Trina descends from Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāti Koata, Ngāti Whawhaakia and Pākeha whakapapa. She grew up in Kirikiriroa and has lived in Tamaki Mākaurau, London and Geneva. She has been a Primary School Teacher, Bookseller, Autism Coach, and in 2025 completed a MA in Creative Writing at the IIML.
Home is now in Whanganui-a-Tara with the three amazing humans she feels lucky to call her children and a grumpy cat. Her antidote to the chaos of the world is to write essays and stories. Secure in being forty-something, she is thrilled to be the Māori Emerging Writer in Residence at the Michael King Centre. Trina’s project explores her experience growing up in a high demand religion, leaving the church as an adult and learning to navigate life as a Divorced / Ex-Mormon / Neurodivergent / Māori Wahine. She has an essay ‘Higher Education’ published in Turbine/Kapohau.