Tautua Pasifika Mentoring Programme 2026 mentors
Thank you to our 2026 mentors
Caren Rangi ONZM, CFInstD
Caren is a proud, Canterbury born, Hawke’s Bay raised, Cook Islander who started her career as a chartered accountant and auditor with the Office of the Auditor-General. She chose a career in governance, combined with facilitation and leadership work, so she can contribute to decision-making in areas for which she has passion. Her current governance roles include Chair of NGO Pacific Homecare, Pro-Chancellor of Massey University, Deputy Chair of Pacific Co-operation Broadcasting Ltd (Pasifika TV) and Director for NZ Rugby. She also delivers a governance training programme for Pacific communities with colleague Mele Wendt.
In 2018, she was conferred with an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to governance and the Pacific community. Caren is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Directors, and member of the IoD’s Pacific Advisory Group.
Cecilia Tarrant CFInstD
Cecilia is the Chancellor of Waipapa Taumata Rau | University of Auckland, a director of Seeka Limited and Payments NZ, and a member of the Diocesan Administration Council for the Catholic Diocese of Auckland. At the University of Auckland, she leads He Ira Wahine, a women’s mentoring programme in the Business School and in the Law School. She is also an angel investor.
Cecilia has over 20 years’ experience in law, banking and finance, having worked first as a lawyer in Auckland and San Francisco and then as an investment banker in New York and London. Cecilia was a member of the Auckland Branch Committee in 2012 through to 2022.
Chris Mene MInstD
Chris is a professional director, facilitator and trainer who has worked in and across a wide range of sectors and industries in New Zealand and overseas. He is driven by a passion for helping people find their voice and a sense of agency. Achieving this often requires equitable and inclusive policies and practices.
Chris has held governance roles in health, education, local government, social services, sport and recreation. He has held executive management roles in organisations focused on achieving health, education and planning outcomes. Chris specialises in independently chairing and facilitating partnership and collaborative engagement processes.
He is a member of and a licensed trainer for the Engagement Institute. He is also a member of the International Association of Facilitators.
Chris and his wife, Leanne, are co-directors of their consultancy, Mene Solutions.
Dame Dr Teuila Percival DNZM, QSO, MInstD
Dr Teuila Percival is a paediatrician and researcher who has been a strong advocate for Pacific children’s health in New Zealand and the wider Pacific region for 30 years.
Dr Percival is a founding member and Deputy Chair of South Seas Healthcare (SSH), a community health service providing care to Pacific peoples in Auckland since 1999. She chaired SSH from 2014 to 2022, growing the healthcare provider to be the largest of its kind in Ōtara and Papatoetoe, providing services to more than 120,000 people.
She was a founding member of the Pacific Medical Association (PMA) in 1996 and is a past president. Through SSH and PMA, she was a leading clinician for the 2009 Samoa tsunami disaster response and provided paediatric support in Vanuatu following Cyclone Pam in 2015 and the 2019 measles outbreak in Samoa. She helped create the Mana Kids clinics at 88 primary and intermediate schools in Ōtara, Māngere, Manurewa, Franklin and Papakura, with SSH a registered clinic based in the nine largest South Auckland schools.
She served as a member of the World Health Organisation’s Emergency Medical Teams Maternal Newborn Child Health Technical Advisory Group between 2017 and 2019. She has been the Director of Moana Connect, researching and advocating for Pacific women’s and children’s health in New Zealand and the Pacific region. Dr Percival was a Board member of the Health Promotion Agency from 2018 to 2022 and chaired the Auckland DHB Community and Public Health Advisory Committee from 2020 to 2022.
Fiona Oliver CFInstD
Fiona is an experienced professional director with a governance career that has spanned a variety of sectors, including infrastructure (renewable energy, natural gas), technology, retirement villages, express package and transportation, financial services, professional services, and sport. These roles have been in commercial, public sector and not-for-profit entities. Fiona was awarded the New Zealand Shareholders Association’s Beacon Award in 2021.
Fiona’s has an Executive background in investments and capital markets. She has held leadership roles in funds management for Westpac (BT Funds Management) and AMP in New Zealand and asset management and private equity in Sydney and London. Prior to her management career, Fiona practised as a senior corporate and commercial lawyer in New Zealand and in Sydney and London, specialising in mergers and acquisitions.
