Johnnie descends from Te Ata Waiohua, a kaitiaki iwi of Tāmaki Makaurau, and Ngai Tūhoe. He is a wayfinder, a systems navigator and a whakapapa-centred designer. 

Johnnie brings over 30 years’ experience and knowledge in serving community, and in navigating and guiding iwi, Māori community and public sector organisations in their work to achieve better outcomes with Māori. 

Most recently, he has helped to navigate a whakapapa-centred response to climate change within Tāmaki Makaurau. By drawing on mātauranga Māori and western science, he helped to navigate a way forward for Tāmaki Makaurau through Te Tāruke-ā-Tāwhiri Auckland’s Climate Plan.