Candidate profiles for trustee elections

Theresa Carter | Rayma-Lee Katu | Fonteyn Moses-Te Kani | Raniera Peterson | Rima Piggott | Ropata Taylor |

Theresa Carter

Tainui te waka
Tokomaru te maunga
Wairau te awa
Hauhunga te marae
Ngāti Tūrangapeke te hapū
Ngāti Rārua te iwi
Ko Tana Ruka tōku tīpuna
Ko Theresa Carter tōku ingoa

I wish to offer my nomination to serve as a member of the Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rārua Board.

As a descendant of Tana Ruka, I carry a deep sense of pride and responsibility in upholding the legacy of our people. Although I live outside our tribal boundaries, standing for this position is my way of staying connected to my Raruatanga and giving back to my iwi in the most meaningful and impactful way I can through service, strategy, and sustained contribution.

I am an accomplished leader in Māori development, business entrepreneurship, and governance, with over two decades of experience driving transformative outcomes for whānau, hapū, iwi, and communities across Aotearoa.

I currently serve as Principal Advisor – Economic Outcomes at Houkura, the Secretariat to the Independent Māori Statutory Board in Tāmaki Makaurau. In this role, I lead Te Tririti based monitoring and accountability frameworks, ensuring that New Zealand’s largest local government entity delivers on Māori priorities in procurement, investment, and policy.

As an entrepreneur and mentor, I founded Tipu Ake Tonu, a Māori business mentoring and strategy consultancy, and earlier established Angel Promotions, a social impact business model that created major positive change in Napier, along with Te Rangi Kaahu Consultancy, which provided strategic Māori development advice across sectors.

In governance, I have served as Chair and Trustee across multiple boards, bringing strengths in strategic planning, financial accountability, and embedding te ao Māori in organisational systems. I am known for my ability to bridge strategy, culture, and innovation to deliver sustainable outcomes that advance Māori aspirations.

If appointed to the Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rārua Board, I would bring a combination of practical business acumen, governance experience, and a strong cultural foundation to support collective growth and self-determination for Ngāti Rārua.

Ngā mihi nui,
Theresa Carter

Rayma-Lee Katu

Tēnā koutou e te whānau o Ngāti Rārua,

Ko Tainui te waka
Ko Tokomaru te maunga
Ko Wairau te awa
Ko Wairau, ko Hauhunga ngā marae
Ko Ngāti Rārua, ko Rangitāne, Ko Ngāi Tahu, Ko Ngāti Kuia ōku Iwi
Ko Arthur rāua ko Pena Pacey ōku mātua
Ko Rayma-Lee Katu taku ingoa
Ko Ruka Katu tōku hoa Rangatira
Tokoono ā māua Tamariki
Tekau ā māua mokopuna
Nō reira tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa

Kia ora e te whānau.  I have worked in roles with varying responsibilities ranging from an administrator to team leader roles up to general manager roles. I have qualifications in health and business management. I was a probation officer and now I am a fully registered social worker.  Prior to moving to Nelson, I was a health director for Te Hauora o Ngāti Rārua, also sitting on a couple of school boards of Trustees in Blenheim.

Currently, I am a trustee for three whanau trusts and one ahuwhenua trust. I am currently employed as a Kairangahau-ā-whānau within Oranga Tamariki in Nelson.   

If there was anything that I could acknowledge that truly influenced my pathway then that would be my tamariki and my mokopuna.  I attribute all of this to my whanau and my husband who supported me to support them all. Kia whakatōmuri te haere kia whakamua.

Fonteyn Moses-Te Kani

Toitu te whenua, toitu te tāngata, toitu te whanau

I’ve recently been working our whanau block in Wairau and being closer to whanau and the activities at Wairau Pā.

I am helping our Ngāti Rārua o te Wairau Society and doing restoration on our block in the hope that other whanau will come home.

Within my different roles in the financial world, I am happy to bring those skills and learnings to be of service to our whanau and iwi.

Thank you for the opportunity, thank you Barney for supporting this application.

Mauri ora

Fonteyn Moses-Te Kani

Poutiaki - Director Maori Strategy and indigenous inclusion, Westpac New Zealand
Ngati Maniapoto, Ngati Rārua, Ngai Tahu, Ngati Porou, Tuhoe

Raniera Peterson

Ko Tokomaru te maunga
Ko Tainui te waka
Ko Wairau te awa
Ko Ōtamawaho te urupā
Ko Hauhunga te marae
Ko Parerārua te tupuna whare
Ko Ngāti Paretōna rāua ko Te Arawaere ngā hapū
Ko Ngāti Rārua te iwi

Korero Whaiaro I Personal Profile

He uri ahau nō Ngāti Rārua. I have recently returned from Te Whanganui-a-Tara to strengthen my connection with my whakapapa and contribute to the growth and wellbeing of our Ngāti Rārua whānau in Te Tauihu. Currently serving as Kaitiaki Puni Rawa for Whakatū Marae, I uphold manaakitanga and the maintenance of marae spaces on behalf of the 6 Iwi of Whakatū Marae. My passion lies in running wānanga with whanau, empowering them through matauranga Māori and nurturing confidence to thrive in both te ao Māori and te ao whānui.

Nga Pukenga Matua I Key Strengths

• Strong grounding in tikanga Māori and iwi development
• Experienced in community and marae governance
• Skilled in facilitating wānanga and whānau empowerment programmes
• Strategic and kaupapa-driven thinker
• Committed to intergenerational wellbeing and kaitiakitanga

Rima Piggott

I was born and raised in Motueka by my parents, Warren Pahia and Te tio Stephens. I know the whenua and our whānau who live in Motueka. Myself and our Whānau gave evidence during the Treaty Claims on behalf of Ngāti Rārua. I have worked professionally in the Motueka community in different industries and love the place. I still live on whanau whenua that dates back to the migration of our people to te tau ihu o waka a maui with my husband, son, daughter-in-law and four mokopuna.

I recognised the need to understand better the responsibility, complexity and skills that are required to serve our whānau and over the last ten years has made the commitment to up-skill myself in the areas of governance through the Institute of Directors and Māori leadership programmes.

I am / have been an active member of a number of boards in our rohe - Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rārua, Te Āwhina Marae, Manawhenua ki Mohua, Ngāti Rārua whakapapa komiti, Motueka Museum, Nelson Marlborough Conservation Board and I serve my Iwi as a mandated representative.

I am honest, upfront, but respectful and resolution based when dealing with challenging situations and I would be honoured to serve you, the whānau.

Ropata Taylor

Wharepapa te maunga, Motueka te awa, Te Āwhina te marae.

Rōpata lives in Māpua and is passionate about his Ngāti Rārua identity, in particular the cultural capability of Ngāti Rārua across Te Tauihu. His many years of experience in Māori medium education, commerce, and leadership brings valuable skills to tribal strategy and development.

Rōpata is a Justice of the Peace, an expert witness to the New Zealand Environment Court, an advisor to local government, the New Zealand Qualifications Authority and the Department of Conservation. He is a member of the board for Ngā Kura Hourua o–Aotearoa – The New Zealand Charter Schools Authority and holds a number of commercial directorships. He is an accomplished public speaker, author and heritage specialist and is widely recognised for his design expertise in architecture, landscapes, urban streetscapes, contemporary and traditional art, building interiors, visitor interpretation and commodity products.

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