Alex was raised in Tauranga Moana.  He has affiliations to Ngāti Pūkenga, Ngāi Te Rangi iwi, and Ngā Pōtiki hapū through his Pākehā family participation and support of kōhanga reo and kura kaupapa Māori.  More recently he has worked with Ngāti Pareraukawa hapū as a programme evaluator, and Te Whare Wānanga o Raukawa as a kaiāwhina. 

He is passionate about understanding what structural elements improve family and whānau environmental, social, and cultural wellbeing. For him this means critically understanding, and attempting to resolve, the disconnect that can take place between institutions and people's wellbeing and self-determination. He is a researcher and evaluator with Te Wāhanga and the general research group at NZCER.  Alex holds a Master of Arts in Education Studies (the University of Waikato).

Alex’s research interests include:

• Institutional ethnography
• Evaluation methodologies and methods
• Place based education
• Qualitative research approaches
• Pākehā participation in kaupapa Māori education
• Te Tiriti o Waitangi and community education
• Organisational learning, accountability and management
• Educational praxis
• Philanthropy and social change
• Environmental education and action