A familiar face to many at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa will be missing from the end of next week when SME - wellness adviser Tuihana Ohia leaves to take up a new role.

She has worked for Te Wānanga o Aotearoa for more than 16 years – 11 in marketing and five in her current role - and is leaving to take up a wellness role with Australian-based wellness organisation Springday, along with developing her own wellness initiative WHOLE Haumanu delivering WOWshops.

The wellness role includes looking after the wellbeing of all kaimahi within Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and it’s a role Tuihana says she has enjoyed from the first day.

“I’ve loved this job,” she says.

“When I got this role, I told Leesah and Harata ‘thank you’ because it’s unleashed a passion I’ll have for the rest of my life.”

She says the best part of the job has been the people she has worked with and their stories.

“That’s been awesome, so inspiring.”

Pua Phillips – who previously worked with Tuihana on the wellness programme for two years - returns to Te Wānanga o Aotearoa after 11 months away and takes over the role of wellness adviser.

Tuihana says there’s no one else she would have wanted in the role.

“I couldn’t just hand it over to anyone, so I’m really excited Pua is taking over.”

Pua – who won a gold medal in touch at the World Masters Games being held in Auckland – says it’s exciting to be back at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and she looks forward to making her mark.

“I’m just thinking about where Tau Ora can go and what I can bring to Tau Ora,” she says.

“For me, it’s a little bit nerve wracking. There have been so many different leaders for Tau Ora and I’m a little bit nervous about filling those big shoes.”