Melisa Chase

He kakano ahau i ruia mai ki te puna wai ariki o Taupō-nui-a-Tia. Ko Tauhara te maunga, ko Nukuhau te marae, ko Ngāti Rauhotu te hapu, ko Waikato te kōpua kānapanapa, ko Ngāti Tūwharetoa tōku iwi. Ko te whānau Chase tēnei. He uri anoo ki Ngāti Korokii Kahukura, ko Karapiro te wairere anoo i karanga mai. Ko au te moemoeaa i te maunga kaamehameha o Maungatautari, ko Maungatautari te marae, ko Tainui te waka. Ko te whaanau Mana teenei.

Melisa is based in Tāmaki Makaurau and began her teaching career in primary education before transitioning to the secondary context, where she worked exclusively in kura auraki (mainstream schools). Her background includes teaching Years 3-6 and 9-13 specialising in Te Reo Māori, mentoring Māori and Pacifica students, and serving as an in-school Kāhui Ako leader for Mātauranga Māori. Additionally, she coordinated with Te Aho o te Kura Pounamu | Correspondence School and acted as a professional learning and development facilitator for Mātauranga Māori at Glendowie College.

Melisa is dedicated to continuous learning, having studied at Te Whare Wānanga o Aotearoa, Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato, Te Whare Wānanga o Raukawa, The Mind Lab, Te Tini Matahīapo, under Rhonda Tibble, and at Massey University. She aspires for Aotearoa New Zealand to be fearless in its pursuit of honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi and becoming the bicultural country that our tūpuna envisioned. Melisa is dedicated to supporting leadership at all levels to raise achievement and reduce disparities for all ākonga within kura and akomanga, and is passionate about collaborating with and empowering kura auraki to achieve these goals.

Toitū te Tiriti, Toitū te Reo Māori, Toitū Aotearoa, New Zealand.