Marino Tahi
Iwi / hapū: Ngāi Tūhoe
General Manager - Māori & Pacific Partnerships
Marino sits on the NIWA Executive Management Team and provides strategic leadership and advice to NIWA’s science, operational and cultural functions on matters pertaining to Te Ao Māori, with the aim of maximising the transfer of environmental and natural resource scientific knowledge to whānau, hapū, iwi and Māori entities and communities for the economic, social, cultural, and environmental benefit of the nation.
Marino is also responsible for NIWA’s science delivery and partnerships within the Pacific Rim (Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa).
Dr Erica Williams
Iwi / hapū: Te Arawa, Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Pikiao, Te Whānau ā ApanuiPou Whakarae - Te Hiringa Taiao
Chief Scientist - Te Kūwaha team
Erica joined NIWA in 1995 and has been a member of NIWA’s Te Kūwaha team since its inception. As Chief Scientist, Erica is responsible for driving high standards of quality, excellence, and innovation in NIWA’s science leadership in the Māori Environmental Research area. Erica has an extensive research career in the freshwater space with a focus on supporting the research aspirations of whānau, hapū and iwi. Erica is also a key mentor for Te Kūwaha team members and NIWA staff who engage in Māori environmental research.
Darcel Rickard
Iwi / hapū: Ngāti Koata, Tainui-a-whiro, Ngāti Porou
Māori Organisational Development Manager
Darcel works closely with the General Manager – Māori and Pacific Partnerships, the Pou Whakarae – Te Hiringa Taiao and NIWA’s Operations Management Team to implement NIWA’s bicultural organisational development strategy. She works to enhance existing processes, develop and lead new initiatives and provide strategic advice and support.
Darcel also leads the science communication and outreach programme for Te Kūwaha; NIWA’s Māori workforce development and cultural competency programme; and Te Piko o te Māhuri – NIWA's Māori Capability Development programme.
Jay Hepi
Iwi / hapū: Kai Tahu, Te Atihaunui a Pāpārangi, Waikato-Maniapoto
Pou Arahi - Māori Development Leader
Jay joined the NIWA whānau from Christchurch City Council where he was Pouwhakatohutohu Matua-Acting Principal Advisor-Te Tiriti Relationships. Born and bred in Ōtautahi, Jay has the Pou Ārahi-Māori Development Leader role for Te Waipounamu. Jay’s role requires working closely with iwi, hapū, mana whenua and whānau across Te Waipounamu and other iwi, to strengthen relationships with NIWA, whilst also supporting the development for a greater understanding of how our organisation works and engages with Māori and other entities.
Niketi Toataua
Iwi / hapū: Tainui
Pou Arahi - Māori Development Leader
Niketi is a whanau, hapū and iwi engagement specialist. He has over 27 years of experience in iwi consultation and designing and managing iwi engagement.
In his role as a Pou Ārahi he looks to facilitate strong working relationships between whanau, hapū and iwi and NIWA. Niketi covers from the top of Northland to the central North Island.
April Nepia-Su'a
Iwi / hapū: Nō Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Porou, Ngā Puhi rātou ko Ngāti Ruanui
Pou Ārahi – Māori Development Leader
‘Ko au te taiao, ko te taiao ko au’
April joins NIWA from The Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa Tongarewa as Pou Tikanga for the Iwi in Residence Exhibition – “Ko Rongowhakaata”, where she was responsible for Tikanga Māori protocols, enhancing the organisation’s cultural capability and awareness, along with a myriad of engagements with mana whenua, iwi and Pacific networks, national and international dignataries. She brings experience in the government, corporate, retail, public and travel industries where she held positions at Taura Whiri i te reo Māori, Waitangi Tribunal and Air New Zealand.
April’s role is iwi engagement in the central region, building enduring relationships with NIWA and favourable outcomes for Te Ao Māori, and to strengthen and invigorate NIWA staff with Mātauranga Māori raising further awareness of NIWA as a strong Treaty partner.
Ngahuia Herangi
Iwi / hapū: Waikato-Maniapoto, Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga
Environmental Researcher
Ngahuia brings experience and expertise in co-designing iwi/hapū driven freshwater assessment frameworks and building the capacity and capability of whānau. Having graduated with a Master of Business Administration, Ngahuia works closely with the research and leadership team to achieve collective and individual goals.
Dr Shannan Crow
Iwi / hapū: Te Atiawa
Freshwater Fish Ecologist
Shannan has been involved in a wide variety of freshwater research projects during his 15 years at NIWA, but his true passion is fish. Shannan has expertise in tuna fisheries assessments for iwi and freshwater fish taxonomy, ecology and behaviour.
Shannan is based in the NIWA Christchurch office and has a keen passion for photography.
Mark Fenwick
Iwi / hapū: Te Atiawa, Ngāti Te Whiti, Ngāti Tawhirikura, Taranaki, Ngāti Ruanui
Marine Ecologist
Mark has been involved in a wide range of marine ecology, fisheries and freshwater taonga species research during his 15 years at NIWA. He has a great general knowledge of marine and freshwater species and specialises in shellfish and octopus taxonomy. Mark is regularly involved in fisheries stock assessments, marine biosecurity and biodiversity surveys, and kākahi research.