George Adams CFInstD
George is a Professional Company Director, a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, and a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Directors. George has been happily married to Barbara for 37 years and has two daughters, Rebekah and Lucy.
George’s interest in fostering and growing New Zealand brands is evident in his current governance portfolio. He is currently Chairman of Synlait, Apollo Foods Limited which he co-founded, New Zealand Frost Fans, Netlogix, RedShield and Insightful Mobility as well as Director of Arborgen.
George is passionate about improving New Zealand’s health and safety record and was Chairman of the Business Leaders Health and Safety Forum between 2015 and 2025 during which time membership doubled enabling the Forum to become the most influential H&S advocacy body in NZ. In 2014 he chaired the Independent Forestry Safety Review which delivered a report on practical recommendations to improve the industry’s dreadful safety record. At the 2013 Safeguard Workplace Health and Safety Awards George was awarded the “New Zealand Leader of the Year Award”. George also spent seven years chairing the Occupational Health Advisory Group, an expert panel that advised WorkSafe on developing its national Occupational Health strategy. In 2025 George was presented with a lifetime achievement award for his work on improving safety leadership in New Zealand.
Moving from Northern Ireland to New Zealand in November 2003 to take up the role of Managing Director of Coca-Cola Amatil New Zealand & Fiji, a role he thoroughly enjoyed for a decade. During this time, he also became Chairman of the New Zealand Food and Grocery Council.
Prior to this he was CFO of British Telecom Northern Ireland and Group Finance Director of Dublin based Coca-Cola Bottling Group, Molino Beverages, which operated across Ireland, Romania, Moldova, Russia and Nigeria.
Katie Bhreatnach CMInstD
Katie is Chief Executive of Global Women and a member of the business leaders governance group for Champions for Change. She is an experienced business leader with a strong commitment to advancing wāhine and Māori, and brings a global perspective shaped by study and work internationally.
Her executive career spans financial services, FMCG, manufacturing, infrastructure, technology, and aviation. She is also an experienced director, currently serving on boards including Dunedin Airport, Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, and the College of Law, and chairs Trusts Arena Stadium.
Katie holds degrees in law and arts from the University of Otago, a master’s from Trinity College Dublin, and is a graduate of INSEAD. She is a qualified lawyer in New Zealand, Australia, and Ireland.
Outside of mahi, she is passionate about te reo Māori, sport, the outdoors, and contributing to a prosperous and sustainable Aotearoa.
Kevin Maloney CMInstD
Kevin is a director with Carmel College Auckland Limited and a member of both the Finance & Risk and Special Character sub-committees. He holds trustee roles for several family trusts and has held governance roles in for-purpose entities, including chairing a school Board of Trustees.
Day to day, Kevin supports clients in a variety of industries across the domains of digital and IT, risk management, internal audit, finance and programme management. His management experience spans corporate, public sector and for-purpose entities in a wide cross-section of industries.
Kevin is a Chartered Member of Institute of Directors (CMInstD), a Chartered Accountant (CA) and Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA).
Laurissa Cooney FCA, CMInstD
Laurissa is a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants, and a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors in New Zealand. She has previously held senior manager, auditing and consulting roles with Deloitte in New Zealand and Deloitte Touche in London and was the Chief Financial Officer for Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi.
Laurissa currently serves as an Independent Non-Executive Director for Air New Zealand, Metlifecare, Goodman Property Ltd, Rabobank NZ Ltd and is the Co-Chair for Aotearoa Circle. Laurissa is also a Committee Member of the Chapter Zero NZ Steering Group and Chair of the Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki Audit & Risk Committee.
Laurissa is of Te Āti Hau Nui a Pāpā Rangi (Whanganui) descent.
Leo Foliaki MInstD
Leo Foliaki is a Chartered Accountant and was a Partner at PwC New Zealand (1999 to 2022). During his professional career he was the lead audit partner on several significant publicly listed entities on the New Zealand Stock Exchange and worked on large project in complex operating environments.
Leo currently holds governance roles in the following organisations: Auckland University of Technology, Dilworth Trust, Procare Networks Limited, Whakarongorau Aotearoa, and TupuToa Trust. He recently came off the boards of New Zealand Opera and Tamaki Regeneration Company. Leo is passionate about serving the Pacific community and has been on the Board of a number not for profit community organisations.
