Alayna Renata   PhD Landscape Arch, Dip Māori, Cert. Iwi Env. Manage

Pae Matua

Te Wai Pounamu Environmental Planning and Management, Landscape Architecture

Ngāi Tahu + Ngāti Tūwharetoa ki Kawerau + Kati Mamoe + Ngāti Kahungunu + Ngāti Porou

layna was born and raised on Ngāi Tahu whenua in Ōtepoti and Ōtautahi. She is a strong advocate for Indigenous rights and ensuring mana whenua agency prevails in planning, design and construction processes. Her work focuses on Tino Rangatiratanga and Indigenous sovereignty globally. She is interested in the actions of design professionals/businesses/educators; where she explores the perpetuation of the Colonial Project by these Individuals and organisations, either through intention or ignorance in a very conscious 21st century society who know better. She seeks to understand drivers for these actions, such as white fragility, performative allyship, guilt, fear, control and power. Alayna has experience working with Indigenous peoples locally and internationally, with her work focusing on social justice and equitable city making. She sits on a number of boards/panels as an Indigenous design advisory specialist and has held Director and executive level leadership roles in multi-national design firms and government agencies. She has worked on, and led teams to deliver, some of the largest projects and PPPs across Aotearoa and Australia. She holds a PhD on cultural landscape associations, a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (Hons) from Lincoln University, a Diploma in Māori from CPIT and a Certificate in Iwi Environmental Management from TWOA.