Renata (Ngāti Toa Rangatira; she/her) is the I.Lead Coordinator for Wellington & Manawatū, and a fierce advocate for disabled youth. Growing up, she tried hard to be “normal” and ignored her disability, which meant she learned a lot of life lessons the hard way. Now she’s all about helping young disabled people work smarter, not harder.
She’s chaired national conferences, held leadership roles across the disability sector, and brings lived experience of Congenital Cerebral Palsy into everything she does.
Like many Māori & Samoan girls, her laugh is loud and her smile is wide. She’s good at cooking and even better at eating. When she’s off the clock, you’ll find her exploring with her kids, checking out parks and beaches or taking a spontaneous road trip.
I’m so happy to be back with YES Disability & I.Lead. It feels good to be home.