Presentation
5
CPD
Te Ara Whakamua 2026: An inspiring afternoon of leadership, connection, courage, and creating meaningful impact.
Following a successful inaugural event, Te Ara Whakamua returns in 2026 for an inspiring afternoon of leadership, connection, and courageous conversation.
Hosted by the Institute of Directors Bay of Plenty Branch and HPCE Aotearoa, this year's theme, Give to Gain, reflects the 2026 International Women's Day message: meaningful progress happens when we invest in others through mentorship, sponsorship, advocacy, and opportunity.
Through keynote presentations, personal stories, and thought-provoking discussion, attendees will explore the courage to lead differently, create opportunities for others, foster inclusive cultures, and turn intention into meaningful action.
Designed for leaders, directors, business owners, and emerging changemakers, Te Ara Whakamua offers practical insights, valuable connections, and fresh inspiration to create lasting impact.
A contribution from every ticket sold will support Voices of Hope, with founder Jazz Thornton opening the event as keynote speaker.
Jazz Thornton is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, bestselling author, and internationally recognised mental health advocate. As Co-Founder of Voices of Hope, she has dedicated her career to transforming conversations around mental health, wellbeing, and social change through storytelling, education, and advocacy.
Drawing on her own lived experience with mental illness, Jazz has become one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most influential voices for change. Her acclaimed documentaries include The Girl on the Bridge, Jessica’s Tree, and The Silence Project, while her 2026 documentary series Stalked brought national attention to the realities and impacts of stalking in the digital age.
Jazz is also the author of the bestselling books Stop Surviving, Start Fighting and My Journey Starts Here. Her contributions have earned widespread recognition, including the Point of Light Award from Her Majesty The Queen and the title of Young New Zealander of the Year. Through fearless storytelling, Jazz continues to inspire understanding, resilience, and meaningful action.
Cass Hogan is a life and business coach, speaker, and the founder of He. Men’s Mental Health Event and She. Women’s Mental Health Event — community movements focused on creating safe spaces for honest conversations, connection, and change.
Known for her authentic and down-to-earth approach, Cass combines lived experience, leadership, and practical insight to challenge stigma, encourage courageous conversations, and empower people to lead with empathy and humanity. Her work spans coaching, mental health advocacy, strategic leadership, and community impact, with a strong focus on creating environments where people feel seen, valued, and supported.
Through sold-out events, coaching, and speaking engagements across Aotearoa, Cass continues to inspire others to lead differently, lift others as they rise, and create meaningful change that lasts.
Ezra Schuster is the Regional Public Service Commissioner for the Bay of Plenty and a highly respected public sector leader known for his collaborative, community-focused approach. He leads cross-agency regional partnerships that support locally led solutions to complex social and economic challenges.
A proud first-generation New Zealand-born Samoan, Ezra has held senior leadership roles across education, health, and social development, including leading education initiatives throughout the Pacific. During the COVID-19 response, he played a key role in coordinating regional all-of-government efforts, bringing together agencies, iwi, providers, and communities to respond collectively. He also established the Bay of Plenty’s first regional Pasifika advisory group to government, Pasifika Vaka.
A former Chair of the NZ Commonwealth Leaders Dialogue, Ezra has championed emerging leadership across the Commonwealth. He was awarded a national leadership fellowship, completing a global leadership programme at Oxford University focused on collaborative leadership, public service innovation, and community development.
Jonathan Usher always wanted to be a comedian but was scared people would laugh at him.
He’s been a comedy magician since 2003 and performs all over New Zealand and Australia at corporate events, functions, parties, weddings and conferences.
He is one of New Zealand’s finest comedy magicians. In 2021 at the New Zealand Magicians convention in Auckland, Jonathan cleaned up taking away the awards for the best comedy magician, the best performance of the convention, as well as the best performance in the evening Gala Show.
In 2022, the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand awarded him the prestigious Variety Artist of the Year. He was recognised in the 2026 New Years honours with a Kings Service Medal for services to the Community and Entertainment.
Juliana Carvalho is an award-winning disability advocate, bestselling author, and inspirational speaker. Born in Brazil, she became paraplegic at 19 and transformed her experience into a mission to drive change. She created and hosted the Brazilian public television show Make a Difference, directed the award-winning short film If the Eyes Cannot See, The Legs Cannot Feel, and won Marie Claire Brazil’s Best True Story Award. Her autobiography, In My Chair or Yours?, has sold more than 30,000 copies in Brazil, and the English edition reached Amazon.com’s Top 100 Hot New Releases.
Since 2012, Juliana has called Aotearoa home, dedicating herself to leadership in the disability sector. Through humour, energy, and powerful storytelling, she challenges perspectives, inspires resilience, and advocates for a more inclusive world. To learn more, visit: www.juliana.co.nz
Should you have any dietary, mobility, cultural or other requirements, you can let us know on the registration form.
By registering for this event you are confirming that you agree to adhere to our event terms and conditions.
Regrettably, registration fees cannot be refunded when cancellations are received within two working days prior to any branch event. See our standard terms and conditions for more information.
Megan Beveridge
Waikato and Bay of Plenty Branch Manager
+64 21 358 772
megan.beveridge@iod.org.nz
The Bay of Plenty branch acknowledges the generous support of
National partners |
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Branch sponsors |
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Members — $125.00
Non-members — $125.00
