TE WHĀNAU O NAIA
OUR PEOPLE
Here at NAIA, we believe that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Our team brings together a collective of passions, skills and experience that drive our innovation, collaboration and creativity.
CHARISMA RANGIPUNGA
Ngāi Tahu, Taranaki, Ngā Rauru,
Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Hinematua
Managing Director & Shareholder
Charisma is dedicated to the revival of the Māori language, and is currently the deputy chair of the Māori Language Commission. In a former executive role at Ngāi Tahu she drove the language and cultural revitalisation efforts of the iwi. More recently she gained a wealth of commercial experience in her role as Chief Values Officer for Ngāi Tahu Holdings where she created and oversaw the integration of values in action throughout all the Ngāi Tahu businesses. She is an author, composer and mother of three boys Te Aotahi, Tāiki and Aki Te Uruhau.
CHE
WILSON
Ngāti Rangi-Whanganui, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Mōkai Pātea, Ngāti Apa, Ngā Rauru
Director & Shareholder
Che is passionate about developing Māori leadership and succession planning that is grounded in both tikanga Māori and tūpuna wisdom. His natural capabilities include strategic vision, innovative leadership, developing connections and meaningful relationships. His background and experience has seen him work in spaces such as: the political sphere; in executive leadership and directorship; working with iwi Māori; negotiations for Ngāti Rangi and Mōkai Pātea Treaty Settlements; and online and social media platforms delivering insightful and inspirational kōrero through kaupapa such as Te Paepae Waho. A lover of the māra and a clothing fashion enthusiast, he is a natural creative. Che and his wife Missy have two tamariki, Hinerauhamoa and Te Kanawa.
AWHINA
SCOTT
Ngāti Kahungunu, Te Arawa,
Ngāti Tūwharetoa
Business Manager
Awhi was drawn to NAIA for the opportunity to contribute to something larger than herself, in creating better outcomes for future generations of Māori. As our business manager she ensures that we go from strength-to-strength, while helping the team implement the infrastructure and systems needed to deliver quality services to all those we work alongside. Her background is in transactional finance and fund administration and she is currently in her last year of study towards her Bachelor of Business (Finance and Accounting). She and her partner Kenny have two daughters, Katerina and Kaia.
SHANEA
FOX
Ngāpuhi (Te Riingi Marae/Mahuhukiterangi)
Business Administrator
Shanea loves making a difference in people’s lives and has brought her signature manaaki to her role as business administrator for NAIA. She has a positive outlook and is determined to create an environment that supports the success of our whānau and team members.
Her background is in customer and communication support, hospitality and team building, giving her a good understanding of what it takes to make an organisation run smoothly. Outside mahi, Shanea loves to stay active at the gym and with touch and netball and spending time with whānau and friends.
He Tangata
ROCKY
ROBERTS
Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Rārua,
Ngāti Hinematua
Chief Storyteller
Rocky has immersed himself in learning Ngāi Tahu whakapapa, history and traditions and has earned himself the reputation as a true storyteller. In his former role at Ngāi Tahu Holdings he worked with non-Māori commercial leaders to help them better understand the iwi - our protocols, our language and our worldview. Rocky has a broadcasting background, giving him excellent communication skills and considerable experience interviewing our whānau. Rocky’s strong connection to place means he regularly returns to the West Coast to whitebait and to Kaikōura to surf with his son.
KAHU
TE WHAITI
Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tahu,
Ngāti Hinematua
Chief Advisor
Kahu is passionate about creating meaningful connections within Māori communities. He has worked in an iwi setting for a decade, focusing largely on communications, content, and manawhenua engagement. Notably, he was responsible for working with manawhenua to embed a Māori cultural narrative in the Dark Sky Project at Takapō to complement their stargazing tours. Kahu dedicated himself to learning te reo Māori as an adult, and he is proud to now be able to pass the language on to his tamariki.
