Dene Ainsworth [DipMQM, BMM] is Business Manager for Mauriora-ki-te-Ao/Living Universe Ltd. From 1969 to 1995, Dene was employed in the Banking and Finance Industry working in Senior Managerial positions for The National Bank of NZ Ltd, AMP Financial Corporation (NZ) Ltd and Countrywide Banking Corporation Ltd.
In 1996 Dene undertook full time study enrolling with Te Wānanga-o-Raukawa and graduated with a Bachelor Mātauranga Māori in 1998. Following his graduation, Dene worked as a full time tutor in Iwi & Hapū Studies for Te Wānanga-o-Raukawa and in 2000 completed a Diploma in Māori & Quantitative Methods. While at the Wānanga, Dene undertook research into the area of student completion and retention rates. This culminated in a move, in late 2004, to work with Te Tauihu o Ngā Wānanga [the National Association of Wānanga], on the Te Ako Hikohiko project. Te Ako Hikohiko looked to develop knowledge in three areas - the development of a resource centre for Māori educators interested in eLearning, research into success factors for ngā Wānanga and how that compares with what was known about success of eLearning, and the development of an online Reo programme that seeks to investigate technologies to enhance Māori language learning.
A passionate rugby and Taranaki [Waitara] man, Dene affiliates to Te Āti Awa and Ngāti Toarangatira [Iwi] and Ngāti Rahiri and Ngāti Hine [Hapū].
Dene has been associated with Mauriora-ki-te-Ao/Living Universe Ltd since 2004 moving into a full time role in early 2006.
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