Cat Ruka (Ngāpuhi, Waitaha, Ngāi Te Rangi) is an indigenous artist, mentor, arts leader and advocate based in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland. She holds a bachelor degree, post-graduate diploma and masters degree from the University of Auckland's dance studies programme. She is halfway through completing her Phd in arts leadership, and in 2021 the university awarded her with a ‘40 under 40 Influencer’ title.

Cat was the Programme Leader of performing arts at Manukau Institute of Technology, was Artistic Director of Tempo Dance Festival, and is now the Executive Director of Basement Theatre and Chair of HER Festival. She is a co-founder of the newly established artist advocacy group D.A.M.N (Dignity And Money Now). Cat works frequently with the acclaimed youth organisation Ngā Rangatahi Toa as a creative advisor and funding strategist.

Cat’s own body of award-winning live performance works explore the facets of Te Mana o te Wahine, and she has toured nationally and internationally. Along the way, Cat has mentored some of the sector’s most promising emerging and experimental Māori and Pasifika artists.