Iti Kōpara Trustees
Kevin Jenkins
Chair
Kevin works at the intersection of business, innovation and regulation. He has more than 30 years’ experience as a trusted adviser across a broad span of organisations in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors, and is known for providing an alternative view and provoking clients to think creatively about the challenges they face.
Kevin’s governance roles include chairing the Real Estate Institute of NZ and as a Trustee of the Parliamentary Education Trust. He is a Chartered Member of the institute of Directors (IoD). He publishes in the NZ Herald, the IoD, the Institute of Public Administration of NZ, Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington’s Policy Journal and other channels.
Dr Chelsea Grootveld
Deputy Chair
Ngai Tai, Ngāti Porou, Whānau-a-Apanui, Whakatōhea, Te Arawa. Chelsea has an extensive background in education research, policy and evaluation. She completed her doctoral studies in 2013, gaining a PhD in Education, at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington and started her own indigenous research and evaluation company.
Chelsea joined the High Performance Sport New Zealand Board in 2019. She is a member of the Institute of Directors and Governance New Zealand, Director on CORE Education Limited, Chair of JR McKenzie Trust, Board member of International Funders For Indigenous Peoples, former Chair of Hato Pāora College Board of Trustees and former Future Director on the Sport New Zealand Board. Chelsea was a Women in Governance award winner in 2019.
Bill Moran, MNZM
A former Deputy Secretary of Strategy, Performance and Engagement with the New Zealand Treasury Bill has, over the last seven years, undertaken a variety of governance roles as chair, deputy chair and director of a range of public and private sector and charitable organisations across all sectors of the economy and community.
Bill is currently a director of Sport New Zealand, High Performance Sport New Zealand, Southern Generation LP, Community Trust South, and At the World’s Edge Chamber Music Festival USA as well as the Deputy Chair of WorkSafe NZ and a director of Te Pukenga and Pioneer Energy. He is a trustee of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra Foundation, Parliamentary Education Charitable Trust, Youthtown Inc, and Sky City Casino Queenstown Charitable Trust.
Elizabeth (Liz) Sinclair, MNZM
Liz has over 30 years public sector experience including as Deputy Secretary Operations, Ministry of Justice (2004 – 2011) and Deputy Commissioner, State Services Commission (2011 – 2016). Her roles have related to strategy, corporate management, service delivery and major change programmes, and have also given her extensive exposure to machinery of government, Māori/Crown, information privacy/security and health and safety system issues. She holds a number of governance roles in the public sector including as a Board member of the Independent Police Conduct Authority, and chairs the Archives Council and the Ministry of Education Risk and Assurance Board.
Liz has a particular interest in how executive leadership and governance (both within and between agencies) can be strengthened to improve performance outcomes for New Zealanders, and secondly the importance of Māori/Crown relationships and giving effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Robin Hapi, CNZM
Ngāti Kahungunu. Robin is a prominent Māori leader with extensive governance experience in private sector, public sector, iwi and not-for-profit organisations which have included chair of the Māori Economic Development Advisory Board, Deputy Chair of Callaghan Innovation, and board member of NZ Trade and Enterprise and Worksafe New Zealand.
He is currently Te Amokapua/Chair of Te Wānanga o Raukawa and on the Boards of Kainga Ora Homes and Communities, and the Whānau ora Commissioning Agency. Recognition of his work has included the Dame Mira Szászy lifetime award at the Māori Business Leader Awards in 2022 for exceptionally long-standing record in governance.
Ross Wilson, CNZM
Ngāi Tahu and Scottish descent. Ross is a former union leader, lawyer and president of the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions. His governance experience includes Chair of the Accident Compensation Corporation and Worksafe New Zealand and director of CentrePort Limited Wellington and KiwiRail. He is currently Chair of the Unions Aotearoa International Development Trust and the Major Arc Media Trust.
