Angus Hikairo Macfarlane (Ngāti Whakaue; Ngāti Rangiwewehi) is Professor (Pouhere) in the Child Well-being Research Institute at the University of Canterbury. In 2021 he was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to education, psychology and Māori. Melissa Derby (Ngāti Ranginui) is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Education at the University of Waikato, and co-Director of the Early Years Research Centre. She has received several awards, most recently the Te Kōpūnui Māori Research Award from the Royal Society Te Apārangi in 2022. Sonja Macfarlane (Ngāi Tahu; Ngāti Waewae) is an Associate Professor in the Institute of Education at Massey University. In 2021 she was made a Fellow of the Royal Society Te Apārangi.