Dr Chelsea Grootveld is Ngāi Tai, Ngāti Porou, Te Whānau a Apanui, Whakatōhea and Tuhourangi. She is passionate about whānau-centred and whānau-led education, health and wellbeing. She has a strong commitment to creating values-based research and evaluation models that make sense and add value to whānau, hapū, iwi and communities. In this conversation, Chelsea shares her journey of deepening her political awareness in Te Ao Māori and how Te Tiriti is a critical part of her mahi as a kaupapa Māori evaluator. Her evaluation company Aiko allows her to pursue projects that genuinely interest her, are challenging and transformative.