Introducing our new Patuharakeke Te Iwi Trust Trustees

Tēnā koutou e te whānau,

We are pleased to announce new Trustees have recently joined the Patuharakeke Te Iwi Trust.  Nau mai, haere mai e ngā whanaunga,Te Waikohua Rata, Junie Shelford and Lisa Minhinnick, together with Advisory Trustee, Miranda Chetham. This strengthens our governance and ensures we continue to uphold the mana and aspirations of Patuharakeke.

Te Waikohua Rata

Ko Te Waikohua Rata tēnei, proudly raised in Takahiwai and shaped by my upbringing on our marae Rangiora alongside my father, who served as one of our longest-standing trustees and a kaikorero on the taumata. His guidance instilled in me a strong understanding of tikanga, te reo, and Patuharakeketanga, and the importance of serving our people with integrity and aroha.

I have worked extensively within kaupapa Māori education, leading a Rumaki unit where I collaborated with tamariki, kaiako and whānau to strengthen culturally responsive practice and outcomes. My leadership experience is supported by ongoing postgraduate study in Educational Leadership and Indigenous change, which continues to grow my capability in strategy, governance and intergenerational planning.

I also bring a strong foundation in maramataka, which guides my approach to wellbeing, environmental awareness, and sustainable decision-making. This mātauranga shapes how I engage with our taiao and informs the values I bring to the Trust Board.

As a Trustee, my aspirations include strengthening succession planning for rangatahi, supporting housing and settlement opportunities for whānau, and contributing to taiao protection through culturally-informed environmental practices. I am committed to ensuring whānau voices are present in decision-making and that our governance continues to reflect both our tikanga and the needs of future generations.

It is a privilege to serve Te Patuharakeke, and I look forward to contributing to the collective vision and kaupapa of our iwi.

Junie Shelford

Te Matua i runga rawa, te kaihanga o ngā mea katoa,

mai i te rangi ki te whenua.

Kia whakapai tōna ingoa i ngā wā katoa.

Tangihia rā te mate o te wā, rātou kua rupeke atu ki tua o te ārai, ki Paerau.

Moe mai, moe mai, takoto mai.

Piki mai, kake mai, whakatau mai rā.

Kua tātu nei koutou ki runga i te reo karanga o te wā.

Tēnā koutou katoa.

It is a true privilege to serve our hapū as one of your newly appointed trustees. This role is one I carry with deep pride and responsibility. At the centre of everything I do, I am first and foremost a māmā and a kārani māmā. My little people are the heartbeat of my world, they keep me grounded, inspired, and constantly striving to do better. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Kia tau te rangimārie me te wairua ki waenganui i a rātou.

My background lies in education, where I have dedicated the past 24 years to teaching and supporting our rangatahi. Fifteen of those years have been at Bream Bay College. In 2019, I was appointed Head of Department for Te Reo Māori and our bilingual pathway, and in 2022, I stepped into senior leadership as the Deputy Principal of the college.

I am deeply passionate about Māori education and ensuring our rangatahi are provided with every opportunity to thrive, not only as students, but as confident, capable adults ready to take their place in the world. In recent years, my mahi has focused strongly on strengthening the bicultural foundations of our kura. This has meant working closely with our students to help them develop the skills, knowledge, and identity needed to walk with assurance in both Te Ao Māori and Te Ao Whānui.

What does this look like in practice? It means our Māori learners grow to be just as comfortable standing to speak on the marae as they are presenting in the boardrooms of large organisations. It means nurturing young people who can uphold the mana of their whakapapa while also navigating the wider world with confidence, cultural competence, and a strong sense of self.

This is the kind of future I envision for our tamariki and mokopuna, a future where being Māori is not something they must balance or explain, but a strength they carry proudly into every space they enter.

I am committed to bringing my full energy, time, and thought space to this role, to stand as an advocate for our rangatahi and ensure their voices are genuinely heard at the governance table.  Our young people deserve representation, and they deserve leaders who will listen, uplift, and champion their aspirations.

