Internship Programme

Maruata leads TupuToa’s Navigators Team, ensuring that the internship programme is delivered with excellence and that our rangatahi are supported to succeed. Throughout her life and career Maruata has been focused on building capability within Māori and Pacific communities. She brings several years’ experience as a teacher aide in Kohanga and primary schools, and five years with the Counties Manukau District Health Board engaging Māori and Pacific tauira in secondary and tertiary education.
Maruata grew up in Auckland and Samoa and speaks Te Reo Māori, English and basic Samoan. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Māori Development.

Yole describes her team of navigators as the frontline workers of TupuToa’s kaupapa. They engage, empower, equip and support rangatahi to reach their potential, consequently creating more opportunities for generations to come.

Prior to joining TupuToa, Yole worked with a cybersecurity firm and through her university studies held roles in hospitality. She has also worked with the team at LeVa as a Youth Advisor and was part of their EAG for Atu-Mai, New Zealand’s first national violence prevention programme for young Pacific people. She is also the Deputy Convenor for the Pacific Women’s Watch.

Yole has a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Marketing from the University of Otago and is fluent in English and Samoan, with rudimentary Te reo Māori skills.

Tala’s role as a Navigator is all about supporting our interns and partners chart new waters together. He helps to guide and uplift our rangatahi and partner organisations through their individual journeys.

Prior to joining TupuToa, Tala had roles in logistics, as a health and PE teacher, and even dabbled in factory work. He holds a degree in sports and recreation from AUT University and worked as Operations Manager for the Get into Life Youth Development Trust for four years, prior to moving to Melbourne for his overseas experience.

Tala is fluent in Te reo Māori and has rudimentary Samoan skills.

Florida believes in the power of education to transform lives and sees her role as Navigator to support our interns and managers to ensure they are equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary for their TupuToa journey.

Prior to joining TupuToa, she taught English to high school students in Tonga. And while she may have left formal teaching, she continues to support her former students in Tonga, whilst also tutoring Tongan students in Mt Wellington once a week on a voluntary basis.

Florida holds a Bachelor of Property and a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Marketing and Management from the University of Auckland. She is fluent in English and Tongan.

Ashleigh’s work as a Navigator is a reflection if her passion to work with Māori and Pacific peoples to meet their full potential. Working in spaces previously where she was the youngest, or one of only a handful of Moana peoples in her teams helps inform her journey alongside the interns.

Ashleigh has worked previously as a Student Support Advisor at Unitec, a Scholarships Advisor and the Graduation team leader at the University of Auckland. Prior to this Ashleigh has worked in a number of other roles, a teacher aide, a retail assistant and she loves to bake!

Ashleigh graduated from the University of Auckland with a Bachelor of Arts double majoring in Māori and Pacific studies and has also completed the Indigenous Summer Semester Programme at the University of Columbia in the city of New York. She hyas basic understanding of te reo Māori and Niuean and speaks a basic level of te reo Māori.