Andy Towers

Nō Ingarangi nō Airani hoki ōku tīpuna. I tae mai ōku tīpuna ki Aotearoa i te tau rautau tekau mā iwa. I whānau mai au i Whanganui, I tipu ahau i raro i te maunga Taranaki. I tipu ahau i te taha o te awa o Patea. I tipu ake au i Patea. Nō reira, ko Aotearoa tōku whenua tipu. Ko Andy Towers tōku ingoa. Kei Te Papaeoia ahau e noho ana. Kei Te Kura Hauora Tangata Ko Te Kunenga Ki Purehuroa au e mahi ana.

Andy’s ancestors came to Aotearoa from the United Kingdom, but he grew up on the banks of the Patea River in South Taranaki. He comes from a community within which mental health and addiction issues are a lived reality.

Andy is now an Associate Professor in Health Sciences and the Co-Director of the Mental Health and Addiction Practitioner Training Programme at Massey University. He is also a board member and vocal advocate for the Speed Freaks Charitable Trust, a community-based addiction recovery charity.

Using his knowledge and expertise in mental health and addiction research and teaching, Andy works with ministries, agencies and organisations at the community, national and international level to enhance our understanding of – and policy and practice responses to – mental health and addiction issues.