ANNA
BRANKIN
Kāi Tahu, Kāti Māmoe, Waitaha
Editor in Chief
Anna uses her passion for the written word to provide a voice for whānau to share their stories and celebrate their successes. She has a meticulous eye for detail that enables her to provide insightful, considered, and dependable advice to leadership teams. Anna has considerable experience as a copywriter, editor and communications strategist. In her previous role at Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu she managed the tribal publications Te Pānui Rūnaka and Te Karaka. She grew up in rural Canterbury and maintains a strong connection to her tūrakawaewae in Murihiku and the southern islands of Te Waipounamu.
TAMARA
BISSEKER
Communications Advisor
With over a decade of experience in stakeholder communication, Tamara is motivated by positive storytelling that celebrates the amazing kaupapa happening at the community and flaxroots level. She has always loved a good story and has put this passion to use in her work for iwi organisations, large-scale construction projects, not for profits and local government. Tamara is of Laotian and Indonesian descent, and was born and raised in Waitaha. She is proud to be living in Ōtautahi and raising her whānau here.
LINDA
RANGIPUNGA
Taranaki, Ngā Rauru, Kāi Tahu,
Kāti Māmoe
Resident Weaver
Linda (or Kāranimā as she is affectionately known) has a flair for design and creativity and is dedicated to supporting a less wasteful economy that is good for the planet, living by the motto reuse, recycle, repurpose. One of Linda’s current projects is the creation of woven wahakura as safe sleeping pods for our babies, to help reduce the rate of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome amongst Māori families in particular. Raranga, or weaving, focuses on the use of natural fibres and allows Linda to support another of her aspirations – the regeneration of our mātauranga Māori.
MELODY TULIAU
Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Pikiao, Waikato,
Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Tūwharetoa
Executive Programme Manager
Mel’s personal motivation to create positive outcomes for Māori aligns perfectly with our values here at NAIA, and she brings her extensive skillset to streamline the delivery of our mahi. With a background in health management, advisory and leadership and strategic planning she is able to add value across a wide range of projects and workstreams. Mel was born and raised in Whakatāne, and is now based in Ōtautahi with her husband, four tamariki and a large, sports-mad Māori/Pacific whānau.
AMIRIA REID
Te Whānau-a-Kai, Ngāti Porou
Communications Advisor
Amiria brings to NAIA her skills in marketing, stakeholder engagement and business strategy from her previous role as Co-ordinator for an Indigenous Design unit at an architectural firm. This mahi has built on her passion for connecting and empowering Māori through stories, communications and the integration of cultural initiatives in the workplace. Amiria has experience in community and youth work with a genuine love for the mahi and people she supports in this space. Based in Ōtautahi and proudly born and raised on the east side (Aranui), Amiria loves spending time at the beach and is committed to kapa haka and the performing arts in all its forms.
MARK
REVINGTON
Senior Communications Advisor
Mark is an award-winning journalist who worked for The Listener and National Business Review, edited Unlimited magazine and co-authored Mana Whakatipu, the memoir of Tā Mark Solomon. His awards include Westpac Financial Journalist of the Year, and Business Magazine Editor of the Year. He worked at Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu for six years.
HOLLY MAITLAND
Ngāi Tahu (Ngāti Makō, Ngāti Irakehu)
Lead Designer
Holly is a talented designer who is passionate about all things visual and loves creating beautiful work that celebrates te ao Māori. She has an eye for detail and understands the power of visual storytelling in effective communication. Since graduating with a degree in graphic design, Holly has interned for a Māori creative agency and worked at an iwi organisation before joining the NAIA team.
