The Board

Te Mātāwai has a board of 13 members who are each appointed for a three-year term, for a maximum of three terms. Seven are selected by and for a kāhui ā-iwi, four represent Te Reo Tukutuku (Māori language organisations) and two are appointed by the Minister for Māori Development. The Board as a collective is responsible for the strategic direction of the organisation, to ensure the operational objectives are implemented and a strong relationship between Te Mātāwai Board and the Pae Motuhake is maintained.

Kāhui ā-Iwi Representatives

Aperahama Edwards

Te Pae Motuhake o Te Tai Tokerau

Ngāti Wai

Aperahama was appointed by Te Kahu o Taonui on behalf of the 16 iwi of the Te Tai Tokerau Iwi Cluster to strengthen current community-centred initiatives as well as using innovation and the traditions of Te Tai Tokerau to support language learning, fluency and excellence across Te Tai Tokerau all the way down to Ngāti Whātua ki Ōrākei in Tāmaki Makaurau. Aperahama is a fine exponent of the Māori language and has a track record in being part of many boards within Te Tai Tokerau, including the Ngātiwai Trust Board, to increase Te Reo being spoken, seen and used in the region, especially within whānau households and on marae taumata.

Declaration of Interests:

• The Ngātiwai Trust Board
• Te Whānau a Rangiwhakaahu Hapu trust
• Te Putake o Te Riki Ki Te Taitokerau
• Te Kahu o Taonui
• Te Kotui Hauora
• Ngāti Rehua Ngātiwai Ki Aotea Trust Board

Haki Tuaupiki

Ngā Paemanu o Tainui

Waikato, Ngāti Tūwharetoa

Nō te tau rua mano tekau mā ono a Haki i whakanohongia ai hei māngai ki Te Pae Motuhake o Tainui. He ringaringa, he waewae hoki ia nā tōna iwi e kōkiri ana i ngā kaupapa mātauranga mō te reo Māori me te wānanga whakatere waka. He pūkenga, he kairangahau hoki ia ki Te Pua Wānanga ki te Ao, Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato. Ko te matū o tana rangahau, ko te whakaohooho i te reo Māori ki roto i ngā rangahau whakatere waka, e roa nei te huna i te whārangi o te pukapuka. He pouārahi hoki ia mō te reo ki tōna hapū, ki a Ngāti Mahuta ki te Hauāuru, ahakoa pēwhea.

Declaration of Interests:

• Mātangireia Waka Trust
• Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Māhuta ki te Hauāuru

Agnes MacFarland

Te Pae Motuhake o Mātaatua

Tūhoe, Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Maniapoto, Samoan

Associate Professor Agnes McFarland is a Doctor of Philosophy, currently a Kaiako in He Waka Hiringa Indigenous Masters Programme at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and is highly skilled as both a proponent of te reo Māori and tikanga Māori and as an academic researcher.  Previously an Associate Professor in the School of Indigenous Graduate Studies, Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi, employed since 2015 - 2023. A Senior Lecturer in the Department of Professional Studies in Education within the Faculty of Education at Waikato University, Windermere Campus, Tauranga from 2013 - 2014.  A lecturer at Massey University College of Education from 1995 to 2012. Agnes has a strong background in the teaching, research, visual arts, performing arts, Māori language and Māori Medium teaching programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate level. Her research interests are tribal history, customary concepts, Māori performing arts, oral and written narratives, writing articles in te reo, publications and writing compositions in Māori.

Associate Professor McFarland’s published work includes books for Te Aho Ngārahu (Ministry of Education) and joint publications as editor and article writer for NZARE & NZCER Press – ‘Kawea te wairua o te kupu, Ka hoki tāua ki te whare huri ai e, Toitū te whare, Te Mauri o te whare, He kete Whakawaitara, he whakatara ā-Rangahau and ‘He kupu Tuāwhiorangi.’ she has also co-edited with Professor Taiarahia Black with the MAI Review online Journals – Special Issue in Te Reo Māori. Awards include the Ngā Kupu Ora Māori Book Awards Māori language category award and NZARE Ranginui Walker Doctoral Award. Māori Caucus Representative – New Zealand Association for Research in Education (NZARE) Council since 2012-2017. Vice President NZARE Council 2015.

Associate Professor McFarland was currently the Co-President of the New Zealand Association for Research in Education Council 2017-2019. Lead Facilitator for Te Rautoki ā-Toi evaluation team for Te Mātāwai. A Board member of the Pae Motuhake o Mataatua for Te Mātāwai since 2017. In 2023 is now the Chair of Te Pae Motuhake o Mataatua for Te Mātāwai, and a member of Te Mātāwaī Board representing Te Pae Motuhake o Mataatua. She is actively involved in the recording, archiving, teaching of local iwi histories and lead facilitator and kaiako for karanga, poroporoaki and whakapapa wānanga for Ngāti Awa. 

