Ngapere Hopa
Dr Ngapere Hopa received the Insignia of a Member of the NZ Order of Merit at an investiture ceremony on 26 September 2008. Dr Hopa was the first Maori woman to receive a PhD at Oxford University and has taught at various schools in the Auckland region. She has lectured at the University of Waikato, the University of Auckland, and Te Wananga o Aotearoa, promoting positive relationships between Maori and non-Maori and the understanding of New Zealand and its history. Dr Hopa was also involved in the Tainui land claim and is the director of the Tainui Endowed College.