Our People

Ko Ngātokimatawhaorua te waka
Ko Nukutawhiti te tangata
Ko Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Wai, Ngāpuhi-nui-tonu ngā me Ngāi Pakeha iwi
Ko Ngāti Hine me Te Kapotai ngā hapū
Ka ki te korero:
Puketutu, titiro ki a Otarawa
Otarawa, titiro ki a Wairere e tapapa ake nei
Wairere, titiro ki a Miria e karawhiu nei e
Here tangata, here whenua. 
Ka tū te po, ka tū tea o
Tihewa mauri ora.

Mata is of Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Wai and Ngāi Pakeha decent and was born and raised in Invercargill, and after time away, returned to live in Bluff. She was appointed as a Trustee in 2015, and appointed to Chair in 2021.  Mata holds degrees from Waikato University in Social Sciences, and Law. She has held leadership and governance roles in the health, social and education sectors, and currently runs her own business and enjoys serving iwi Māori as well as her wider community in matters that contribute to improving its wellbeing. 

Ko te ika a Maui te waahi noho 
Ko te whaanga o Titahi te turangawaewae
Ko Whitireia toku maunga 
Ko Kotimana, ko Hindi ka iwi
Ko Bill Moran toku ikoa

Bill Moran (MNZM) is a former Deputy Secretary at the Treasury and has extensive governance experience, starting 16 years ago as co-founder and chair of Play It Strange through to today where he is Chair of both Sport NZ and High-Performance Sport NZ, Chair of Turn Up the Music Trust, a director of Pioneer Energy and a trustee of Youthtown amongst other roles.

Stephen (MNZM, MIOD)  is a Business and Strategic Projects Group Manager. He has managed the successful completion of large projects such as Southland’s Regional Energy Strategy, Whole Community Broadband Network as well as major civil and mechanical engineering projects including satellite and space ground stations and terrestrial television.

Stephen has been Chairman of the National Broadband Forum, Chairman of Junior Worlds 2012 Limited and President of Cycling New Zealand Road and Track. He has presented at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) events and at numerous international conferences.

David was appointed as Trustee in 2019 and is also chair of our Investment Committee. He is a Financial Advisor and an Investment Advisor at Craigs Investment Partners. David has an NZX Diploma and holds a Bachelor of Arts from Otago University. He has a commercial background, having worked for over 35 years in the financial services sector, starting out in the Trustee Industry and latterly in the investment sector. David is a member of Invercargill North Rotary Club, as well as past President. He is former Chairman of rural group Livestrands.

Ko Hananui te mauka
Te Ara o Kewa te moana
Ko Takatimu te waka
Ko Uruao te waka tipuna
Katimamoe, Kaitahu, Waitaha nga iwi
E te taha o taku papa
Rakiamoa me Ngai Tuahuriri ona hapu
Ko Walter Momo Fowler ia
E te taha o taku mama
Ruahikihiki me Irakehu ona hapu
Ko Majorie Goodwillie ia
Ko Louise Fowler taku ingoa

Appointed to the Trust in 2020, Louise has recently retired from Presbyterian Support Southland where she was a Cultural Advisor, Team Leader and Social Worker since 2002.  Louise has a long involvement with local iwi in governance roles; current Trustee of Awarua Rununga, Chair of Awarua Whanau Services, Chair of Te Rourou Whakatipuranga EEC, Director of Awarua Tio Company and an Awarua Whakapapa group member.

Ko Takitimu te maunga         
Ko Skippers te whenua e hono nei ki taku whanau
Ko Te Anau te roto e tata ana ki taku ngākau
Ko Devon ko Turakina te waka
Ko Scotland tōku iwi
Nō Te Anau ahau
Ko Kirsty Pickett taku ingoa  

Appointed to the Trust in 2020, Kirsty is a company director and award-winning journalist, based in Te Anau.  Having spent 15 years as a journalist for The Southland Times, Kirsty went on to become the first female editor of the Wanganui Chronicle in 2006.  Returning to Te Anau in 2008 Kirsty co-founded the Advocate South newspaper, created Southland’s first escape room business, Fiordland Escapes, and developed the Southland App – a digital news and information portal for Southland. A teacher and judge of highland dancing, Kirsty is also active in Scottish cultural circles, including the Te Anau Tartan Festival.

Ko Takitimu te māunga
Ko Te Anau to awa
Nō Murihiku ahau
Ko Dickson toku whanau
Ko Montgomery toku whanau inaianei
Ko Mel Montgomery toku ingoa

Mel lives in Central Southland and is the financial controller at ILT Stadium Southland.  Mel is also the manager of the Southland Indoor Leisure Centre Charitable Trust, owns a rural contracting business alongside her husband, is the chair of a local rural primary school, and was a director of Invercargill City Forest for four years.  Mel has a strong connection to the rural community and has been involved in a number of community organisations in varying capacities over her career.

Ko Maungatua toku maunga
Ko Taieri toku awa
Ko Pakeha, Kuki Airani toku iwi
Ko Murihiku tohu papa kainga
Ko Leanne Samuel toku ingoa

Leanne is the Southland area manager for IHC/IDEA services and has held executive clinical leadership/management roles in District Health boards and more recently in the intellectual disability sector. Qualifications include Nursing, Midwifery and a Masters degree in Health Service Management. Leanne is also qualified in Civil Defence Emergency management.  Born and raised in Otago and Southland, Leanne was as a previous member of the Trusts’ Murihiku health scholarship committee.  Leanne’s whanau is a mix of NZ European and Cook Island Maori descent and Leanne serves as a board member on a rural health services provider trust and with local Maori and Pacific organisation. 

