Our Team

Leadership

Dr Catherine Leonard

Research Director

Ngāi Tahu,

EdD, PG Dip Ed Psych, MEd Psych, BEd, BAppB

  • Catherine leads the research and evaluation direction of Ihi Research.

    She brings deep expertise in kaupapa Māori methodologies, qualitative research, and working alongside grassroots community organisations to demonstrate evidence of change.

John Leonard

Chief Executive

Ngāti Rangiwewehi, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāi Tūhoe.

Dip Tch, G DipBIT (Hoaka Pounamu), BTchLN, PG DipEd.

  • John leads the organisation, bringing extensive management experience across the education, social, and high-performance sport sectors, and oversight of Ihi’s research and evaluation programme.

Tā Mātou Tira

Our Team

Behind Ihi Research is a skilled and versatile team of researchers, evaluators, and specialists who bring together kaupapa Māori expertise and contemporary research methods.

Our team spans a wide range of skills—qualitative and quantitative research, evaluation design, social return on investment (SROI), literature review, data analysis, community engagement, communications, and creative storytelling. Many of our team carry both academic depth and lived community experience, and bring cultural, clinical, and analytical strengths to the work.We don’t take a one-size-fits-all approach. Each research team is bespoke—assembled specifically for the project at hand. We bring together the right mix of skills, cultural expertise, and community relationships for each piece of work, drawing on a wider network of trusted researchers and specialists alongside our core team.

This model means every project is resourced by people who are genuinely suited to it—ensuring our work is rigorous, culturally grounded, and responsive to the communities we serve.

Ō Mātou Tāngata
Our People

"E koekoe te tūī, e ketekete te kākā, e kūkū te kererū."

“The tūī sings, the kākā chatters, the wood pigeon coos.”

The outcome is always better when everyone is able to contribute their unique strengths.

We are a team of highly skilled researchers and innovators that believe in social responsibility and delivering positive outcomes for people and their communities.