Board Members

To learn more about the NZ Māori Tourism board members, please read the profiles below. The contact details for each board member can also be found here.

Dr Tom Roa - Kaumātua / Officer of the Board

Ngāti Maniapoto, Waikato
Dr Tom Roa is Te Mata Ahurangi (Tikanga Advisor) of the University of Waikato and an Associate Professor at Te Pua Wānanga ki te Ao/The Faculty of Māori and Indigenous Studies at the University. He is an expert in translation between te reo Māori and English; and the oral and written history of Waikato-Tainui, Ngāti Maniapoto and the Kīngitanga.

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Tom has researched, contributed to, and published on a Māori classificatory regime for flora and fauna; Māori traditional ecological knowledge; the theory and practice of translating from and into te reo Māori; Māori men’s health; and Māori military history.

He has served for many years on Te Whakakitenga o Waikato, the Waikato-Tainui parliament, including as its chairperson. He has also been a member and chairperson of Te Arataura, the Waikato-Tainui executive board, serving as a Director on Tainui Group Holdings, and a Trustee of the Waikato-Tainui Raupatu Lands Trust, The Waikato Raupatu River Trust and various lands and marae trusts in the King Country. He is also a Justice of the Peace and was appointed as a member of the Waitangi Tribunal in 2016.

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Dale Stephens - Chairman

Te Rarawa

Dale Stephens is the Kaitohu Rangapū Māori – Director Māori Partnership at New Zealand Trade and Enterprise where he works closely with Māori businesses, government agencies and community groups across the motu to advance Māori internationally. He has been Chair of NZ Māori Tourism’s Board for the past eight years and been a board member since 2013.

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After a career in the police (to the rank of Inspector) Dale worked in the corporate sector in HR and Investment. He has consulted to a range of government agencies including MFAT, Te Puni Kōkiri, MPI and Fisheries. He has held three private sector CEO positions both in New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific as well as holding a number of directorships in te ao Māori and in private business.

Outside of work, Dale and his wife Tarina (Te Atiawa) have six teenage and young-adult children keeping them immensely busy and happy.

Dale’s academic background includes; Diploma in Policing Management, Bachelor of Business Studies, Master of Public Policy, Graduate Diploma in te reo Māori and Master of Laws.

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Dan Te Whenua Walker - Deputy Chairperson

Ngāti Ruanui, Ngā Ruahine Rangi, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairoa, Maniapoto, Tūhourangi
Dan Walker is a proud husband and dad. Born in Christchurch, Dan remains a proud Cantabrian despite settling in Tāmaki Makaurau with his whānau. His main whakapapa links are with South Taranaki.

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Dan has over 25 years’ experience as a senior manager in enterprise IT and tech leadership companies such as Samsung, Dell Technologies and now Microsoft. He currently works in the Cloud Solutions and Applications team.

Dan has a passion for Māori success in business and the growth of leadership capacity within our iwi, hapū and whānau. Outside of NZ Māori Tourism, he is Pou Tuarā of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Ruanui, Director of the Centre for Social Impact, Chair of Whānau Mārama Parenting and Director of Korowai Hikuroa Consulting Limited.

Dan has an MBA from the University of Auckland, a Masters in Advanced Leadership Practice from Massey University, and a Diploma in Management and te Reo Māori.

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Glen Katu - Board Member

Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Kinohaku, Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāti Rarua, Ngāti Rereahu, Ngāti Ruanui
Glen is the Chief Executive Officer, of the Te Kuiti-based Maraeroa C Group. He chaired the NZ Māori Tourism Board from 2010 to 2012, was a deputy chair and foundation member of Tainui Waka Tourism and a member of Destination Pureora.

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After spending almost 30 years in the banking industry, Glen resigned in 2002 to pursue a career in Māori business and social development. He has a professional or community involvement in a range of organisations operating in the forestry, farming and food sectors, as well as tourism. He has served on or worked for the Maniapoto Māori Trust Board, Taranaki District Health Board and its financial audit and compliance sub committee, Ngāti Ruanui Group Management Ltd (Hawera), Maunga Tu Maunga Ora Māori Business Development Agency (Taranaki) and the Taranaki Economic Advisory Group.

Glen has won several Māori business awards and is a member of the Institute of Directors.

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Dr Xiaoying Fu - Independent Board Member

Xiaoying is an expert on bilateral trading and investment between New Zealand and China. She has worked on many of the investments into New Zealand from China, and has helped many New Zealanders to do business there. Xiaoying has a strong understanding of various industries, and good insights into them.

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Xiaoying is currently chair of the NZ China HiTech Innovation Alliance, and was on the board of Kiwa Digital, Pure-Ora Mountain Ginseng Ltd and New Zealand Asian Leaders. She is a member of the Institute of Directors.

By training, Xiaoying is a scientist and an IT professional. She was a lecturer at Nanjing University before pursuing further overseas study in the United Kingdom. Xiaoying has a guiding passion for innovation, hi-technology and education.

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Lee Ann Muntz – Board Member

Ngāti Koroki Kahukura, Ngāti Ranginui

Lee Ann Muntz is the Director and founder of Aotearoa Experience Limited who offer consultancy services, bespoke tours and events with a particular focus on experiencing Māori arts and culture along the beautiful scenery and attractions of Aotearoa.

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Born in Australia but raised in Turangi, the former bank worker fell into the tourism industry through her love for people, sport and kapa haka. Since launching Aotearoa Experience, Lee Ann has gone on to serve as the Chairperson for Tainui Waikato Tourism and board member for AIO (American for Indian Opportunity).

She has also been an active presence in her Māori community and undertaken various roles affiliated with her children’s schooling – treasurer of Pōhara Marae, trustee for Ngāti Koroki Kahukura Trust and board member for Ngā Taiātea Wharekura to name a few.

When the proud kuia and māmā of four isn’t hosting manuhiri or serving her communities she enjoys travelling and relaxing with friends and whānau.

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Vanetta (Minnie) Clark, Board Member

Te Āti Awa, Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga
Minnie has been involved in her whānau run tourism venture for over 15 years. Kapiti Island Nature Tours has been the recipient of many regional and national awards for excellence in tourism.

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It is a growing and profitable business with Māori values including: kaitiakitanga, manaakitanga, rangatiratanga, whanaungatanga, kotahitanga and ūkaipōtanga. Minnie is involved in all aspects of the operation – strategy planning, management, administration, marketing and reservations. She has both an administrative and practical understanding of the inner workings of a tourism venture.

Minnie is a mother of three and lives in Manakau. She is an active member of her children’s marae, Wehi Wehi, and her own marae, Whakarongotai.

Her whānau has lived and worked on Kapiti Island for close to 200 years.

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