My Journal
This is where I pause to reflect.
The entries here are not just updates—they’re windows into the rhythm, restoration, and realities behind the mahi. From riverbanks to boardrooms, from governance to whānau life, this journal holds the quiet shifts, the collective wins, and the deeper stories that don’t always make it into the minutes.
Each piece is written in real-time, with integrity and heart.
Because leadership isn’t just about what we do—it’s about how we hold it and the journey toward outcomes too.
Returning to the River, Together
A reflection from Irene Wakefield on stepping into the role of Chair for Save Our River Trust—woven with whakapapa, rhythm, and a quiet return to Piriharakeke.
Leading in the In-Between
Irene Wakefield reflects on how her earliest experiences of care, clarity, and mauri have shaped the way she reads rooms, holds kaupapa, and leads collective transformation across hapū, governance, and community spaces.
Leadership—it’s in our DNA
Irene Wakefield reflects on a historic partnership agreement, quiet leadership, and legacy decisions rooted in whakapapa. She invites us into the kind of leadership that listens first, honours those who came before, and makes decisions with generations in mind.
The Kind of Leadership You Don’t See
When my sister passed, I didn’t just lose her—I became the person her son needed. Raising him alongside my own babies has been the most tender kind of leadership I’ve ever known. This story isn’t about titles—it’s about showing up when it matters most.