Board Members

Rupene Waaka (Chair)

Denise Hapeta

Denise’s Iwi affiliations are to Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Whakaue and Muaupoko. Denise currently holds the position of Kaihautū for Marae Based Studies at Te Wānanga o Raukawa and was previously Kaihautū of Te Tari Reo.
Denise has been employed by Te Wānanga o Raukawa for 15 years. Denise also served as the Manager/Secretary of the Ōtaki and Porirua Trusts Board for 10 years from 1998. Denise is a strong proponent of te reo Māori.
She is actively involved with the many issues and developments affecting Ngāti Maiotaki and Ngā Hapū o Ōtaki.   Denise and her Tahiwi whānau maintain their close association with Raukawa Marae in Ōtaki. Denise is a member of Te Rūnanga o Raukawa.

Anne Carter (AIRC Convenor)

Anne Carter is from Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Kahungunu. Anne has held leadership and management roles in the New Zealand public sector, including Te Puni Kōkiri , the Office of the Auditor General,  Chief Executive of the Ministry of Youth, and Deputy Secretary of Local Government and Community within the Department of Internal Affairs.  She was a Local Government Commissioner from 2012 – 2016. Anne is currently a member of Te Mana Whakahaere of Te Wānanga o Raukawa, Chair of the Voice Arts Trust, a member of the Occupational Therapy Board of New Zealand, and a Director of Wairarapa Moana Incorporation, a large dairy and forestry operation. Anne firmly believes in our role as Kaitaki of our whenua, through the sustainable management of our assets for future generations

Roimata Ropata

Mark Taratoa

Kimihia, Rangahaua
Kei whea te momo o Ngäti Moewaka
E ngaro nei.  Aua tëna.
Ki te känapanapatanga o Waiorongomai,
Ki te ngarutanga o te Moana o Raukawa,
Kia märama ai te ihi, te wehi o Mukakai,
Te öhakitanga o Ngäti Kapumanawawhiti,
Kei te riu o Tainui.
Tïhei Mauriora
Ka noho nei tetehi o ngā muka o Kapumanawawhiti Ko Mark Taratoa toku ingoa

Born and lived formative years in Ōtaki , attending Hato Petera Kaniera and Ōtaki College.  In the past Mark has been a beneficiary of the OPTB scholarship. Mark spent a year in Oregon as an exchange student with AFS upon returning to NZ his first employment was with the Eastern and Central Bank in Levin. After a few months Mark embarked on an Electrical Fitting Apprenticeship with the New Zealand Electricity Department. This time was a very productive and Mark spent the next 4 years working at  various locations gaining experience in the industry. Many years were spent on the Hydro-Electric schemes in construction and maintenance along the Waikato River and in Turangi. Eventually Mark settled in Palmerston North working at the High Voltage substation in Bunnythorpe and married a local Palmerston North beauty, Merrin Sipson.  They have been married for 34 years. In his current role Mark is responsible for the IT systems at Te Wananga o Raukawa. Mark has always had an interest in environmental studies and he does have a desire to see our local taiao (environment) returned to a sustainable level of health so that all iwi can benefit from interaction with our taonga. Joining the Board has been a revelation into the level of responsibility the Trust has not only to iwi but also the Anglican church.  Mark looks forward to assisting and navigating our way to the future and having some input no matter how small,  to the progression of wise and healthy management of resources as kaitiaki.

Dr. Arini Loader

Dr. Arini Loader (Ngāti Maiotaki, Ngāti Kikopiri) is a senior lecturer in Māori history at Te Herenga Waka, Victoria University of Wellington where she has held a variety of teaching and research positions since 2003. Arini specialises in tangata whenua history: the history of Aotearoa New Zealand, Māori literary history and Māori historical methods, and maintains active intellectual connections within the broader indigenous world. Arini believes in the transformative power of education and hopes to make a meaningful contribution to the continued educational development of te iwi Māori.

Te Ata Rikihana

Nathan Durie

Keelan Ransfield (Deputy Chair)

Keelan is Ngāti Tukorehe, Ngāti Raukawa & Ngāti Porou. Keelan spent 18 years working for his iwi in positions such as Māori Mental Health Community Support Worker, Family Start Worker, AOD Community Support Worker and Kairaranga-a-Whanau with Te Runanga o Raukawa & Raukawa Whanau Ora. Keelan has also taken on a new role with E TU WHANAU within the Ministry of Social Development as a Senior Advisor. Keelan believes that as a product of Whakatupuranga Rua Mano (WRM) this is his chance to give back to the ART Confederation which during his youth had the foresight to create a program known as ‘Hui Rangatahi’. Keelan is currently Chair of Te Waka Whaiora Trust in Porirua, Te Menenga Pai Nga Whare Hauora Trust in Newtown Wellington, and the Mana O Te Tangata Trust in Palmerston North.  Keelan is Kaumatua for the New Zealand Nurses Organisation and is a Kaiwhakaruruhau-a-Iwi with Te Korowai Aroha O Aotearoa.