Linda Ngata (Ngāti Porou) is a manager and community leader based in Christchurch, New Zealand, specialising in education, training, welfare and community development, particularly of Māori people."About us" on New Zealand Claims Resolution Service website, viewed 2025-05-18
Community leadership Following the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, Ngata helped found the Earthquake Support Coordination Service in Christchurch, and set up a recovery assistance centre at the city's Ngā Hau e Whā National Marae.
Ngata is the executive manager of Te Rūnanga o te Maata Waka, an urban Māori authority for Te Wai Pounamu"Taking steps to enable Ōtautahi Pasifika community" on Oranga Tamariki website, 2023-06-13, retrieved 2025-05-18 headquartered at the marae.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ngata managed a vaccination centre at the marae.O'Callaghan, Jody "Health workers doing 'hard mahi' to reach 13,000 unvaccinated Māori in Canterbury", 2021-10-13, on Stuff (website), retrieved 2025-05-18
Ngata is the current national trust chairperson (as of 2025) of Ngā Wātene Māori o Aotearoa-Māori Wardens of New Zealand."Māori Wardens receive $15m funding boost" on 1news website of TVNZ, retrieved 2025-05-18
Honours Ngata and her husband Norm Dewes were cited by the National Iwi Chairs Forum for "long-term commitment to their adopted home in Te Waipounamu, and of their regard for Ngāi Tahu as tangata whenua""Norm Dewes-Linda Ngata Citation" on Forum website, retrieved 2025-05-18 and given a Te Whare Pūkenga award, which "recognises rangatira who have enhanced the lives of all whānau and who embody values including rangatiratanga, whanaungatanga, manaakitanga, kaitiakitanga, tikanga and pono."Lynch, Chris "Respected community champion dies", 2024-01-02, retrieved 2025-05-18
Dewes and Ngata received the Pou Here Tangata award from Te Pūtea Whakatupu Trust, a fisheries asset management organisation."A man of the people", 3 January 2024, Te Ao News website, retrieved 2025-05-21
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