Iti Kōpara course development group
Pania Gray
Facilitator
Pania (Ngāpuhi) holds a number of Crown entity governance roles. She is currently the Deputy Chair of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority a Board member for the New Zealand Film Commission and a Council member of Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington. She has previously been the Deputy Chair for the Academic Quality Agency for New Zealand Universities, a Board member of the New Zealand Council for Educational Research and served two terms on the Board of Trustees for Hutt International Boys’ School. She also has extensive governance experience in the not-for-profit and private sectors.
Kristen Thompson
Facilitator
Krissy is a lawyer with a background in employment, health and safety, and personal injury law, predominantly for unions and injured workers. She has previously worked as a litigator and legal advisor to a number of not-for-profit incorporated societies and charities. She has also worked as a policy analyst. She sits on a number of Boards including Worksafe Mahi Haumaru Aotearoa, the New Zealand Institute of Safety Management, HealthCarePlus, and Inspired Kindergartens.
Dr Chelsea Grootveld
Ngai Tai, Ngāti Porou, Whānau-a-Apanui, Whakatōhea, Te Arawa. Chelsea has an extensive background in education research, policy and evaluation. She completed her doctoral studies in 2013, gaining a PhD in Education, at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington and started her own indigenous research and evaluation company.
Chelsea joined the High Performance Sport New Zealand Board in 2019. She is a member of the Institute of Directors and Governance New Zealand, Director on CORE Education Limited, Chair of JR McKenzie Trust, Board member of International Funders For Indigenous Peoples, former Chair of Hato Pāora College Board of Trustees and former Future Director on the Sport New Zealand Board. Chelsea was a Women in Governance award winner in 2019.
Mary Slater
Facilitator
Mary has a 15-year background in central government work and prior to that worked in public sector unions. Mary is a member of the Institute of Directors and holds several not-for-profit Board roles including the Tauranga Moana Restorative Justice Trust. She is on the Board of the Royal New Zealand Ballet.
Alastair Hercus
Facilitator
Alastair has been a Partner at Buddle Findlay since 1995, following an earlier career as a diplomat in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He brings legal, governance and government sector experience. He has insurance sector experience as former Deputy Chair of the Medical Assurance Society and is currently Chair of Co-operative Life Ltd, a Director of Invercargill Airport Ltd, Director of Fonterra Shareholders’ Fund, Chair of the Risk & Advisory Committee at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and a Board member of Toka Tū Ake.
Dr Jim Mather
Jim is of Ngāti Awa, Ngāi Tūhoe and English descent. He grew up in the communities of Te Teko, Ōtara and Māngere. With qualifications including a Masters of Business Administration from the Henley Business School in England and a PhD in Māori economic development through AUT University and business management experience spanning 25 years.
Jim currently holds governance roles which include Chair of Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa Radio New Zealand, Chair of Lakes District Health Board, Chair of Ako Mātātupu/Teach First NZ, Director of Ngāti Awa Group Holdings Limited and is a member of the MBIE Risk & Advisory Committee. As Managing Director of Mather Solutions Ltd he undertakes a range of governance training and consultancy roles.
Caren Rangi, ONZM
Facilitator
Caren is of Cook Islands Māori descent and an experienced public sector governance practitioner, with a passion for Cook Islands Māori dance, music and cultural history. Caren is a qualified chartered accountant, auditor and an experienced governance practitioner and facilitator. She is the current Chair of the Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa and of Pacific Homecare Services, Governor of Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa Radio New Zealand and a Board member of Te Papa Tongarewa the Museum of New Zealand, and Pacific Co-operation Broadcasting Ltd.
Her previous governance roles include Chair of the Pacific Business Trust, Board member of Irirangi Te Motu NZ On Air, founding member of the Charities Registration Board, Director of Le Va and Deputy Chair of the Eastern and Central Community Trust. In the Cook Islands, Caren is a director of the Cook Islands Investment Corporation.
Hon Steve Maharey, CNZM
Steve is an independent director. He was previously the Vice-Chancellor of Massey University. He is a former Member of Parliament and senior minister in the New Zealand Government (1999-2008). In 2009 as part of the Queen’s New Year Honours List, Steve was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services as a Member of Parliament. He holds a MA (Hons) from Massey University in Sociology.
