Education Profile: Marissa Pene

Marissa Pene is focused not only on whānau, but also her MBA. She was among 27 recipients awarded a Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō Trust Education Grant in the 2019 round. 

Ki ngā hau pureora o toku maunga ko Piripiri Te Hautapu, ki ngā wai o Waikawa e rere atu ki Te Moana Raukawakawa a Kupe, ki oku Rangatira o Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō.

Nei rā te mihi aroha ki a koutou, nōku te maringanui kia whiwhi mai tētahi pūtea whakamānawa i a koutou hei whakatinanahia te wero akoranga, te moemoeā hoki tō rātou i tēnei tau.

He tika te kōrero he kai kei aku ringa. Nō reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, ā, tēnā tātou katoa

I’m delighted and grateful to have a show of endorsement from Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō to see me on the last leg of what will have been, come December, a three-year MBA journey. Full-time mahi, fulltime study, and whānau will mean it’s a big, but worthy year for us. I am heartened to have ‘pick-me-up’ winds from home to send me on my way.

We, as Māori, are in a phase of rebuilding our economic base as whānau, hapū, iwi. As study got underway, I set course for a year of exploring systems transformation and how we can best organise ourselves as whānau, hapū for prosperous wellbeing; strong and resilient against the combined ecological challenges that lie ahead.

This is indeed a whānau expedition, near impossible without my hearty Peita support crew all pictured here; my pou husband Dion, and our tamariki Māiawhitia, Māui and Hina (on selfie-duty).

Thank you again for your support. I look forward to being of service in the future.

Ngā manaakitanga

Marisa Pene