Two of our founding Council members have finished at the expiry of their terms and two new board members have been appointed.

With our heartfelt thanks and appreciation, we bid farewell to two founding members of the Muka Tangata Council. In a small ceremony during the April Council hui in Nelson, Erin Simpson, chair, and deputy Kevin Ihaka bid farewell to Wini Geddes and Iani Nemani who have completed their terms with Muka Tangata.

Wini wrote and gifted Muka Tangata with a waiata which is sung often to unite our team and share in our engagements with other WDCs and in our engagement with industry. 

Iani has brought the voice of Pacific peoples to our Council and has further supported this in the Pacific Fono which provides strategic leadership through a Pacific lens across Ohu Ahumahi. He has also supported Muka Tangata on matters of financial prudence and risk management through our Finance, Audit and Risk sub-committee.

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Muka Tangata Council are pleased to welcome two new members. Renee Rooney and Cheyenne Wilson have been appointed with their first hui in Pōneke in June.

Cheyenne is passionate about the development and success of rangatahi and is committed to building the capabilities of tangata whenua. She was recently appointed chair of the Food and Fibre Youth Network Council and serves on the Meat the Need board and Primary ITO He Kaohi Kite.

Renee is a dairy farm co-owner/operator in Greymouth and is passionate about the West Coast Region. Her governance experience spans education, community and industry groups and currently includes being Chair of Development West Coast, board member of Tai Poutini Polytechnic | Te Pūkenga and vice president of Federated Farmers West Coast Executive.

Muka Tangata Chair, Erin Simpson says “I am excited to work with Renee and Cheyenne and welcome the experience and expertise they will both bring to Muka Tangata in the coming months. Our Council, kaimahi and food and fibre industries will benefit from their knowledge and passion for the sector.”

Though his term has ended, Iani will continue to support our Council until we a suitable member to bring the total membership to 12. Following the resignation of Council member Dan Epiha-Netana in September 2022 our Council has sat at 11 members of an ideal total of 12 (as per our Order in Council).