Dr Akbar is a senior lecturer at the School of Public Health, specialising in advocacy, First Nations and Public Health within medical education training. Dr Akbar is a Fellow of Higher Education and Associate Fellow for Health Education (Indigenous Knowledges) and brings over 30 years of experience in community development research with a focus on health inequity using community participatory action research and Indigenous methodologies to inform social policy change that translates to equitable health outcomes for First Nations, Māori and Pasifika and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities in Australia and internationally.

Ethan Capewell embodies the philosophy that “it takes a village to raise a child.” . Raised across South West Queensland, mostly in Cunnamulla and Charleville. He pays deep respect to all those who have guided his journey, whose support has shaped his path and led him to be part of the 2025 Indigenous Wellbeing Conference. Ethan’s career in health and wellbeing began in Cunnamulla as a Youth Support Officer, helping young people overcome barriers similar to his own upbringing. He later transitioned into the Aboriginal Community-Controlled Health sector as one of the first Deadly Choices Health Promotion Officers for the Cunnamulla Aboriginal Corporation for Health, where his passion for early intervention and prevention flourished. Now Chair of the WQPHN Consumer Advisory Committee and a Member of the South West HHS Board, Ethan continues to champion equitable, community-driven approaches that strengthen wellbeing across remote Queensland.

Dr Mataroria Lyndon (MBChB, MPH, PhD) Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Wai, Ngāti Whātua, Waikato Dr Mataroria Lyndon is a clinician, academic, and governance leader. He is a co-founder of Tend Health, one of Aotearoa’s largest primary healthcare providers, and serves as a Senior Lecturer in Medical Education at the University of Auckland. Dr Lyndon has held key governance roles, including Deputy Chair of the Health Promotion Agency and board member of both Te Aka Whai Ora Māori Health Authority and the Northland District Health Board. He currently serves on the boards of Te Tira Tū Iwi Māori Partnership Board, Pūtahi Manawa Centre of Research Excellence for Heart Health, and the Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Foundation. He holds a Master of Public Health from Harvard University as a Fulbright Scholar and his PhD focuses on medical education. He was also awarded the Deloitte IPANZ Young Professional of the Year.

Darrio Penetito-Hemara has considerable knowledge and experience in the Māori, education, sport, recreation, and health sectors, having worked in the space for over 13 years. With leadership roles and experience belying his years, he is currently the CEO of Toi Tangata, a director of Kori Collab, holds governance roles in groups such as Orotokare and Kī o Rahi Tāmaki Makaurau, and sits on a number of advisory groups. A product of Kōhanga Reo and Kura Kaupapa Māori, Darrio has a passion for whanaungatanga, connectedness, hauora, and kaupapa that improve the well-being of whānau, hapū, and iwi. Thriving in a range of environments and utilising his lived experiences and knowledge of Te Ao Māori, Darrio brings an extensive list of pūkenga to the Indigenous Well-being Conference committee.