JASE WILLIAMS

Jase Williams (Ngāti Tamaterā) is a TEDx and keynote speaker who has shared his insights at events across Aotearoa and internationally. With 25 years of experience in education, Jase is widely recognized as the leading voice in Aotearoa in compassionate, equity-centered, and relational neuroscience practice, grounded in trauma-informed approaches and viewed through an indigenous Te Ao Māori lens.

Jase has worked with hundreds of Kōhanga Reo, ECE centres, Kura Kaupapa Māori, mainstream and specialist schools, and support agencies, influencing thousands of people with his practical and heartfelt approach to trauma-responsive education. His ability to blend neuroscience with tikanga Māori and kaupapa Māori frameworks has made his work both transformative and culturally grounded.

As Principal of Henry Hill School in Napier (2012–2023), Jase led a revolutionary trauma-informed transformation. Under his leadership, the school received the 2021 Prime Minister's Education Excellence Award for Wellbeing and gained national and international recognition, including from Dr. Bruce Perry, the world’s leading authority on childhood trauma.

Today, Jase continues to lead professional development, facilitate community hui on mental health and wellbeing, and advocate for systems that nurture and heal through aroha, understanding, and equity.

Keynote Speaking
Jase is a TEDx Speaker and has delivered keynote presentations at various conferences across New Zealand and also internationally.
He delivers engaging and powerful keynotes that are relatable, vulnerable, and authentic as he shares his own lived experience, relational neuroscience through an indigenous lens.

Professional Development Sessions
A recent Education Review Office (ERO) 'Behaviour In Classrooms' report identified that educators are struggling to manage the ever increasing challenging behaviour they are faced with on a daily basis. The Ministry of Education has invested millions of dollars into programmes and initiatives and yet these appear to have made little difference.

So what’s the answer?

Professional Development in Relational Neuroscience, facilitated by someone who has actually 'walked the talk!'

Jase has the knowledge, practical application experience, and has worked alongside thousands of educators to become more compassionate and equity-centered Relational Neuroscience Informed educators.

Jase seamlessly fuses Te Ao Māori and the Mind-Body-Heart-Soul connection and incorporates his lived experience, and 25 years experience as an educator / 10 years as a school principal, to explain Relational Neuroscience.

Testimonials & Feedback

Jacinda Ardern - Former Prime Minister of New Zealand
'I want to congratulate you for winning the Excellence in Wellbeing Education Award in this year's Prime Minister's Education Excellence Awards. This is an amazing achievement, and you should be proud of what your team have accomplished for your ākonga.
Your story is such an inspiration and I look forward to hearing more stories of success about your ākonga and schooling community in years to come.'

Nathan Wallis - Neuroscience Educator
'I’m always being asked for examples of where the research I talk about is put into practice.
Principal Jason Williams is a pioneering, passionate and positive leader. The (Henry Hill) school's tranquility garden is named Te Āhuru Mōwai (Peaceful Paradise) but this really describes the whole school! Although recently devastated by floods, the resilience developed in a trauma informed and research based curriculum has shone through, with lots of vibrant, intelligent and articulate young people showing me proudly through their environment.
And true to form - what happens when a school focuses more on wellbeing than academic advancement?? When they did last have National Standards they were amongst the best in the region! It’s not wellbeing INSTEAD of academics, it’s understanding wellbeing is the birthplace of academics!'

Matt Brown - She is not your rehab / InnerBoy
‘Today I got to sit, feel, regulate, cry and regulate some more through your keynote presentation the correlation of my own childhood trauma and my behavioural patterns backed up with science!’

Chris Patten - RTLB Manager - Hauraki RTLB Cluster
Jase is currently working across a number of our Kahui Ako in the Hauraki RTLB cluster. It is great to see a number of these schools now going on their own trauma informed journeys not only as individual schools but as Kahui Ako. Jase brings "realness" to drilling down to what trauma informed practice is all about from his own experience as a Principal and now as a PLD facilitator who understands schools. We have had Jase run a session for RTLB and he is great at challenging different perspectives and bringing everything back to the needs of the children. I would recommend Jase in a heartbeat in terms of how he can relate to all walks of life, he brings his own vulnerability which absolutely resonates with any audience.

Rachel Ward-McCarten - Principal - Te Kura Waenga o Wēteri / Wesley Intermediate
Working with Jase has been an invaluable experience for our school. His relaxed and friendly approach created an environment where we felt empowered to explore and implement new ideas with confidence. His deep passion for neuroscience and trauma-informed practices is evident in every interaction. What sets him apart is his profound knowledge of relational neuroscience, paired with an ability to offer tailored support that met our unique needs. His guidance never feels like a 'one-size-fits-all' solution but rather a thoughtful approach that fits perfectly with our school’s context. We are grateful for his expertise and the positive impact he has had on our school.

Feedback from Professional Development Session attendees:
‘Was easily the best PD I’ve been involved in right across the education sector.’’

‘Was cup filling and reminded me of the reasons why I chose to teach. I needed that and I will be better for it.’

‘It was so insightful and inspiring and confronting. Thank you for your honesty and transparency.’

‘ I walked out feeling grateful for you. Finally someone who understood and could relate to us.’

‘ You are inspirational! You know it and you’re living it and I love and appreciate your willingness to share.’

Unconditional with Jase Williams Podcast on Spotify
Click on the Spotify icon below to link to some of the guests Jase has had on his podcast ...

Instagram
Jase posts lots of content (memes, video reels and his own thoughts and musings) on his Instagram account: jasewilliams.nz - on a daily basis.

Connections
Jase has learned from and alongside some of the world's leading experts in this space... Gabor Maté, Bessel van der Kolk,
Stephen Porges, Dan Siegel, Dr. Ross Greene