Therese is a New Zealand born Cook Islander. She is the co-author of Patterns Of The Past: Tattoo Revival In The Cook Islands, she was inspired to start researching for this book over two decades ago when she realized there was very little information about Cook Islands tattooing available. As an amateur writer she launched into writing and later joined forces with John Utanga to draw upon their combined skills. Therese has a Degree in Commerce from Auckland University and has spent over 20 years working as a freelance film technician. She is currently the Director of Pacific Vision Aotearoa, with a focus on caring for creation while growing stronger communities.