Our Board of Trustees
On this page you can find out all about the Board of Trustees of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rārua.
Our Board of Trustees contain professionals of whakapapa, history, finance, banking, governance, business, cultural and social realms. Each one of our board members have whakapapa to Ngāti Rārua and are chosen by the registered members of Ngāti Rārua.
Olivia Hall | Anaru Luke | Renee Thomas | Miriana Stephens | Eruera Keepa | Lee Luke | Kura Stafford | Rima Piggott |
Olivia Hall (Chairperson)
Olivia holds several governance roles including Chair of Tasman Bays Heritage Trust (Nelson Provincial Museum), Board Member Nelson Marlborough District Health Board and Chair of the Mātauranga Iwi Leaders Group.
She has a Bachelor of Arts in Māori, a Master of Business Administration, a Graduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning and an Advanced Certificate in Māori Ambassador and Leadership.
Olivia is an Executive Director at Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology and is from the hapū of Ngāti Paretona, Ngāti Pareteata, Te Arawaere and Tūrangapeke. Olivia and her husband Dion live in Whakatū Nelson and have four sons as well as a cherished mokopuna.
Andrew (Anaru) Luke
Andrew is passionate about the environment and incorporating Māori values and knowledge into the management of natural resources. For the past 18 years Andrew worked in central government departments from Ministry of Fisheries, Ministry for the Environment and Department of Conservation as a coordinator, policy analysis, manager and director. Born and bred in Wairau and after spending 15 years in Wellington Andrew is now the Executive Director Māori at Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology based in the Nelson Campus.
With his partner of 20 years, Kelly and married for three years, have two boys and in 2018 relocated to Nelson to live.
Renee Thomas
Renee has a commercial background with formal qualifications in Accounting and Management and has gained experience working for many of our whānau, hapū and iwi organisations over the last 15 years into this post Treaty Settlement landscape.
Renee is employed as the Mārahau Kaitiaki for Wakatū Incorporation which allows her to engage with whānau and operates a mobile coffee and real fruit ice cream business at the beach in the summer months.
Renee recently completed a Masters of Māori Indigenous Leadership and is passionate about protecting our taiao for future generations and sits on several governance boards within the community of Motueka and Mārahau to advocate for our people and the environment.
Miriana Stephens
Miriana was born and raised in Motueka and holds qualifications in New Zealand History and Law. She was awarded the 2016 Aotearoa NZ Māori Woman Business Leader award in recognition of outstanding success and excellence in business.
Miriana is also a director for Wakatū Incorporation and is currently leading AuOra™ which is an associated business of Wakatū that invests in a portfolio of nutrition and ingredient applications for the Japan market. Miriana is also a member of Nuku ki te Puku™ (a national Māori Food and Beverage cluster), the national Food and Fibres Leadership Group, NZTE Dubai Expo 2020, the Riddet Research Institute, Chair of Leaft Foods research programme and she is an alumni of Te Hono (NZ agribusiness leaders).
She also enjoys fishing and reconnecting to traditional cultural customary practices with her family and kin.
Eruera Keepa
Eruera is passionate about supporting Māori aspirations and empowering our Rangatahi through culture. He has a diverse professional background that has seen him work in the Health, Education, Communications PR, and Cultural sectors.
In early 2020, Eruera decided to draw from all his experiences and forge his own path as a consultant focussing on Māori Communications and Cultural Advisory with a particular interest in Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Eruera is also the Chair of the #SmearYourMea Charitable Trust who were recognised for their leadership in raising awareness for cervical cancer by winning the community impact award at the 2019 Matariki Awards.
He is currently studying his MBA through Massey University and his interests include gym, rugby league, kapahaka and healthy eating.
Eruera is a mokopuna of Hare Rore Stafford and he currently resides in Tauranga Moana. He has three children: Amohia, Mai-Aorere, and Te Rongotoa.
Kura Stafford
Kura has a Resource Management background with formal qualifications in Environmental Planning and has experience working for Māori and Iwi organisations to implement Treaty Settlement outcomes in natural resource management with Local Government and Crown agencies. Kura is currently employed as the He Pou Taiao for Ngāti Tama ki Te Waipounamu Trust.
It is important to ensure Te Ao Māori and Mātauranga Māori inform Council and Crown decision making to ensure Ngāti Rārua environmental outcomes to protect, enhance and restore the health and wellbeing of te taiao are upheld.
Lee Luke
Lee has spent the past 25 years working within a kaupapa Maori environment initially focusing on research, iwi history and whenua Māori.
He has previously worked for Te Kooti Whenua Māori and as a private contractor but feels most fortunate to have spent a considerable amount of time as a researcher, negotiator and trustee with Ngāti Rārua and their claim to the Waitangi Tribunal as part of the Northern South Island Inquiry.
In recent years Lee has also been involved extensively with Mana Tāne Ora o Aotearoa a national roopu highlighting the need for greater emphasis on Maori men’s health and wellbeing.
Lee currently holds governance roles with Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rārua, Nelson Marlborough DHB Iwi Relationship board, Canterbury Men’s Centre and other Māori land entities. He is also pursuing a Masters of Māori and Indigenous Leadership with the University of Canterbury as well as certification as an accredited International Federation Coach with the RISE 2025 tāne Māori cohort.
Lee and his darling Cazna are parents to three sons Tana, Delane and Waikawau as well as grandparents to their mokopuna Aewa Te Aotukia Ngakauroa. They live with their extended whānau of 25 in a contemporary papakainga setting in Tai Tapu, Christchurch which is also the base for their whānau owned and operated business Mokowhiti Ltd.
Rima Piggott
Rima is a home health support worker and has a certificate in Horticultural Management. Rima has broad community involvement and is a memberof the Nelson Marlborough Conservation Board and a member of the Manawhenua ki Mohua Trust. She enjoys tramping, fishing, hunting, diving, gardening and gathering kai moana. Rima is affiliated to Ngāti Rārua, Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Toa Rangitira, Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāiterangi and Ngāti Tūwharetoa.