Professor Te Kani Kingi is Executive Director of Research and Innovation at Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi. Prior to this, he was an Associate Professor at Massey University in Wellington and concurrently held three roles as Director Māori within the Office of the Associate Vice-Chancellor, Director of the Research Centre for Māori Health and Development within the College of Health, and Director of Academy for Māori Research and Scholarship.
He has a specialist interest in health outcome measurement (psychometrics), Māori mental health, longitudinal research, public health and health service delivery. He is currently leading a research project, funded by the Vic Davis Memorial Trust, which investigates the mental health expectations of Eastern Bay of Plenty youth.
He is currently Chair of the Te Rau Puawai mental health scholarship programme, and a member of the AKO Aotearoa Assessment Committee, the Joint Centre for Disaster Research, Research Board, Tane Ora Board, the Veteran’s Health Committee, the Natural Hazards Social Science Committee (GNS Science), the Independent Science Panel (Sustainable Seas National Science Challenge), the Australian Physiotherapy Council Accreditation Board, the Council of the Royal Society of New Zealand the Health Research Council’s Biomedical Assessment Committee, and an Associate of the National Institute for Economic and Demographic Research.
He has been an executive member of the New Zealand Public Health Association, The Mental Health Advocacy Coalition, the National Ethics Advisory Committee, the National Health Committee, the Public Health Advisory Committee, the New Zealand Pharmacy Council, Nga Pae o te Maramatanga’s International Research Advisory Panel, Statistics NZ Advisory Board, Whānau Tahi Advisory Board, past Chair of the NKK (HRC) Committee, a member of the IMSB (Auckland Council) Advisory Board, Chair of the Te Pou Matakana (Whānau Ora) funding board and Chair of the New Zealand Mental Health Commission.
He was born and raised in Poroporo (near Whakatāne) and educated at St Stephen’s School (TIPENE) in Bombay. Te Kani has tribal affiliations to Ngāti Pūkeko, Ngāti Awa, and Ngai Tai.