Jesse is a visionary leader with a strong passion for Creativity and Innovation. He has a broad range of skillsets with expertise in 3D Printing, 3D  Design, Instructional Design and Workshop Facilitation. Jesse was born and raised in Papakura, South Auckland and is of Māori descent from Ngāti Hine and Waikato. By nature, Jesse is a natural-born maker who loves to work with rangatahi and inspire them to become the innovative entrepreneurs of tomorrow.

Andrea is the teine toa at the helm of operations at VAKA. She has skills in Project Management, Communications, Creative Writing, Instructional Design and Workshop Facilitation. Andrea has a passion for using Moana-centric pedagogy in business and STEAM education to make it more accessible and relevant for Māori and Pasifika people. Her parents are from Afega and Sale’aula in Sāmoa. She lives with her husband and their wild toddler in Manukau.

Kynan is a self-taught creative with a passion for helping rangatahi discover their own pathways to success. He has years of experience in working with youth and now works closely with schools and community organisations to help them develop their own 3D printing education initiatives. He is of Māori & Black American descent, with whakapapa to Ngāti Hine, Waikato and Arizona. Born and raised in Ōtāhuhu, Kynan has always held a deep love for South Auckland and it's people.

Xavier loves exploring the possibilities of 3D printing. He is interested in a variety of things from automotive engineering to sci-fi movies, manga and video games. Xavier enjoys helping others to develop their own creative skills and comes with experience in 3D design and has a natural ability to make learning environments exciting and engaging for all. Above all, he loves making people smile and finds great satisfaction in helping others. Xavier is of Samoan and Niuean descent with connections to Hakupu and Mutalau.

Bronson has a natural love for working with youth to develop their true potential. He runs a small landscaping business in his spare time and uses 3D printing  to improve the quality of his services. Bronson loves the freedom that entrepreneurship brings and finds joy in designing solutions to real world problems. He has a broad skill set with experience in workshop facilitation, technical repairs and product/service design. He is of Māori and Samoan descent with whakapapa to Ngāti Porou and Sapapali'i.

Valerie is a newly emerging creative with experience in videography, visual art and many other fields. She loves the magic of 3D printing and its potential to make ideas become reality. Valerie is passionate toward building sustainable projects and helping others to enhance their lives. She comes from an engineering background with skill sets in teaching, facilitation and rangatahi engagement. Valerie is of Samoan, Swedish and Irish descent with connections to the villages of Eva and Vaitoloa.

Cazna is enthusiastic toward entrepreneurship and 3D printing because she can see the potential it has to empower the next generation. Having studied at Media Design School, she has a skillset with photography, and video editing and also comes from a background in teaching students with diverse needs, including those with learning disabilities and ESOL learners. Cazna finds joy in inspiring others and witnessing their "lightbulb moments." She is of Māori descent from Waikato and Ngāpuhi.

Stacey is a highly skilled creative with a broad skillset. From professional photography to jewellery and décor design, Stacey has always drawn inspiration from people around her and the natural environment. She is a mother to 6 children and loves helping them try many creative things. This has led to her work in teaching 3D printing to others so she can help them to develop their full creative potential. Stacey is of Māori descent with whakapapa to Ngāti Hine and Waikato.

Patrick, is a gifted artist of Māori and Niuean descent with whakapapa to Rongomaiwahine and Alofi. He is a natural-born creative who has incredible drawing and painting skills. Patrick is interested in storytelling through film and art. He aspires to share meaningful stories that make a positive impact on others and loves the process of creative teaching. With his boundless talent and creative curiosity, Patrick is making moves that will surely paint a bright future for him and those he is able to teach.

Jaemen is a creative entrepreneur who has transitioned from the world of business to the education sector. He recently received his Bachelor of Education and is the Year 7 & 8 Māori enrichment teacher at Papakura Normal School. He is also a co-host of the MandateNZ podcast which is focussed on helping tackle mental health and well-being. Jaemen was born and raised in South Auckland with ties to Sataoa, Ti'avea, and Samatau and Te Rarawa. He proudly lives in Ōtara with his whānau.

Rua is a talented tech enthusiast with a deep love for all things digital. His current focus is in live production, drones, and vehicles with a keen interest in 3D design, and 3D printing. Rua enjoys troubleshooting tech problems which he finds to be very fulfilling. He is a natural tinkerer who loves to understand and automate technology. Rua is the 3rd of 6 children and is of Māori descent from Ngāti Porou. He is also developing a keen interest in personal finance and entrepreneurship.