Dr Heather Came
Activist scholar at large

Dr Heather Came is a seventh generation Pākehā New Zealander (tangata Tiriti) who grew up on Ngātiwai land. She has worked for 32 years in health promotion and/or public health and has a long involvement in social justice activism. 

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In 2023 she founded Heather Came & Associates a consultancy specialising in pursuing racial justice. As an activist scholar her work has influenced public health, equity practice, and education in Aotearoa. In 2021 she was joint winner of Kāhui Hauora Tūmatanui Public Health Champion Award for her lifetime contribution to public health.

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Heather’s pioneering investigations into institutional racism within the health sector have set national benchmarks and informed systemic reform. Her expert evidence has supported Waitangi Tribunal claimants, United Nations shadow reports and influenced government reviews, public health guidelines, and workforce training frameworks.

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She co-developed Critical Tiriti Analysis (CTA), a practical retrospective and prospective tool now widely used to assess whether policies and practices honour Te Tiriti. This framework has guided local government planning, health reforms, and civil society strategies, becoming a cornerstone for equity-focused policy design.

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Heather has published over 60 peer reviewed journal articles and has an H-index of 26 with 2271 citations of her work. She is currently a co-Principal Investigator with Clive Aspin on a prestigious Royal Society Te Apārangi- Marden research grant focused on “Honourable Kāwanatanga: Preparing for a Tiriti-based future”. 

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Grounded in Te Tiriti o Waitangi and a lifelong commitment to antiracism, her research and teaching are deeply interconnected—each amplifying the other to create lasting change. Heather is an experienced Te Tiriti and antiracism trainer. 

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Heather is a transformative educator who equips students and professionals alike with the knowledge and courage to challenge racism and embed equity in their practice. She integrates Tiriti-based frameworks into all her teaching, making complex theory accessible and actionable.

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She has mentored and supervised many postgraduate students—particularly Tauiwi allies, Māori, Pacific students—who have gone on to leadership roles in health, policy, and academia. She continues to supervise postgraduate students through Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University where she is an Adjunct Professor. Her award-winning teaching innovations have embedded antiracism, Tiriti application, equity analysis, and critical policy evaluation across tertiary curricula.

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Heather regularly delivers bespoke professional development to health providers, community, and government agencies. These sessions have helped shift organisational cultures, built capability, and supported the implementation of Tiriti-based and antiracist practice nationwide.

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