto, Waikato
For 10 years Farah captained the New Zealand women's rugby team (Black Ferns), and since retiring in 2006 she has been a Professional Development Manager for the Manawatu Rugby Union, an independent member of the Maori Rugby Board, member of the Women's Advisory Committee for the International Rugby Board (IRB), and research consultant for the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU). Farah is passionate about promoting opportunities for women and Māori such as the Young Women in Leadership@Massey workshop for Year 12 female students, Te Rau Aukaha (Māori Student Mentoring Programme) within the Massey Business School, and encouraging diversity and inclusion within organisational contexts.
Farah has a particular research interest in race, gender and leadership issues in sport management. Her most recent publications have focused on Elite Māori athletes and their cultural identities in sport, the leadership and organisational culture of the All Blacks, Black Ferns, and Māori All Blacks, Māori women's experiences in sport management, and the involvement of mothers in elite sport as leaders and athletes.
DR JEREMY HAPETA
Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Huia
Jeremy is a senior lecturer in Māori physical education at Otago University and is part of the team of Investigators on this project.
Jeremy has a background in rugby, playing professionally both in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) and abroad (Japan, France) and coaching (Italy).
Currently, Jeremy is the Co-Director of Te Koronga, a Kaupapa Māori research excellence theme and is also working on a international Sport for Reconciliation (SFR) project in Canada, Australia & Aotearoa (NZ).
JAMIE OGILVY (PHD CANDIDATE)
Ngai Tai ki Tamaki raua ko Te Aiatanga a Maahaki
Jamie is a recipient of a Aotearoa New Zealand Royal Society Te Apārangi Marsden PhD scholarship located with the Institute of Development Studies at Massey University.
Jamie's interest in development sparks from her passion for the sport and exercise field and the development of young female athletes, and what occurs beyond the actual sport. Jamie has been involved in the development of sport at all levels from grassroots to regional and national level.
Jamie holds a Degree in in Sport and Exercise Science, a Post-Graduate Diploma specializing in female development completed at Waikato Institute of Technology. Jamie's PhD focuses on Women's Weightlifting in Aotearoa: A Mana Wahine Empowerment Analysis in Aotearoa.
PATRICIA BIBI (PHD CANDIDATE)
i'Taukei (Indigenous) Fijian Cakaudrove Province
Patricia is a recipient of a Aotearoa New Zealand Royal Society Te Apārangi Marsden PhD scholarship located with the Institute of Development Studies at Massey University.
Patricia's interest in development sprung to life when she came across a book by Massey University's Professor Regina Scheyvens - Tourism for Development: Empowering Communities. The impact of that book led her to adapt one of Regina's empowerment frameworks for her Masters degree, which focused on tourism, Indigenous women and empowerment completed at Southern Cross University, Australia in 2017.
Patricia is passionate about Indigenous peoples and their voices, development, and gender and empowerment. Patricia's PhD is an exploration of the Get Into Rugby Plus Programme currently being implemented in Fiji from a i'Taukei empowerment perspective.