Eva is not only the Co-Chair of Auckland Council’s Ethnic Peoples Advisory Panel but also the CEO of the Wellbeing Charitable Trust, a SKIP Champion, and a strong advocate for whānau-centred wellbeing. She also shares a deep connection with Ngāti Manu, which has extended into her family. Her children have found a sense of belonging by learning kapa haka and, through that journey, have been inspired to study te reo Māori.

One of the most meaningful projects Eva has been involved in is the Hawaiki Project—a cultural exchange that connects Taiwanese Indigenous communities with Ngāti Manu in Aotearoa. The project brought Taiwanese Indigenous youth to New Zealand to visit Ngāti Manu and later supported Ngāti Manu’s visit to Taiwan. Fundraising and making this happen took a huge effort, but the impact on the young people involved was profound.

What makes this project special is its genuine focus on connection — not just cultural exchange but deep, lasting friendships. The project traces shared ancestral roots between Māori and Indigenous Taiwanese communities, supported by genetic and linguistic research. For many of the teenagers involved, this gave them a more profound sense of identity and pride and a new way of understanding where they come from — and what’s possible when communities come together with purpose.