Frances’ background is in education and management. She stood for the Board because she can see the opportunities our iwi has to exercise its role as kaitiaki. “Our rohe is - in our humble opinion - the most beautiful in the country. We have the ngāhere, moana and awa, and our native manu are slowly returning. We’re so lucky this is our turangawaewae. But our mokopuna will experience a world that’ll be unfamiliar to my generation. They’ll have to cope with rising sea levels, weather extremes, and basic things like access to clean water, food security and safe housing. Our job is to prepare them for these challenges.”

Conrad leads the charge for protecting Ngāti Tama’s ngahere, the whenua and environment – Te Taiao and champion’s this cause on Te Rūnanga. His enthusiasm to help the Rūnanga to do the best for whanau and iwi, led him to take up the role as a trustee. Making sure members are aware of opportunities as they arise and making the most of them, are important for him.

Te Rūnanga has co-opted Andrew Matuku to join the board. Andrew has a background in business with solid experience in balancing team performance along with meeting customer and business objectives. He holds a management position, where he manages around 30 staff, with SSA New Zealand at Port Taranaki. Creativity and seeing situations from different perspectives, comes naturally to Andrew. He draws on his aptitude for detail and being thorough, to inform his decision making. 

Reconnecting with whanau and tikanga as well as a desire to offer a helping hand, are key drivers that have attracted Andrew to the board.

Richard brings pragmatism and a delivery approach to the board. He’s currently Branch Manager at Terra Cat in New Plymouth and in recent years held the position of Mechanical Maintenance Superintendent for High Arctic Energy Services in the Southern Highlands of Papua New Guinea. Prior to this he worked in the tourism industry in the Middle East and Eastern Africa and took up other overseas roles.

Throughout his career he’s been responsible for financial performance, managing people and implementing projects, asset management and logistics. He has a range of industry qualifications in automotive, plant and equipment, asset reliability and health and safety.

He balances his paid work through volunteering on the Ngāti Mutunga Mauri compass programme. 
Richard is also studying He Tikanga Whakaaro with Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and Te Pōkaitahi Reo Māori at WITT.

Fiercely proud of her Ngati Tama roots, Amanda is keen to see Ngati Tama achieve tino rangatiratanga and mana motuhake. As a trustee she support's initiatives that recognise potential and build closer connections among uri.

Amanda is working for the MTM Alliance on Te Ara o Te Ata and helps facilitate the Ngati Tama cultural inductions for staff.

She has a bachelor’s degree in sociology and criminology and is completing a Māori governance certificate at Te Pukenga.

Amanda grew up in Waitara and spent a great deal of time with her grandparents who lived in the Ngāti Mutunga papakāinga in Urenui.