OUR STORY
We’re mokopuna, we’re tamariki, we’re kaimahi, we’re Māmā and Pāpā, we’re two young-ish Māori on a journey to reclaim mana motuhake in the mahi space!
Kua tae te wā – It’s time rock and roll our way. To put in to practice our whakapapa and to give expression to the innate skills, characteristics and traits we were born with. Our ideal day at the office doesn’t involve an office at all actually. It involves good kai, solid kōrero, time spent in the taiao and it prioritises opportunities to innovate and play.
A celebration of life through movement and it’s many expressions, is our jam! So too is, giving life to the tūpuna wisdoms we know and those that have been shared with us. We’re all about Māori ways of understanding and interpreting the world, so our sweet spot combines our love for movement, education, wellbeing and indigeneity to form the magic that is Kori Collab!
DR NIKKI PENETITO-HEMARA
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Kahungunu, Te Whakatōhea, Ngāti Porou
Dr Nikki Penetito-Hemara is an experienced researcher, strategist, manager, champion of mana wāhine theory and praxis and she is driven by kaupapa Māori approaches to social innovation and systems transformation. Her doctoral research, He Pūkenga Pūrākau, Ka Ora te Tamaiti, explores the intersection of ancestral creation narratives and physical activity as pathways to reawaken Māori wellbeing. A devoted Māmā of four, Nikki is nationally recognised for her work in traditional Māori movement and play. Through her unique fusion of pūrākau, taonga tākaro, and kaupapa Māori research, she activates movement as a living expression of identity, whakapapa, and hauora.
He tīwaiwaka nā Māui!
DARRIO PENETITO-HEMARA
CO-DIRECTOR
Ngāti Hauā, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Tamaterā
Darrio Penetito-Hemara is a dynamic Māori leader whose work spans education, sport, health, and kaupapa Māori development. A product of Kōhanga Reo and Kura Kaupapa Māori, Darrio is deeply shaped by the rhythms and responsibilities of Te Ao Māori. With over a decade of experience leading kaupapa Māori initiatives, including as CEO of Toi Tangata, he brings a rare ability to move between community action and systems change. His leadership is marked by deep cultural grounding, strategic insight, and a commitment to strengthening whānau, hapū, and iwi. Whether on the ātea, in the ngahere, or within complex policy spaces, Darrio carries kaupapa with clarity, humility, and intention.
He toka tū moana, e mānuka ai te tini!
©2025 Kori Collaborative Limited
Kori Collab. 