Ripeka Templeton Bijl, Ngāti Mutunga, Te Atiawa, Ngāti Kahungunu, is of Māori, English
and Scottish descent, grew up in Stuttgart and London, and trained at The Oxford School of
Drama, before returning to Aotearoa to act at in Shakespeare at Pop-Up Globe. She is a
Tikanga Māori ordinand at St John’s and the student representative on Te Kaunihera (the
college’s governance board). She and her husband have one darling daughter and a
mischievous dog. Ripeka dreams of a liberal and creative church where all are truly
supported and welcomed.