Ko Maungawhau te māunga
Ko Liffey te awa      
No Dublin ahau
Ko Airihi, ōku iwi
Ko Waihopai toku kainga noho
Ko Leon Hartnett tōku ingoa

Born and raised in Dublin, Ireland. Leon has professional qualifications in accountancy and tax law and worked as an accountant for 20 years. Leon was the Charter President of the Rotary club of Invercargill NRG, founding director of Greenlight Innovations and director of Helping Hands Southland. He also works for IHC New Zealand.

Leon, his wife and three children have lived in Invercargill since 2011 and are heavily invested in the community. Leon is committed to the wellbeing of the community especially as regards those who are disadvantaged.                

Kathryn, a chartered accountant with more than 30 years’ experience in public practice, is currently a self-employed consultant, principally to McIntyre Dick.  Kathryn was a partner/principal in McIntyre Dick and Partners for many years, and prior to that a partner in PricewaterhouseCoopers and Coopers and Lybrand.

A director of SBS Bank since 2006, and deputy chair since 2016, Kathryn chairs the bank’s Audit & Risk Committee.  She is a director of Invercargill Central Ltd, and was previously a director of Stadium Southland Ltd and a councillor of Southern Institute of Technology (SIT), chairing the Audit & Finance Committee and serving a period as deputy chair.

Kathryn is a fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, and a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Directors.

Ko Tititea te māunga
Ko Wanaka te roto
Nō Otautahi ahau
Ko Liz rāua ko Ron Carson ōku mātua
No Wanaka rāua
Ko Ray Flutey toku hoa tane
Nō Akaroa ia
Ko Kai Tahu tana iwi
Ko Abby tāku tamahine
Ko Joseph tāku tama
Ko Waihopai toku kainga noho
Ko Jackie Flutey toku ingoa

Bringing a range of management experience in the grantmaking and tertiary education sectors, Jackie joined the Trust in early 2018. Jackie’s commitment to fostering relationships and partnerships with other funders and the community ensures the Trust is well positioned and continues to build on its solid foundations established over the past 30 years. Her pragmatic and level-headed approach enables her to empower staff and effectively support the trustees to carry out their mandate.

Email: jackie@communitytrustsouth.nz

Ko Takitimu toku māunga
Ko Aparima toku awa
Ko Nightcaps te whenua, e hono nei ki
taku whanau
Ko Kotirani, ko Airihi tōku iwi
Ko Waihopai toku kainga noho
Ko Dianne Williams tōku ingoa

With nearly 20 years working alongside the people of the South, Dianne brings an empathic and sound understanding of all things community. Her knowledge of working with your organisation is a vital link in sharing your passion and advocating for your services and projects with trustees. Dianne’s strength is getting to the heart of a project and working alongside groups to achieve their goals.

Email: dianne@communitytrustsouth.nz

Ko Motupohue te māuka
Ko Te Ara a Kiwa te moana
Ko Takitimu te waka
Nō Te Moutere a Ruapuke ahau
Ko Te Rau Aroha tōku marae
Ko Tuhawaiki Te Rangitira
Ko Kai Tahu, ko Katirani oku iwi
Ko Kati Mamoe, ko Waitaha ōku hapu
Ko Waihopai toku kainga noho
Ko Michelle Baron toku ingoa

With a wealth of experience in financial services, administrative systems and support, Michelle brings a positive and friendly approach to supporting community groups and individuals ensuring your grant or scholarship application is in very safe hands. Her part-time role supports our Grants Manager in the day-to-day administration of funding activities.

Email: michelle.baron@communitytrustsouth.nz

Ko Takitimu te māunga
Ko Waimatuku te awa
Ko Napaeleon Toru te waka
Ko Drummond te whenua, e hono nei, ki
taku whanau
Ko Kotirani toku iwi
Nō Otatara ahau
Ko Ngaire Hamilton toku ingoa

Ngaire’s down-to-earth approach, combined with a diverse range of skills and responsibilities, ensures she's the glue that holds our office together. With over ten years’ experience at the Trust, Ngaire knows the organisation inside and out and is your first point of contact.

Email: ngaire@communitytrustsouth.nz

Ko Takitimu te māunga
Ko Waiau te awa
Ko Wakatipu te roto
Ko Kotirani, Ko Airihi, Ko Werehi oku iwi
Ko Jennifer Hay toku ingoa

With over 20 years’ experience as a chartered accountant in the private and community sectors, Jen brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her role. When it comes to numbers, Jen thrives on detail and can bring numbers to life, ensuring our investments and operations are managed based on best practice.

Email: jennifer@communitytrustsouth.nz

Ko Takitimu te māunga
Ko Waihopai te awa
Ko Pladda te waka
Ko Kotirani, ko Airihi, ko Wiwi ngā iwi
Nō Roslyn Bush ahau
Ko Waihopai tōku kainga noho
Ko Beadle, ko Thomas tōku whānau
Ko Robyn Koehler tōku ingoa

With a Bachelor of Physical Education and Postgrad in Rehabilitation, Robyn brings a wide range of skills and experiences to her role of over 10 years. Having her finger on the pulse and knowing what’s happening in our community and the wider grantmaking sector ensures our strategy and grantmaking decisions are well informed.

Email: robyn@communitytrustsouth.nz

Ko Takitimu te māunga
Ko Wakatipu te roto
Ko Nightcaps te whenua e hono nei ki
taku whanau
Ko Kotirani, ko Ingarangi, ko Airihi,
ko Polish ōku iwi
Ko Waihopai toku kainga noho
Ko Justine Horgan tōku ingoa

With a sales and marketing background, Justine brings years of experience to communicating the amazing work and achievements of people and community groups supported by the Trust. She also keeps everyone informed about funding opportunities and what’s new at Community Trust South.