Dan Walker:

How do you sum up someone that is just pure awesomeness?! Well, we are going to try! Dan Walker is just one of those people who lifts the energy when he walks into a room!

Dan is a family man, to his 3 beautiful tamariki and wife Michelle, a busy household trying to keep up with all the kids sports, alongside his own hobbies in soccer and being a sensei in karate! Dan is passionate about learning his whakapapa and passing this on to his whānau! When he isn’t spending quality time with his whānau, he is working at Microsoft as well as holding many roles on advisory and iwi boards within the Auckland and Maori communities, doing his best towards helping to grow Māori and Aotearoa! 

We kōrero to Dan about growing up slightly disconnected to his Māori whakapapa to now being a committed learner of who and what makes him who he is! To men’s mental health and his passion for Māori health models such as Te Whare Tapa Wha, and how these have impacted his wellbeing when he was going through his own mental health challenges. 

One of the key themes that comes up is whānau, although Dan shares his beacon of light wherever he goes, he and his family have gone through some very, very challenging times together. Dan talks to us about his eldest son Joshie, getting diagnosed with Ewings Sarcoma, which is a type of bone cancer. We talk about how this has changed the whānau circumstances and perspective on living their life, what has helped Dan personally, and his whānau during this time, but also what they have done to amplify a positive space for Joshie, his wellbeing and the Walker whānau wellbeing. 

Dan Walker is a LEGEND. We are SO extremely grateful for him sharing so much of his wellbeing journey with us in this korero!

Action points: 

1. Get Dan to share stories with you
2. Tapestry of identity blog
3. Check out more of our inspiring interviews