Julia Rata-Te Raki is the founder and director of the environmental consultancy, Taha Tika Taiao. Settling in Waihemo with her husband Jason and three tama, they have built strong ngā rūnaka and whānau relationships within their takiwā. With a driven passion to protect, enhance and restore manawhenua connections to their environment and places of significance, she is well suited as the Manawhenua Project Lead for Te Manahuna Aoraki Project.

Julia has strong well-developed skills in community stakeholder engagement, communications and networking, local governance, whānau and rūnaka relationship and capacity building. These skills put her in good stead to get the job done for her local community, ngā rūnaka and several not-for-profit environmental groups she is involved in. There is much Te Taiao mahi Julia is currently involved in, including the ecological and cultural monitoring of ngā awa throughout Otago and South Canterbury, pā harakeke research and restoration, riparian and wetland restoration, and native nursery operations, as well as her roles as taiao kaiārahi and representative of Kāti Huirapa Rūnaka ki Puketeraki. She is a valued and very active member of the Ōtākou Māori Women’s Welfare League, East Otago Catchment Group, Puketapu Community Trust, East Otago High School Board of Trustees and Whiria ka oho ki Puketeraki (weaving rōpu).

The Māoritaka principles of Manaakitaka, Whanaukataka and Kaitiakitaka are the essence of who she is. These principles, together with her authentic communication and active listening skills, give strength to her inherent abilities to understand, connect and engage with a diverse range of people.