Matt Brown

Matthew Faafetai Malietoa "Mataio" Brown (born 27 January 1986) is a New Zealand author, communicator, internationally acclaimed barber, and social advocate. He is the co-founder of the global movement She Is Not Your Rehab, which seeks to support men in confronting trauma, promoting healing, and reducing cycles of domestic and family violence.

Early life and background Brown was born in New Zealand and is of Samoan heritage. His early life included exposure to family violence and childhood sexual abuse, which he has publicly addressed in his work. Before his advocacy, Brown was a barber and hair artist, operating a barbershop in Christchurch called My Fathers Barbers.

Career and advocacy In 2019, Brown introduced the She Is Not Your Rehab concept in a TEDx talk entitled "The Barbershop Where Men Go to Heal". It launched the She Is Not Your Rehab movement, which has grown into a broader campaign encouraging men to take responsibility for their healing.

In 2021, he distributed She Is Not Your Rehab books to all male prisoners across New Zealand.

In the 2022 Queen's Birthday Honours, Brown was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to mental health and the prevention of family violence. He also received a Commonwealth Points of Light award. The book became New Zealand's bestselling book in the year of its release. Copies of the book have been donated to prisons across the world, with every inmate in New Zealand receiving a free copy as part of an initiative to support men's rehabilitation.

Personal life Brown lives in Christchurch and is married to Sarah Brown, who works alongside him in advocacy, writing, and community development.

Selected works