Declaration of Interests:

• Ruatoki Section B22 & 21A Trust
• Te Reo Morimori Ltd
• Te Wānanga o Aotearoa

Mātai Smith

Te Pae Motuhake o Te Tai Rāwhiti

Rongowhakaata, Ngāi Tāmanuhiri, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Te Wairoa

Mātai served on Te Tai Rāwhiti Pae Motuhake for three years prior to his appointment to the Board in 2019. He has extensive experience working in broadcasting as an award-winning presenter and producer and graced our television screens for more than two decades. Mātai graduated from the first intake of Te Panekiretanga o Te Reo Māori and exhibits an unquestionable commitment to the revitalisation of the Māori language. As the current Station Manager for iwi radio station Tūranga FM, he continues to work tirelessly to ensure the Māori language continues to grow and flourish in Gisborne and Te Tai Rāwhiti. Mātai led the genesis and development of both the Rongowhakaata and Ngāi Tāmanuhiri rautaki reo. He currently sits on the boards of a whānau trust, Te Tira Whakaari and is acting Deputy Chairman for Te Whakaruruhau o Ngā Reo Irirangi Māori.

Declaration of Interests:

• Metcon Mauri
• Larf Productions
• Tūranga FM
• Te Tira Whakaari
• Ngā Iwi o Te Kooti Arikirangi
• Te Whakaruruhau o ngā Reo Irirangi
• Rongowhakaata Iwi Trust
• Tūtu Poroporo (Ngāi Tāmanuhiri) Trust

Hohepa Isaac-Sharland

Te Whāiti ki Te Taiuru

Rangitāne, Raukawa, Taranaki

He kaiako Kura Kaupapa Māori a Hohepa i ngā tau ki muri. He kaiwhakangungu kaiako ināianei, he pou reo & tikanga mō tōna rahi o Rangitāne, ā, he kaihāpai i ngā akoranga reo & mātauranga mō te iwi.

Declaration of Interests:

• Tai Huki Consult Ltd
• Bestcare Whakapai Hauora

Kiwa Hammond

Te Pae Motuhake o Te Tai Tonga

Ta Imi Moriori o Rēkohu, Ngāti Kahungunu o Te Wairoa, Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Ruapani

Kiwa Hammond has represented Ta Imi Moriori o Rēkohu on Te Pae Motuhake mō Te Tai Tonga since 2017. In late 2024 he was selected by the collective iwi and imi representatives of Te Tai Tonga to become the Chair of their Pae Motuhake and representative on the national board of Te Mātāwai.

Kiwa has Authored over 50 reo Māori/te ao Māori publications. He has been a Toi Reo Māori (registered translator & interpreter) for almost 25 years and was the lead translator for the first legislation to be fully enacted in Māori and English (Te Ture mō Te Reo Māori - Māori Language Act 2016).

He is involved with numerous local, national, and international kaupapa focused on indigenous language, culture, and identity; a lead facilitator and adviser of Ta Imi Moriori language and customs revitalisation; and develops conceptual frameworks and their practical application across a range of contexts and sectors.

Te Reo Tukutuku Representatives

Te Reo Tukutuku board members represent the interests of four clusters of Māori language organisations:

Education - Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust, Te Rūnanga Nui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Aotearoa, Ngā Ringa Raupā o ngā Kura-ā-Iwi, Te Tauihu o Ngā Wānanga.

Media - Te Whakaruruhau o ngā Reo Irirangi Māori o Aotearoa, Ngā Aho Whakaari.

Community - Te Rūnanga o Te Ātaarangi Trust, Māori Women's Welfare League Incorporated, New Zealand Māori Council.

Urban Interests - National urban Māori Authority.

Brenda Soutar

Te Pae Motuhake o Te Reo Tukutuku

Mātauranga / Education

Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Porou, Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki

Brenda was appointed to the Board in 2021. She is actively involved in Māori language revitalisation and regeneration with over 30 years’ experience in education across kōhanga reo, kura kaupapa Māori and whare wānanga. Her work includes the application of international theories and practises of language acquisition and revitalisation within Māori language immersion contexts. Before taking up her current role as curriculum advisor for Te Rūnanga Nui o ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Aotearoa, Brenda was principal of Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Mana Tamariki.  She brings first-hand experience to the vision that "te reo Māori is restored as a nurturing first language" having raised her own children speaking only Māori to them at home while they were educated entirely in te reo Māori from kōhanga reo through to wharekura.

Declaration of Interests:

• Te Rūnanganui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Aotearoa
• Mana Tamariki Incorporated
• Tautāwhi Limited
• Penu (Rongo-i-te-Kau) Marae
• Koniahi Limited
• Te Pā Harakeke Inc.
• Māori Education Trust

Kylie Brown

Te Pae Motuhake o Te Reo Tukutuku

Pāpāho / Māori Media

Ngāi Takoto, Te Aupōuri, Ngāti Porou

Kylie was appointed as the media representative in 2018. She has extensive experience in Māori radio, Māori television production and communications. Kylie sits on the board of Te Hiku Media, provides technical Māori language advice to the New Zealand National Geographic Board, is an Editor of the dictionary He Pātaka Kupu and was the first Principal Linguist of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori.

