Board of Trustees
Hakopa Tapiata
Te Arawa, Ngāti Porou
Heamana
Board Chairperson
Jacob has extensive experience in strategic planning, Māori/marae development and is strongly committed to building the reo capability of his Iwi and marae. His background is in the tertiary area where he has researched and taught in the University sector. Hākopa as he likes to be called is a pāpā of the people. Drawn to any mokopuna in the ruma he quickly claims them as his own. Hākopa was a prominent figure in the growth of the fascinating sports code ultimate frisbee within Te Moana a Toi and beyond. A lover of korikori and te ao Māori, Hākopa is a passionate supporter of our kaupapa. Toi tū te oranga Māori!
Pania Newton
Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Waikato
Tarahitī
Trustee
Pania holds a Masters Degree in Social Change Leadership from the University of Melbourne, a conjoint degree in Law and Health Sciences from the University of Auckland and has also acquired qualifications from Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi and Te Wānanga o Aotearoa in the areas of Māori food sovereignty practices and performing arts. Pania is passionate about te taiao, te reo māori me ōna tikanga, health, and justice. He Māma, he tamāhine, he mokopuna ka mutu he kanohi kitea i te ao Māori. You might recognise her as the wāhine toa leading alongside her whanaunga the fight for the whenua in Ihumātao. Toi Tū te whenua, Toi Tū Te Reo Māori, Toi Tū Te Tiriti!
Lewin Husband
Ngāti Maru, Ngāti Hikairo
Tarahitī
Trustee
Lewin is a previous Principal, Deputy Principal, Senior Leader, Experienced specialist and registered teacher who has taught in both full immersion and bilingual settings. He has a strong commitment to education, te reo Māori, physical activity, media studies and music. He is a graduate of Ka Eke Poutama through Te Whare Hukahuka and holds many qualifications in education, Māori media, sport and rec and te reo Māori. Outside of these professional accolades Lewin is Rugby league mad. He is one of the warriornation fanatics that almost never misses a home game at Go media stadium. Wahs ki runga!
Dr Isaac Warbrick
Ngāti Te Ata, Te Arawa, Ngāpuhi
Tarahitī
Trustee
Dr Isaac Warbrick is a Director of Taupua Waiora Centre for Māori Research at Auckland University of Technology. His research looks at the application of mātauranga Māori to physical activity and shifting from a focus on weight loss, to one that is driven by (and enhanced with) kōrero tuku iho – including the use of the maramataka as a way to (re)connect ‘health’ with the taiao. If he’s not having a tutu with Taiao and technology you might find him on the papa tākaro rongonui that is Poitūkohu. A player, a coach, a lover of the code and a follower of the NBA. The dribble of the ball works much like the pūtatara calling Dr Isaac home amongst the Toi Tangata whānau.
Leonie Matoe
Ngaa Rauru, Ngaa Ruahine
Tarahitī
Trustee
No stranger to Toi Tangata, Leonie believes true partnership between the western world and te ao Māori can help to achieve prosperity. Having held leadership roles in both Iwi and the government sector, her career started in kaupapa Māori public health spanning service design, research, and innovation before moving into indigenous enterprise development with her Iwi, community development, and impact investment. An artist, a korokoro tui, a kaikaranga, pretty much the original MC’s of our ao Māori. Ihi rangaranga probably best captures Leonie as she jams taonga puoro or the love of music, soul, hip-hop and rnb those beautiful vibrations ooze from this wahine toa in all settings.