TE AMORANGI HEREMAIA-FLAVELL
Waikato, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Ruapani, Te Āti Haunui a Pāpārangi
Graduate Accountant
Born, raised and based in Waikato, Amo grew up in the heart of the Kīngitanga. Her commitment to the Waikato expands to her professional career, having spent the last decade with the Waikato River Authority, starting as an intern and growing into the role of Funding Support Co-ordinator overseeing 40 funded restoration projects for the Waikato Awa. Influenced by whānau, she is passionate about giving back to her iwi and has been strongly influenced by her whānau who are active in local and national Māori kaupapa. Māmā to Te Awanui O Taikehu, Amo has a busy and active life outside of mahi, with her involvement in waka ama and netball, and enjoying quality time with whānau and friends.
STEVIE HADFIELD
Ngāti Rākaipaaka, Kāi Tūāhuriri,
Te Orewai
Senior Communications Advisor
A weaver of words and people, Stevie specialises in environmental communications that tells the story of our wai, our whenua and our taiao. She is passionate about using her talents to protect these precious taonga, as well as amplifying and celebrating Māori voices and stories. Born and raised among the pā harakeke of Ngā Nūhaka, Stevie is now based in Ōtautahi, although she travels home regularly. Stevie is the proud sister to 13 and aunty to an ever-growing generation of nephews and nieces.
PAREKAIA TAPIATA
Ngā Rauru, Ngāti Ruanui, Taranaki, Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Rangi, Te Āti Haunui a Pāpārangi, Ngāti Wehiwehi, Ngāti Kauwhata, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Porou, Tūhourangi, Ngāti Pikiao
Kaikōkiri Puanga
Parekaia has a passion for nurturing and guiding whānau on their journey in te ao Māori and seeing our people use their Māoritanga as a superpower in the wider world. A kura Kaupapa Māori schools raukura, Parekaia has worked at Te Kura Kaupapa Māori Mana Tamariki since graduating, starting as a reliever at the Kōhanga before finally moving on as a Wharekura teacher. He was born, raised and currently lives under the shadow of Tararua in Palmerston North, with his partner and three kids.
NGAPUTIPUTI AKAPITA
Ngāti Rangi ki Whanganui, Ngā Ruahine, Ngāti Ruanui, Ngā Rauru, Ngāti Maru, Taranaki, Te Ātiawa
Kaikōkiri Kaupeka
Ngaputiputi brings to NAIA her experience working in Kura Kaupapa Māori, education sectors, iwi organizations, and many hours of experience at the marae with the tea towel crew. She is passionate about giving back to those who continue to support her and her whānau, iwi and hapū.
She is inspired by educationalists who lead with the ways of our tūpuna and who continue to revolutionize our language while celebrating generational success and Māori as indigenous people.
Ngaputiputi was born and raised beneath the mighty mountains, Matua te Mana me Matua te Tapu. She has pride in all her achievements, none more so than being a mother to her four tamariki.
JORDAN GARTH
Te Āti Haunui a Pāpārangi - Ngāti Tuera, Ngāti Hinearo
Junior Graphic Designer
With a passion for graphic design and Māori culture, Jordan loves weaving these together to create visually appealing designs that incorporate Māori design elements. She enjoys the challenge of finding innovative ways to capture audience attention while remaining true to brand identity. After completing her qualifications in digital media and design, as well as web design and production, Jordan worked as a freelance graphic designer and in the hospitality industry before joining the NAIA whānau. She is a warm and bubbly person who loves spending time with whānau and friends, going to hāhi, fishing, and watching movies.
NOPERA TE RUPE
Ngāti Manawa
Toi Māori and Programme Support
Nopera is a Māori visual artist who loves to learn and teach about indigenous art. He started out at a young age with pen and paper and over the years has explored many different mediums. Today, most of his art is created digitally but he still loves to paint and draw. He is hungry to learn more about te ao Māori and to use his talent to bring our traditional stories to life. Nopera has worked with Mahi Mahi Productions on several kaupapa and is now excited to support NAIA’s digital pūrākau, as well as other projects across our workstreams. Nopera lives in Ōtautahi, and is the loving father to Tewi and Kawariki. Outside his mahi, he likes to keep up with his fitness, playing rugby union and basketball.