Steve is the former Chair of Pharmac, ACC, Education New Zealand, and the Wellington Science Property Project (MBIE). He is also a member of the FPIM Governance Group, Ministry of Health and a facilitator of the Public Sector Governance Programme at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington.
Beth Thomas
Beth has worked for 20 years as a content advisor and editor in tertiary and adult education. She also consults for the public, private and not-for-profit sectors, using a broad UX skill set, to create efficient and fair access to content and services. She co-designs experiences in a range of media including web and apps, products and video content.
Iti Kōpara guest practitioners
Each course has a selection of senior governance practitioners who will share their experience of what has worked well – and not so well – in the real world.
Mohi Apou
Ngā Rauru Kītahi and Whanganui Iwi. Mohi joined Worksafe in 2018 and has been Tākai Aronui | National Advisor Māori since 2020. He has a Master’s degree in Mātauranga Māori with expertise in creating engagement strategies with a Māori worldview. He is a leader in building collaborative cultural inter-relationships that spans 20 years with expertise in the use of facilitating forums for the military, Iwi groups and local and regional authorities.
Hazel Armstrong
Experienced ACC, employment and health and safety lawyer and a partner at Armstrong Thompson. Currently on the Board of Ports of Auckland Ltd. Previously served on the Boards of KiwiRail, CAA, the Plumbers & Gasfitters Board, and ACC. She has undertaken inquiries on behalf of government and other organisations, for example, KiwiRail and the Rail and Maritime Transport Union; the Minister for Tertiary Education.
Marie Bismark
Psychiatrist with Te Whatu Ora (Kapiti), Professor of Law and Public Health at the University of Melbourne, Director of Summerset Group Holdings, The Royal Women’s Hospital (Melbourne), GMHBA health insurance (Geelong). Member of Ministerial Advisory Panel on Veterans’ Health (NZ). Council member of Australian Institute of Company Directors (Victoria). Former Crown Entity Board Roles: Board member of ACC.
Chris Black
Chair of Toka Tū Ake EQC, Rabobank NZ, on several Boards in the Southern Cross health group and a trustee of the Mental Health Foundation. Previously Chief Executive of Farmers Mutual Group (FMG) and President of the Insurance Council of New Zealand (ICNZ).
Ngārimu Blair
Director of Manaaki Whenua-Landcare Research and Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communiites Board member. Deputy Chair of the Ngati Whatua Orakei Trust and their appointee to Whai Rawa Ltd. Serves as a Director of the North Harbour Rugby Union and the New Zealand Māori Rugby Board. Director of the Sir Peter Blake Trust and a Co-Chair of the Mana Whenua Kaitiaki Forum.
Denise Church
Denise chairs the Boards of Airways New Zealand and Predator Free 2050 Ltd. She is on the board of Predator Free Wellington. Other recent governance roles include ESR (the Institute of Environmental Science and Research), Zealandia, and Scouts Aotearoa. Her earlier career was in environmental management. She held senior roles in the UK with British Gas and Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, and was the Chief Executive at the Ministry for the Environment from 1996 to 2001.
Rodger Finlay
Current Deputy Chair of the Reserve Bank of NZ, and Rural Equities Limited. Previous governance roles include Chairing listed companies PGG Wrightson and NZ Oil and Gas, Chair of NZ Post and Kiwi Group Holdings, Chair of the Independent Advisory Panel of the Provincial Growth Fund and Crown Regional Holdings, a Director of Public Trust and Ngai Tahu Holdings and a Governor of Radio New Zealand.
Philippa Howden-Chapman CNZM, QSO
Director of Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities. Professor of Public Health Otago University with a focus on housing, energy, climate change and sustainable cities, and Director of the NZ Centre for Sustainable Cities. Co-director of He Kāinga Oranga/Housing and Health Research Programme, Chair of the ISC Scientific Committee for Health & Wellbeing in the Changing Urban Environment: a systems approach.