I am genuinely excited to get this mahi underway. Together, with clear purpose and collective strength, I believe we can create meaningful, lasting outcomes for our whānau, our hapū, and especially for the next generation who will one day take up the mantle after us.

Nāku iti noa

Nā, Junie Shelford

Miranda Chetham

Ko Frank rāua ko Audrey tōku mātua, ā, ko Juliane tōku tuakana. He māmā ahau ki tāku kōtiro tokorua, ā, e noho ana au ki Whangārei me tāku tāne, e Daan. Miranda brings experience in governance and strategy across sectors, including childcare, media, and Kiwi expat networks.

Professionally, she works in organisational development, sustainability, and strategy within the infrastructure industry, where her role spans leadership development, people systems, and strategic planning.  Miranda’s journey has been shaped by learnings from her whānau, particularly her father, Frank, which have influenced both her professional pathway and the way she raises her girls. Returning to study, she completed a Master of Sustainable Business, connecting her early experiences to her mahi in sustainability and organisational development. She is keen to continue contributing to environmental initiatives, Te Taiao, and Governance strengthening, bringing her skills and learnings to support her hapū in meaningful ways.

It is a privilege to serve as an Advisory Trustee for Patuharakeke Te Iwi Trust, and Miranda is committed to applying her experience and knowledge to create outcomes that benefit our whānau, both now and for future generations.

Lisa Minhinnick

Ko Lisa Minhinnick ahau he uri o Patuharakeke. He mokai ahau ki te iwi — here to serve, support and uplift our whānau, hapū and iwi. With over 25 years’ experience in kaupapa Māori education, whānau wellbeing and community development, my mahi has always centred on strengthening tamariki, whānau and our community.

I am the founder of Mahi Pai, Director of Te Kopu Inc, and have led more than 50 Ministry-funded initiatives. I established the first licensed puna reo total immersion on a marae, created the first Indigenous retail store in Westfield worldwide, and received the Prime Minister’s Award for service to whānau and tamariki during COVID-19. I also authored Te Korowai o te Aroha, a major wellbeing report presented to the Waitangi Tribunal on behalf of our community.

As a māmā of six, caregiver to many more, and a proud kuia of two mokopuna, the wellbeing of our pēpi and rangatahi guides all my decisions. I want my tūpuna to be proud, and I pay tribute to those who fought hard for us to be here today, upholding their mana is central to my service.

My aspirations as a Trustee are clear: to return our land, house our whānau, support employment, ensure tamariki succeed, and uplift outcomes for kaumātua. I am committed to protecting our taiao and strengthening our cultural foundations so our people can thrive in every space.

He ngākau aroha, he ngākau ū ki te iwi.

Nā Lisa.

I ā tātou e whakatata atu ana ki te Kirihimete me te whakarite i a tātou anō mō te huihuinga me te whānau, Ka whakaaro anō tātou ki ngā tau kua pahure ake nei. He wā tēnei ki te mihi ki ngā manaakitanga maha kua kawea mai i tēnei tau, ā, ki te whakakotahi anō i a tātou i raro i te maru o te aroha me te kotahitanga.

Ka maumahara anō tātou ki te hunga kua pahemo. Ko tō rātou aroha, ko tō rātou atawhai, ko tō rātou katakata, ko tō rātou aroaro me te tapuwae i waihotia mai e rātou ki runga i a tātou katoa, he taonga tonu. I runga i te aroha nui, kia okioki rātou i runga i te rangimārie i ngā wā katoa.

I a tātou e titiro ana ki te tau kei mua, ahakoa te pukumahi, me manaaki tētahi ki tētahi i runga i te atawhai, te tūmanako me te koa. Mā ēnei āhuatanga e whakakaha ake ai tātou i te hononga ki waenga i a tātou me te whakanui i ngā mea nui o te ao.

Meri Kirihimete

Ngā manaakitanga, nā 

Deb Harding, Chair