Lisa Tai
Lisa Tai is Chief Executive Officer of Ronald McDonald House Charities New Zealand, where she leads national strategy and operations to ensure families can stay close to their child while they receive essential medical treatment away from home. RMHC NZ plays a critical role in the health system by providing accommodation and wraparound support for whānau during some of the most challenging times in their lives.
Lisa brings extensive executive leadership experience across health, community services, and impact-focused sectors, with a strong track record of driving system-level change and improving outcomes for communities.
Prior to this role, Lisa was a Partner at Deloitte New Zealand—the second woman of Pacific heritage to achieve this—where she founded and scaled the Pasifika Advisory practice to a team of more than 70. Her work centred on culturally grounded strategy, supporting government and community organisations to deliver more equitable health and social outcomes.
Lisa also has significant governance experience, having served on a number of boards and advisory groups focused on child health and family wellbeing. Of Fijian and Rotuman heritage, she is a values-led leader committed to equity, cultural capability, and strengthening outcomes for communities across Aotearoa New Zealand.
Fepulea’i Margie Apa MInstD
Fepulea'i Margie Apa specialises in leadership and governance in the healthcare industry. She has more than 25 years of senior executive leadership in New Zealand's largest healthcare orgnaisations including inaugural CEO of Health NZ, CEO of Counties Manukau District Health Board and executive leadership at national levels in the Ministry of Health, Health Funding Authority and locally at Capital & Coast District Health Board. She has held governance roles in large NGOs throughout her career including Presbyterian Support Northern.
She is currently a Trustee of World Vision New Zealand, Director of World Vision International, Future Director at Fisher & Paykel Healthcare and Co-Chairs Tagata Moana Maternity Trust.
She has a strong interest in strengthening governance in healthcare organisations committed to making a difference to consumers and enabling innovation in healthcare.
Margie carries the Samoan chief title Fepulea'i from the village of Sale'aula, Savai’i, Samoa.
Mark Tume CFInstD
Mark has governance experience with both public and private companies across the infrastructure, energy, and investment sectors in Australia and New Zealand.
He is the Chair of Te Atiawa Iwi Holdings and BlueCurrent Pty, and a director of ANZ Bank New Zealand Limited, Precinct Properties and Booster Financial Services. He was previously Chair of Ngai Tahu Holdings Corporation, Infratil, and Retire Australia Pty Limited.
Mele Wendt MNZM, MInstD
Mele Wendt MNZM, has 28 years of governance and 17 years of management experience. In her early career, she was a high school teacher, and later, was the founding Pacific islands liaison officer and manager of the student recruitment office at Victoria University of Wellington, before becoming the executive director of Fulbright New Zealand – a role she held for ten years.
In 2019, Mele was awarded a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for her services to governance, the Pacific community, and women. In 2022, she was the recipient of the Not-For-Profit Governance Leader Award at the Women in Governance Awards, and is also a White Ribbon Ambassador and a member of various professional and community groups.
Mele currently chairs Wellington Community Fund and the Tu Ora Compass Health Pacific Health Committee, and serves on the boards of Tu Ora Compass Health, ANZ Bank (Samoa) Ltd, Tāwhiri: Festivals and Experiences, Tokelau International Trust Fund, The Helen Clark Foundation, and P.A.C.I.F.I.C.A. Inc. She is also a member of the Institute of Directors’ Pacific Advisory Group. Mele provides consultancy in governance training, Pacific peoples’ development, organisational capacity building, scholarships management, and mentoring.
Mele’s heritage is a mix of Samoan (Malie, Vaiala, Lefaga) and Palagi (NZ, Britain). She is married to Eteuati Ete - they have four grown-up children and five grandchildren, and Wellington has been her home for nearly 40 years.
Quinton Hall MInstD
Quinton Hall is a seasoned director and senior executive with experience across tourism, aviation, technology, and sport.
He currently serves as Board Chair for both Nelson Airport and Gymnastics New Zealand, and holds directorships at Jucy Group 2022 Limited and Infrastructure Holdings Limited. He is also principal consultant at EQ Made Consultancy and works on and in his own ecommerce business.
Quinton’s approach to leadership and governance emphasises strong health and safety practices and customer-focused solutions that deliver long term value. He is passionate about people and building authentic connections with teams and stakeholders. Quinton is committed to ensuring organisations seek genuine diversity including a commitment to te ao Māori principles and Pasifika values
Residing in Christchurch, Quinton is of Niuean descent and actively participates in the local Niue community as secretary of the Niue Community Christchurch | Matakau Niue Kalasiosi society.
