Bella Takiari-Brame
Bella is Waikato – Maniapoto and affiliates to many marae from Te Kūiti to Mokau and Kāwhia Moana.
She is a chartered accountant and has worked in the oil, gas, and utilities industries. She has a wealth of global market understanding and governance expertise.
Alongside her interim CE role for Maniapoto Māori Trust Board, where she has also been a Trustee (Generally Elected) for five years, she is currently a Ministerial appointee on Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, and independent member of the Group Audit and Risk committee of Waikato Tainui, Director of Te Ohu Kai Moana Trustee Limited including Chair of Audit and Risk, Director on Te Ohu’s Portfolio Management Services Limited. She is also a Director on Crown Infrastructure Partners, and was a former independent member (Maangai Maaori) on the finance committee and risk and assurance committee for Hamilton City Council. Bella is married to Lui Brame from Te Rarawa, and has three tamariki, Graham, Atiria-Grace and Atilini.
Bella Takiari-Brame
Interim Chief Executive
Helen Turner
Iwi: Ngāti Pākeha
Helen began fulltime at the MMTB in April 2014, and has since become a well regarded co-worker amongst staff. Helen’s role consists of two parts; Finance Manager and Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive.
Helen’s husband Kingi, her two children and six grand children affiliate to Ngāti Maniapoto, Waikato and Ngāti Apakura, she sees her mahi at the board as an ideal opportunity to contribute back to her family’s iwi.
Great leadership from the Chief Executive and Chair was also a strong influence for her to apply at the MMTB.
“The people, the colleagues and the vibe here is as if we are a family with a positive atmosphere. Everyone works hard and always supportive of one another” Helen says.
Helen Turner
Human Resources and Payroll
Amber-Lee Elliott
Iwi: Waikato Maniapoto, Ngāti Maru ki Hauraki, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Mohaka
Hapū: Ngāti Kahu, Ngāti Unu, Ngāti Paretekawa, Ngāti Apakura, Ngāti Paahauwera
Mother of four, Amber-Lee joined the MMTB team in 2011 after returning to Maniapoto. As a recent diploma graduate in Information Technology coupled with over 15+ years’ experience in Office Administration, Human Resources & Finance, she continues to work with and under the great leadership of staff and trustees of the Board.
“It is an honour and a privilege to serve te iwi o Maniapoto me ngā hapū maha”.
Amber-Lee Elliott
Admin / Finance Support
Katherine Barry
Iwi: Ngāti Maniapoto
Hapū: Ngāti Waiora
Ko Mōkau te awa
Ko Ngāti Waiora te hapū
Ko Mokau Kohunui, Maniaroa me Te Paemate ōku marae
No Piopio ahau
Ko Katherine tōku ingoa
Katherine Barry
Communications Specialist
Vicky Smith
Hapū: Ngāti Pare, Matekore
Vicky joined the MMTB fulltime in 2008 filing the position of Receptionist and Office Assistant. Vicky is involved in a number of land trusts and marae groups, including trustee and secretary for Te Ahoroa Marae. When Vicky was given the opportunity to work at MMTB, she jumped at the chance knowing this would be the perfect time for her to work for and alongside her people.
“The staff here are awesome, always go above and beyond what’s required of them, and none of us mind because it’s for our people” says Vicky.
Vicky Smith
Receptionist / Office Assistant
RongoMata Fitzpatrick
Iwi: Maniapoto
Hapū: Ngāti Paretekawa, Ngāti Rahurahu, Ngāti Waiora
RongoMata was born and raised in Ōtautahi where she attended Te Kura Whakapūmau and Aranui High School. In 2008, she made the decision to move back home to Piopio as she was passionate about her people and kaupapa Māori.
Mother to Te Koha and Waipuna, she is constantly kept busy at home as well as in the office. Over the last 10 years she has been involved in Te Kohanga Reo o Piopio and working alongside her hapū on the Napinapi Marae Committee.
Starting her role at the Maniapoto Māori Trust Board in April 2018, she believes the Trust Board will be the vehicle to drive our iwi and hapū.
RongoMata Fitzpatrick
Administrator
Charmaine Turner
Hapū: Ngāti Rōrā, Ngāti Waiora, Paretekawa,
Raised in Piopio, Charmaine has worked within the rohe of Maniapoto since completing school at Piopio College in 2009.
Charmaine has been with Maniapoto Māori Trust Board as an administrator for the last 4 years and likes the variety of work the team engages with.
