Cat Ruka (Ngāpuhi, Waitaha) is an acclaimed indigenous creative and arts leader based in Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa. Her body of award-winning performance works have toured nationally and internationally. In addition to her artistic practice, Cat has a rich background in arts leadership. She was the Performing Arts Programme Leader at MIT's Faculty of Creative Arts where she worked for 10 years, out of which she also developed her own independent mentoring practice for Māori and Pasifika rangatahi artists. More recently, Cat was Artistic Director of Tempo Dance Festival; New Zealand's premiere dance event, where she made a huge impact in the development of the festival's cultural equity. She is now the Executive Director of Basement Theatre.