Miriana Ikin | Appointed 2002

Miriana (Ngāti Rārua,Ngāiterangi, Ngāti Ranginui) has a Bachelor of Arts majoring in New Zealand History from Canterbury University and a Law Degree from Waikato University majoring in Commercial Law, Treaty Settlements and Mäori Land Law.

Miriana has worked for the Māori Land Court and law firm Bell Gully where she was involved in assisting tribes in implementing management structures, tax issues and company/commercial law. She currently runs her own business, Aotahi Ltd, which specialises in developing and managing educational programmes and resources for entrepreneurs and small business owners in Aotearoa.

Miriana lives in Tauranga with her husband Keith, and four children.

Chris Atutahi | Appointed 2003

Chris was the second Associate Director and of Ngāti Rārua, Ngāti Kinohake, Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Ruanui, Ngāti Toarangatira and Ngāti Apakura descent. Chris has a Masters of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Engineering (civil), and registration as a professional engineer. With vast directorship and professional experiences in the Waikato region at the time of his appointment, Chris went on to lead the Tainui Taranaki ki te Tonga (TTktT) - the Treaty of Waitangi Claims entity for four iwi within the Top of the South Island.

We sadley acknowledge his untimely and sudden passing in 2008 - a leader taken too soon.

Johnny McGregor | Appointed 2004

Johnny McGregor is of Te Ātiawa and Ngāti Rārua descent. He is CEO of PINZ Ltd, an export services consultancy that works in North America, South East Asia, the Pacific, and Middle East. PINZ undertakes consultancy in major government reform programmes through to building new educational institutions.

Johnny holds directorships for: Consultants WLL – a Bahrain consultancy services company; NZTEC Ltd - consortium of five NZ universities contracting internationally; TQI Pvt Bangladesh – JV with Danish firm Grontmij Carl Bro; Te Kuru Trust – health, education and iwi development; Hinemata Trust – Māori rural land development; Manawatū Kukutauaki Trust – a land conservation and wetlands restoration trust; and Total Concepts Property Ltd.

Johnny’s qualifications include a Masters in Education Research (with Distinction), a BA (Honours) in Public Policy and Psychology and a Diploma in Teaching. Johnny is a trained private pilot and is currently undertaking his PhD at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi.

Bentham Atirau Ohia | Appointed 2005

Bentham Atirau Ōhia (Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Rārua, Ngāti Pūkenga, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui) was the Incorporation’s third Associate Director. Bentham is married to Kate Cherrington and they have a daughter, Tuakoi and son Tahuaroa.

Bentham is currently the Pouhere (CEO) at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. In addition he holds the following memberships: Member of the Minister of Māori Affairs Economic Taskforce, Chair of Te Tauihu o ngā Wānanga (The Wānanga Association), Member of Tindell Foundation Māori and Pacific Island Committee and President of Advancement of Māori Opportunity (AMO).

Emma Park | Appointed 2006

Emma is of Te Ātiawa decent and holds a Bachelor of Business majoring in Accounting. Emma is currently working as an accountant for a chartered accountancy firm in Hamilton and is committed to providing services to Māori entities. She is passionate about Māori development.

Emma is a Trustee for Ngāti Rārua Ātiawa Iwi Trust and was the Associate Director for Wakatū Incorporation in 2006. She is a member of the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants and recently completed an advanced certificate in Māori Ambassadorship and Leadership.

Emma has a daughter and is devotedly involved with her wider whānau. She also utilizes her organizational and networking expertise to support many individuals and groups within the community.

Jeremy Banks | Appointed 2008

Jeremy is the sixth Associate Director and the first on the two year programme. He has over ten years’ experience in the IT industry and runs a software development company in Wellington, specialising in business intelligence and web based solutions.

Jeremy is a keen sportsman and has represented New Zealand in basketball, volleyball and indoor netball. He also has a Bachelor of Science (with honours) in Computer Science from the University of Otago.

Jeremy is of Ngāti Rārua and Rangitāne descent. He is married to Melissa and has three daughters Xanthe, Lucia and Ariana.

Kerensa Johnston | Appointed 2009

Kerensa Johnston, LLM (First Class Honours), BA (History) is a lawyer with a background in Māori land law, the Treaty of Waitangi and public law. She has experience working in the public and corporate sectors as well as for voluntary organisations.

For the past ten years, Kerensa was a lecturer at the Faculty of Law, University of Auckland where she researched and taught in the area of Māori legal development, land law and international human rights law as it relates to indigenous peoples and The Treaty of Waitangi. Kerensa has represented iwi and hapū groups in the courts and the Waitangi Tribunal on a variety of issues relating to land and sovereignty rights. She holds a practising certificate as a Barrister of the High Court of New Zealand and is now the principal of her own law firm, Kerensa Johnston Law.

Kerensa is of Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Tama, Ngāruahine and Ngāti Whawhākia descent and has two children, Daisy and Mahuru.

Basil Tapuke | Appointed 2010

Basil holds a Masters of Business Administration, Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws (LLB). His is currently working with the aquaculture sector at Te Ohu Kai Moana. Basil has experience in both public and corporate organisations.

Basil and his partner Kiri are the proud parents of three daughters and currently reside in Wellington. Basil is of Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Tama, Ngāti Mutunga and Taranaki descent.