Sacha McMeeking brings a serial entrepreneur’s approach to working with and for Iwi Māori. From instigating United Nations proceedings to architecting a Māori social enterprise fund and leading commercial negotiations, she is known for solution-building that meets Iwi Māori aspirations.

Before arriving at University of Canterbury, Sacha was the director of a boutique consultancy working with Iwi Māori in strategy development, kaupapa Māori asset management, and innovation. She was also the general manager of strategy and influence with Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, responsible for government relations on behalf of the Iwi.

Recognised as an emerging New Zealand leader, Sacha won the inaugural Fulbright Harkness Fellowship in 2010. Sacha is a change agent and compliments her varied background with a desire to support and grow the next generation of Māori scholars. Initiatives like the Māui lab are a product of that intent and just one of the many innovations that Sacha intends to bring through Aotahi in the years to come. Her current research includes: Iwi Māori development, innovation, and entrepreneurship; Iwi Māori futures, social, and cultural capital; comparative approaches to Indigenous peoples; and public policy.