Tapuwae Roa Appoints New Chair

Tapuwae Roa is pleased to announce the appointment of Maria Ngawati as Chair of its Board of Directors, succeeding Kate Cherrington, who has held the role since 2019.

Previously serving the trust as an Alternate Director in 2019 and full Director since 2021, Ngawati has worked across the education and health sectors over the last two decades and brings a track record of social entrepreneurship as the Founder of kaupapa Māori Charitable Trust IndigiShare and previous Edtech platform, AkoMaiWay.

"I grew up around the conversations of the people that started and supported Te Pūtea Whakatupu, and as an urban-grown Māori who is connected to my whakapapa, I am privileged to be a part of a trust that values the sustenance of this identity. Haramai te ataahua o te kaupapa nei," says Ngawati.

Retiring as Chair, Kate Cherrington (Ngāti Hine, Ngāpuhi, Te Kapotai) was appointed to the board of Tapuwae Roa (then Te Pūtea Whakatupu Trust) in 2018 under the leadership of Norm Dewes and has overseen the transformation of the Trust, embracing its impact-led focus.

Cherrington was part of the leadership team of Trustees along with Tapuwae Roa's Kaihautū, Te Pūoho Kātene, to develop and implement the Trust’s intergenerational Theory of Change and overall strategy, which continues to act as its foundational framework in driving social impact into Māori communities.

"The evolution of Tapuwae Roa requires a leadership style that reflects the innovation, tenacity and mātauranga Māori expertise that Maria brings, and I am so happy to be alongside this wahine toa as she navigates Tapuwae Roa through its next phase of mahi and investment into the communities that we serve," says Cherrington.

Cherrington will remain on the Board as Director alongside Awerangi Tamihere (Director), Tatiana Greening (Alternate Director), Bernie O’Donnell (Alternate Director), and Naomi Manu (Alternate Director).

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