Declaration of Interests:

• Te Aupōuri
• Ngāi Takoto
• Te Whakaruruhau o Ngā Reo Irirangi Māori
• Pou Ārahi
• National Iwi Chairs Forum Technical Security Advisory Group
• Te Poari Mihingare o Pōneke Pariha
• Te Reo Irirangi o Te Hiku o te Ika

Teina Boasa-Dean

Te Pae Motuhake o Te Reo Tukutuku

Hapori / Community

Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa

Teina was appointed to the Board in 2018. She is the Executive Manager of BHW Lands Trust and Education Manager for Pāhauwera Iwi Development Trust. Teina is passionate about the natural world and has given keynote speeches and interviews on what the world can learn about Māori world views and principles to tackle global environmental challenges. Teina is currently Chair/Toihau of our Komiti Rangahau and is part of our Komiti Tautapa.

Declaration of Interests:

• Māori Climate Change Commission
• Waste Minimisation ki Te Tāhūhū o Te Taiao
• Bryce-Hare Whānau Trust
• Tūhoe Te Uru Taumatua
• Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiarangi
• Te Ataarangi ki Waikato-Maniapoto
• Ruātoki Tribal Executive Kōmiti
• Tūhoe Kaumātua Forum - Te Punga
• AgResearch Innovation Centre: Food and Plant, Meat Department, Ruakura, Hamilton
• Māngai mō te Minita o Te Taiao

Kiri Tamihere-Waititi

Te Pae Motuhake o Te Reo Tukutuku

Te Hunga Noho Taone / Urban Māori

Ngāti Porou, Te Whakatōhea, Ngāpuhi

He raukura nō Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Hoani Waititi. Tipu mai ki ngā rekereke o ngā pakeke o Hoani Waititi Marae, otirā a Waipareira whānui.

Graduated as a Doctor of Clinical Psychology from the University of Auckland. Has extensive experience in developing and providing models and programmes of wellness for Māori, workforce development and providing clinical and cultural supervision.

Has worked extensively with the Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency, having been the architect of Te Kawa o Whanau Ora – an evidenced based model for the competency of Whanau Ora.

Has extensive experience in building and developing strategy for Māori orgaisations, communications, media and public relations, governance and building Māori movements and initiatives.

Heavily involved in the establishment and development of local Kura, Kohanga Reo, Kapa Haka, Mokopapa wānanga.

Declaration of Interests:

Ministerial Representatives

Reikura Kahi

Ministerial Representative

Waikato, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Porou, Te Whānau-a-Apanui, Kuki Airani

Reikura Kahi was elected to the Board in 2019 and appointed as Co-chair alongside Tīare Tepana in 2021. Reikura is among the first generation of kōhanga reo, kura kaupapa and wharekura graduates. She brings a rangatahi perspective and governance experience. She was Chair of Ngā Tūmanako Incorporated Society and had roles on the board of Te Puna Reo o Manawanui and Manawanui Charitable Trust. Reikura is a Māori language consultant and graduate of Te Panekiretanga o te Reo Māori. Her previous roles include Programme Commissioner at Māori Television, assessor for Te Māngai Pāho and company director for Te Wheke Group.

Declaration of Interests:

• Te Puna Reo o Manawanui
• Wheke Group
• Jawbone Pictures
• Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Hoani Waititi
• Tearepa Kahi
• Ngā Tūmanako Inc
• Tāmaki Kapa Haka Committee

Penetaui Kleskovic

Ministerial Representative

Ngāpuhi Nui Tonu, Ngā Iwi katoa o Muriwhenua

Penetaui Kleskovic is a highly respected leader in Te Tai Tokerau, with extensive experience across governance, primary industries, and Māori economic development. He currently serves as a Councillor for the Far North District Council, where he holds key leadership roles including Deputy Chair of the Joint Regional Economic Development Committee, Portfolio holder of the Waters Done Well programme, and representative on the Mayor’s Taskforce for Jobs — Alternative to Moko Te Pania. In these roles, he is focused on driving economic growth, employment opportunities, and sustainable infrastructure outcomes for the region. In addition to his local government responsibilities, Penetaui is the General Manager of Te Aupouri Fisheries Management Ltd and Te Aupouri Commercial Development Ltd. He leads the iwi’s strategic primary industry ventures, with a particular focus on developing mussel farming operations. This initiative aims to diversify Te Aupouri’s income streams, create employment pathways, and build enduring intergenerational wealth for the iwi.

Declaration of Interests:

• Te Aupōuri Commercial Development Limited
• Te Aupōuri Fisheries Management Limited
• Far North District Council