“I enjoy working for our people, and providing a personalised service to each of our whānau who we interact with. With the support of my kaumātua I have learnt many things along the way, which are invaluable and attribute to me being part of a wonderful team at the MMTB” states Charmaine.
Charmaine Turner
Treaty Settlement Negotiations Project Manager
Tramaine Murray
Iwi: Ngāti Maniapoto
Hapū: Ngāti Rahurahu, Ngāti Paretekawa
Tramaine first started her journey at the Board in 2004. Overtime her role at the board has varied extensively and has also provided her with the opportunity to grow.
Tramaine transitioned from administrator to the GIS Project Manager position in June 2017 and has now moved into the Team Leader role to manage the Boards environmental team, Whanake Taiao. Tramaine found that her work was an opportunity that would allow her to work in alignment with her tribe and to assist whānau, hapū, marae with their environmental aspirations as well as providing the opportunity to build capacity and capability within the iwi.
Originally from Piopio, Tramaine attended Piopio college and now resides in Te Kuiti with her partner and their two tamariki, Layeton and Tāreia.
Tramaine Murray
Team Leader – Whanake Taiao
Jaye Muraahi
Iwi: Maniapoto
Hapū: Ngāti Paretekawa
Jaye began with the MMTB team in April 2018 as an Administrator across various teams within the organisation. After a few months she then moved solely to the Finance & Accounts Team, taking up the position of Accounts Technician.
Jaye was brought up in Piopio where she attended both the Primary & College for her entire schooling years. She spends a lot of time at her Marae and has always been very whānau orientated. Jaye loves that her three tamariki have been fortunate to also be raised in and around the Marae with the whānau, hoping to in still in them the teachings & practises that have been passed down.
Jaye Muraahi
Accounts Technician
Marissa Campbell
Hapū: Ngāti Te Puta, Paretekawa, Ngāti Unu, Ngāti Waiora
Marissa has been with the Maniapoto Māori Trust Board (MMTB) since 2014. Being fortunate enough to have been brought up in Pureora and Te Kūiti amongst her whānau, Marissa felt that when an opportunity arose to work for her iwi, she jumped at the chance.
“Serving our iwi in a different capacity was a challenge that I was keen to undertake and have enjoyed the many varied aspects that this role sees on a daily basis”.
Marissa has become the key figure with Tribal Registrations, Grants and Scholarships and continues to promote to the iwi that many support avenues of the MMTB that are available for those wishing to further personal growth and development.
“I take great pride in helping our whānau, our marae, our hapū and our iwi cause those four aspects of who are is what makes Maniapoto fabulous”.
Marissa Campbell
Administrator
Ariāhuia Te RUki
Iwi: Maniapoto, Ngai Tahu, Waikato, Ngāti Porou, Ngāpuhi
Hapū: Unu & Kahu
Ariāhuia is one of the newest staff at the board, raised in Waitomo and Tamahere, where she attended St Peter’s Cambridge School. She then followed her passion for Design and completed studies in Pōneke (Wellington) and strives to use her experience in Digital Design to assist Māori organisations. Ariāhuia spends a lot of her time at her home / Marae, Te Kōpua.
“I enjoy working within organisations that are driven to provide assistance to other Māori. Working at MMTB gives me the opportunity to give back to our people and i’m looking forward to doing so.”
Ariāhuia Te Ruki
Digital & Communications Coordinator
Adan Te Huia
Iwi: Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Awa, Ngāiterangi, Te Atiawa o Te-Waka-a-Māui, Ngai Tahu
Hapū: Ngāti Paretekawa
Adan joined the board in June of 2019 with a Diploma in Civil Engineering and certifications in Management and Engineering Applications AutoCAD and AutoCAD Civil 3D. He served in the Royal New Zealand Army and has experience in both Technical and Management roles for various Civil Engineering and Land surveying companies. Adan has also worked for the Department of Conservation as Supervisor of the Maniapoto Recreation/Historic team and with his tribe (Ngāi Tahu) as Apiha Whakahaere of Te Runanga o Kaikoura. His role at the board encompasses two of his passions, Te Ao Māori and the Environment. Adan now resides in Te Awamutu with his tamariki Adan-Sterling and Quinn.
“The work I do for the board provides me the oppourtunity to reconnect with my whenua. It also provides me the oppourtunity to work with my whānaunga to put measures in place that will protect our sites and areas of significance.”
“I’ve always loved listening to our kaumātua speak our reo and working at the board I am fortunate to experience this regularly. To be given the opportunity to listen and to learn about the stories of our tūpuna is an absolute privilege.”
Adan Te Huia
Geographic Information Systems
(GIS) Project Manager