Hon Steve Maharey, CNZM
Former chair of ACC and Pharmac. Board of Finance, Procurement and Information Management Ministry of Health. Numerous other Board roles in the areas of economic development, education, research, and health. Former Vice-Chancellor of Massey University, Minister and Member of Parliament, Senior Lecturer in Sociology.
Tina Mitchell
CEO Toka Tū Ake EQC. Previously Deputy Banking Ombudsman. She has had various senior roles at ACC with a focus on supporting its transformation programme as well as providing strategic policy and operations leadership.
David Nalder
30-year background in risk and was a senior partner at PwC and national leader of the Risk Assurance business. His recent work spans Central and Local Government, particularly in the area of reform (health, water and organisational transformation). Recent roles include for Ministry of Health, Pharmac, Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People, DPMC, Stats NZ, Fire & Emergency, GWRC, Hawkes Bay Regional Council, Taumata Arowai and Wellington Water.
James Palmer
James Palmer is the Secretary for the Environment (from 1 March 2023). Since 2017 he has been Chief Executive of the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, having previously served as the Council’s Group Manager Strategic Development, responsible for regional planning.
Prior to working at the Council, James was Deputy Secretary Sector Strategy at MfE and Director Strategy at both the Ministry for Primary Industries and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry before that.
Phil Parkes
Chief Executive of WorkSafe New Zealand since 2020. Phil has extensive regulatory and leadership experience from previous roles in local and central government in New Zealand and the UK. He joined WorkSafe from the New Zealand Environmental Protection Authority.
Dame Karen Poutasi, DNZM
Dame Dr Karen Poutasi is the Chair of Te Whatu Ora / Health New Zealand, Taumata Arowai – the Water Services Regulator and Kāpuhipuhi Wellington Uni-Professional. She was previously the Commissioner of Waikato District Health Board and Chair of the COVID-19 Immunisation Programme Governance Group.
Her executive positions have included Chief Executive of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority and Director General of Health.
Dame Kerry Prendergast, DNZM, CNZM
Chair of Tourism Industry Association (TIA), Wellington Free Ambulance, Wellington Opera, the Royal New Zealand Ballet, and the Victoria University of Wellington Foundation, and a Director of Oceania Healthcare, Fish Serve and a Trustee of the Wellington International Arts Foundation, and the New Zealand Community Trust.
Lyn Provost, CNZM
Chair of four audit and risk committees. She is currently a Board member of NZQA and Education NZ and is the inaugural Commissioner for Parliamentary Standards. Former Deputy Commissioner of Police and independent Officer of Parliament as the Controller and Auditor General.
John Ryan
Controller and Auditor-General. He has held senior executive positions in a range of public sector organisations and the private sector. Past Board member of the Royal New Zealand Ballet, the New Zealand Festival and Wellington Jazz Festival.
Audrey Sonerson
Chief Executive and Secretary for Transport. Previously Deputy Chief Executive, People and Operations at Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Audrey has held senior roles at New Zealand Police, The Treasury and the Ministry of Justice.
Paul Spoonley
Research Professor at Massey University and heads the team on the Capturing the Diversity Dividend of Aotearoa New Zealand research programme, a major initiative that followed the Integration of Immigrants project and Nga Tangata Oho Mairangi which looked at New Zealand in the 2030s. Paul was previously Pro Vice-Chancellor of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Massey University and is the author or editor of 28 books, the most recent being The New New Zealand: Facing Demographic Disruption (2020).
Karen Vercoe
Deputy Chief Executive, Māori Strategy and Performance at Te Tari Taiwhenua, Department of Internal Affairs. Previously Chairperson of the Data Iwi Leaders Group and Te Pūmautanga o Te Arawa.
Glenn Webber
Glenn Webber is a Chief Crown Negotiator working with iwi to develop and agree Treaty settlements that address historical grievances. Glenn has over 25 years working in the public service, with a focus on Māori development and improving the Māori Crown relationship, including as the Acting Tumu Whakarae, Chief Executive, of the Office for Māori Crown Relations – Te Arawhiti in 2022-23.
Glenn is of Kahungunu and Rongomaiwahine descent.
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