Rachel Afeaki-Taumoepeau CFInstD
Rachel Afeaki-Taumoepeau is an experienced independent strategic and business director for FaceNorth Promotions, overseeing key relationships in the public and private sectors internationally, including across the Pacific region. Her broad commercial experience includes numerous projects between New Zealand and the Pacific relating to trade and investment promotion and facilitation, international research expeditions, public relations, marketing management, government and NGO advisory.
She is an independent director for Habitat for Humanity NZ, Activate Education Group Ltd, Deputy Chair for Ember Wellbeing Trust and Chair of WEL Energy Trust. Rachel holds various NGO governance roles in the Social Housing, Mental Health and Business and Economic Development spaces and is highly engaged in international global Church governance through the World Evangelical Alliance.
Rachel also delivers consultative management services to a national NGO that addresses family wellbeing, prevention of violence and child abuse across New Zealand and has passion to advance Pacific economic development regionally. Rachel is a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Directors NZ and sits on the Waikato Committee for IoD.
Rob Campbell CNZM, CFInstD
Rob is one of New Zealand’s leading professional directors, with more than 40 years’ experience in capital markets and as director and advisor to local and international businesses and organisations.
He is committed to seeing Aotearoa take a leadership role in the field of emissions lowering energy innovation and commercialisation, and is passionate about improving diversity and inclusion, promoting sustainability as a core value, and creating equality in the organisations he is involved with.
Trained as an economist and holding degrees of BA (Hons)(1st) and M.Phil. (Economics) Rob joined the union movement in the 1970s and became a member of the Federation of Labour and Labour Party executives.
Rob is the Chancellor of Te Wānanga Aronui o Tāmaki Makau Rau (Auckland University of Technology), Chair of Ara Ake, Chair of NZ Rural Land Co, and Advisor to BBM.
He has served as the Chair of various private companies and public organisations including Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand, SkyCity Entertainment Group Ltd, Summerset Group Ltd, Tourism Holdings Ltd, and WEL Networks Ltd.
In 2019, Rob was awarded the Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) and is a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Directors (CFInstD). He was recognised as a Distinguished Alumni of Victoria University (Te Herenga Waka) in 2019.
Sina Wendt ONZM, MInstD
Sina was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2022, for services to governance. A Pacific woman of Samoan, German and English descent she has over 25 years working in the commercial, public and not-for-profit sectors in governance and executive roles. Sina is committed to developing the leadership, governance and strategic capability of individuals, organisations and communities. As Tangata Tiriti (Tangata Moana), Sina believes we must honour Te Ao Māori, uphold the principles of Te Tiriti, and support equitable outcomes for Māori. She is also passionate about contributing to the success of Pasifika peoples and communities in Aotearoa.
For 8 years, Sina was the Chief Executive of Leadership New Zealand - an organisation that contributes to the capacity and capability of diverse leaders across community, public and private sectors. She helped to develop and launch the Mana Moana Experience during this time - a leadership journey for peoples from the Moana. Prior to that, she was the founding Chief Executive of the National Pacific Radio Trust (that established the Pacific Media Network and NiuFM).
Sina has broad and diverse governance experience on a range of boards and trusts over the last two decades. She is currently the Chair for the Centre for Pacific Languages (CPL), Chair of Ka Puta Ka Ora Emerge Aotearoa Trust, a trustee on Leadership New Zealand Trust, the NZ Opera Foundation, and is a founding trustee of the Pacific Music Awards Trust. Former board roles include AUT University Council, and Radio New Zealand.
Vanessa Stoddart GAICD, CFInstD
Vanessa is currently Chair of Tonkin + Taylor, a Director for Waste Management and OneFortyOne - an international forestry company, and sits on a number of advisory and NFP boards. She has held governance positions with other listed, private, public sector and co-operative entities here and in Australia, chairing many People and Health & Safety Committees.
Prior to her governance career, Vanessa was head of engineering and human resources at Air New Zealand and Chief Executive Packaging Australia for Carter Holt Harvey – having started her career in the legal profession. Vanessa is passionate about inclusion - is a member of Global Women and a mentor on various programmes including mentoring Kupe Scholarship candidates and MYLN participants. Vanessa is a Companion of Engineering NZ and an Honorary Fellow of HRINZ.