Te Ara Tāwhaki Not-for-Profit Mentoring Programme

Adelyn Love
I'm honoured to be accepted into the Te Ara Tāwhaki Mentoring Programme, it's a great opportunity to deepen my governance journey. I’m excited to learn from experienced mentors, connect with alongside a like minded cohort, and grow in ways that help me make a stronger impact to my current board role and make a stronger impact in the not-for-profit sector in New Zealand. 

Alana McIsaac
Being accepted into the programme is an honour that I feel incredibly proud and genuinely excited about. I’m eager to absorb new knowledge, challenge my thinking, and grow through the experience. Most importantly, I’m excited to apply what I learn through Te Ara Tāwhaki to drive positive change and contribute meaningfully to the communities and organisations I serve. 

Angela Rowe
Being accepted into Te Ara Tāwhaki marks a meaningful step in my governance journey. I’m excited to deepen my governance practice, connect with a wider whānau of directors, and grow in the relational and strategic aspects of board leadership. I’m looking forward to expanding my skills, growing through challenge and connection, and contributing to a wider kaupapa of equity, care, and values-based leadership. 

Ariane Tuapola
Being accepted into Te Ara Tāwhaki Mentoring Programme is an incredible opportunity to strengthen my governance and leadership capabilities, particularly as a new Chair. The opportunity to learn from an experienced mentor and further refine my own governance practice will be invaluable in supporting me to guide our organisation toward sustainable impact.  

Ciara Gibson
I’m honoured to have been accepted into the Institute of Directors Te Ara Tāwhaki Not-For-Profit Mentoring Programme for 2025–2026. I’m excited about this opportunity to learn from an experienced director, build confidence at the board table, and strengthen my governance capabilities. I’m looking forward to connecting with other directors who share a commitment to impactful, community-focused governance.

Crystal Kaiwai
Being accepted into this programme is an exciting step in my journey to help build a more equitable Aotearoa. I’m passionate about creating pathways for people and communities who’ve historically been underrepresented at the table, ensuring their voices and stories help shape the decisions that impact us all. 

Dee Lodhia
Being accepted into the Te Ara Tāwhaki NFP Mentoring Programme represents an opportunity to strengthen my governance practice through shared learning and mentorship. I am passionate about building capable, forward-looking, diverse boards that balance purpose with performance and maintain strong, trust-based relationships with management and communities in Aotearoa New Zealand. 

Emilia Stocks
Being accepted into the Te Ara Tāwhaki programme is an incredible opportunity for my professional development and enhanced service to the community. I believe this mentorship will provide essential support as I prepare for a senior leadership role, helping me build the capability to make a more effective and enduring contribution to the sectors I serve. 

Frankie Herrington
The not-for-profit sector presents unique challenges, often requiring tough trade-offs between long-term strategy and short-term sustainability. Being part of the Te Ara Tāwhaki programme is a chance to step back, gain perspective, and learn how to navigate these complexities with clarity and judgement. I’m thrilled to learn from seasoned IoD directors and to bring that wisdom into the boardroom where it can make a real impact. 

Jo McNaughton
Being accepted onto the Institute of Directors Te Ara Tāwhaki programme is both an honour and a meaningful opportunity. I’m grateful to be connected with someone whose wisdom and experience will help guide my journey and challenge my thinking. As a new director in the NFP space I want to do a good job therefore I'm committed to my personal development, I acknowledge the privilege and responsibility of being part of a board that leads an organisation. This mentorship is a chance to grow into the kind of leader who serves with integrity, strategic insight, and integrates diverse perspectives. As someone proudly connected to my iwi, I carry a deep sense of duty to honour the hapori, or communities that I serve and pave the way for others to see themselves in governance spaces where their voices and values matter. 

Katie Sleeman
Being accepted into the Te Ara Tūwhaki Governance Mentoring Programme represents an exciting milestone in my governance journey. I am honoured to work with an experienced governance leader on sustainable impact for the communities I serve. 

Kemp Reynolds
Governance, for me, has always been about people, understanding, connection and service. Joining Te Ara Tāwhaki is a chance to deepen that understanding and to learn from mentors who’ve shaped meaningful change in their communities. I’m looking forward to growing as both a leader and a person through this experience.

Kim Choromanski
The programme for me is as a valuable step in my development as a governance professional and growing my broader skillset. I’m looking forward to learning from an experienced director who can challenge my thinking, share practical insights, and help me refine how I contribute around the board table. 

Kirsten Blanchard
I am so grateful to be part of the inaugural Institute of Director’s Te Ara Tawhaki not-for-profit mentoring programme. With the guidance of my mentor and IOD’s supporting programme of learning, I look forward to accelerating and deepening my governance knowledge over the coming year. 

Michaela Latimer
I’m excited to take part in Te Ara Tāwhaki. It's an incredible opportunity to learn from an experienced director and deepen my governance capability - especially as a first-time chair. I know this programme and mentoring relationship will add immense value, not only to me personally, but also our board and the future of The Youth Impact Foundation. 

Rebecca Baldwin
I’m really grateful to be part of the Te Ara Tāwhaki Mentoring Programme. I see it as a chance to keep learning and growing as a trustee, and to strengthen how I contribute to purpose-led organisations. I’m looking forward to learning from someone with real experience who can challenge my thinking and help me keep developing as a governance leader.   

Rebecca Gallacher
I’m thrilled to have been accepted into the Institute of Directors Te Ara Tāwhaki NFP Mentoring Programme. Mentoring is an invaluable way to grow as a professional, and I’m eager to learn from the experience and insights of seasoned governance leaders. This will not only strengthen my own capabilities, but also enable me to better serve the organisations and communities I’m committed to supporting. 

Sheena Revington
I’m really grateful to be part of the Te Ara Tāwhaki programme. It’s an opportunity to learn and grow as a for-purpose leader, surrounded by people who care about good governance and strong communities. I see it as a way to strengthen my own leadership so I can keep giving back to the sector that gives so much.   

Tom Kelly
I'm excited to be invited to NZ IoD's Te Ara Tāwhaki NFP Mentoring Programme in 2026. Working with some of NZ's most experienced directors will be a great experience I expect will help me develop real-life, actionable and value-add governance skills, all helping me dial-up the already great work being done by the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust. 

Tomina Apiti
As a wāhine Māori under 40, being named to the Te Ara Tāwhaki cohort signifies both opportunity and responsibility. It's a step toward building capability in strategy, oversight, and chairing through a people-first approach to governance. I see this as part of a longer journey to contribute to boards that lead with integrity, accountability, and care.