Tana Luke wins Aspiring Māori Director award

Congratulations Tana. 

 As part of the award, Tana will serve an internship on the board of Presbyterian Support Upper South Island.

Read what the Institute had to say:

Tana Luke (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Rārua, Ngāti Toa, Te Rarawa) is an emerging governance leader with a strong  commitment to serving iwi, hapū and communities across Aotearoa.

Tana is deliberate in the kaupapa and organisations he chooses to serve, guided by a genuine connection to their purpose and the people they represent. He sees governance as an extension of his commitment to service, providing another avenue to contribute to kaupapa he would be involved in regardless of whether he held a governance position.

His approach to leadership and governance has been shaped by the examples of service he was fortunate to witness throughout his upbringing and early career, particularly within his whānau and iwi. Seeing kaumātua dedicate significant parts of their lives to the advancement of their people and the kaupapa they believed in has left a lasting impression on Tana, reinforcing his belief that leadership is grounded in service, responsibility and a commitment to future generations.

Tana currently serves as a trustee of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rārua and the Ngāti Rārua Ātiawa Iwi Trust (Whakarewa), and as a board member of St Thomas of Canterbury College. His governance experience also includes serving as an Emerging Director with Canterbury Rugby.

Alongside his governance roles, Tana has contributed to several advisory groups, including previously serving on the Strategic Advisory Board of Bio-Protection Aotearoa. More recently, he joined Fire and Emergency New Zealand’s External Māori Advisory Rōpū, providing advice to its executive leadership.

Professionally, Tana is Pou Hononga, Iwi & Community Relationship Manager at Meridian Energy, where he works to strengthen relationships with mana whenua, iwi and communities.

For Tana, governance is not simply about holding a seat at the table, but the contribution made while sitting there. His greatest motivation and sense of purpose come from his two daughters, Aewa and Amo, who inspire him to continue serving the people and communities he cares deeply about. Just as he was fortunate to grow up surrounded by examples of selfless service, he hopes to contribute to a legacy that his daughters and future generations can be proud of, honouring those who came before while helping create opportunities for those yet to come.

Tana will serve an internship on the board of Presbyterian Support (Upper South Island), chaired by Andrew Johnston MInstD and Sharyn Roberts MInstD, and will be mentored by Joseph Tyro MInstD.