Mark’s love for the environment stems from his childhood ramblings in the Tararua ranges, the rivers and lakes that originate from them, and fishing and diving along the Wairarapa coast. He is passionate about kākahi and their welfare.
Dr Ani Kainamu
Iwi / hapū: Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu ki Whaingaroa
Māori Marine Researcher
Ani was Te Kūwaha’s first post-doctoral fellow, joining NIWA in 2017 after completing a PhD at the Ngāi Tahu Research Centre and Canterbury University, which focused on the ‘Ecological and sociocultural values of shellfisheries in Hawai'i and Aotearoa’.
Ani has a passion for supporting whānau, hapū and iwi aspirations relating to inshore fisheries, including aquaculture, and indigenous ecosystem management (i.e., ki uta ki tai).
Kelly May
Iwi / hapū: Ngāti Kahungunu, Marangatuhetaua
Marine Scientist (Te Kūwaha)
Tēnā rā koutou kātoa, ngā mihi nui kia koutou o te motu nei.
Kelly was born and bred in Ahuriri and pays tribute to her whānau and hapū for instilling the belief that no matter the odds, we can work hard to make a difference. She has qualifications and experience in aquaculture, fisheries and resource management. Her main role is based on an understanding of how scientific expertise, tools and information can best be used to support whānau, hapū, iwi and Māori business aspirations.
Melanie Mayall-Nahi
Iwi / hapū: Ngāti Whātua, Te Rarawa
Environmental Social Scientist
Melanie joined the Te Kūwaha team as an Environmental Social Scientist in 2021 after entering NIWA via the Te Kūwaha Graduate Intern programme. Melanie completed her MSc in Environmental Management, with her thesis investigating how the active experiences of kaitiaki in river restoration can broaden our understandings of cultural and spiritual dimensions of river restoration.
Alice Woodward
Iwi / hapū: Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga, Te Arawa, Ngāti Kahungunu
Freshwater Researcher
Alice has experience in environmental monitoring and analysis, regulatory environmental compliance, project management and the Resource Management Act. She is passionate about te taiao, particularly when it comes to the health and wellbeing of wai. Alice is excited to continue her work with iwi/hapū and to progress their kaitiakitanga aspirations.
Mel Hayden
Iwi / hapū: Ngāti Huia, Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga
Environmental Researcher
Melanie joined Te Kūwaha as an environmental researcher in 2022 after an 18-month graduate experience at MPI, based primarily in Fisheries New Zealand. She completed her MSc in Biological Science in 2021, with her thesis focussed on the ‘conservation physiology of hoiho | yellow-eyed penguins’.
Melanie is passionate about the marine and coastal environments and believes that working alongside mana whenua and mana moana is key to improving environmental outcomes.
Tekiteora Rolleston-Gabel
Iwi / hapū: Tūhoe, Ngāti Kahu, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Awa
Environmental Researcher
Tekiteora was part of the first intake in the Te Kūwaha Graduate Intern programme, after completing conjoint BA and BSc degrees from the University of Waikato. More recently she has completed a MSc at the University of Waikato looking at shellfish pathogens and parasites in tuatua.
Tekiteora is passionate about life in the marine environment and research that is of value to her whānau, hapū and iwi.
Siobhan Nuri
Iwi / hapū: Ngāti Ranginui, Tūhourangi, Ngāti Pikiao
Freshwater Technician
Siobhan is currently enrolled in a PhD at the University of Waikato. Her thesis research is focusing on providing insights into the early life histories of longfin and shortfin tuna.
Siobhan is passionate about freshwater fisheries and te taiao. In 2020, Siobhan was lead author on a paper published in the NZ Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research entitled ‘Comparison of bathyscope and snorkelling methods for iwi monitoring of kākahi populations in the shallow littorals of Lake Rotorua and Rotoiti’. She was also awarded the Department of Conservation’s Best Contribution to Conservation award at the 2020 NZ Freshwater Science Society Conference.
Kararaina Te Puni
Iwi / hapū: Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga, Rangitāne o Manawatū, Ngāti Porou, Ngāi Te Rangi
PhD Student CarbonWatch
Kararaina was part of the second intake of Te Kūwaha Graduate Interns and has a background in chemistry, completing her BSc (honours) in Mechanochemistry at the University of Auckland in 2020.
She is currently enrolled in a PhD at Victoria University where, alongside iwi, she is investigating the ability of native forests to sequester carbon as part of the CarbonWatch NZ project.
Kararaina was recently awarded runner-up best student poster at the 2022 International Conference on Southern Hemisphere Meteorology and Oceanography.
Jessie Scarrott
Iwi / hapū: Ngāti Hako, Ngāti Tara Tokonui rātou ko, Ngāti Māhanga
Māori Graduate Intern
Jessie was part of the third intake of Te Kūwaha Graduate Interns. She graduated with a BSc in Ecology and Zoology at Massey University and is completing a PgDipSci in Marine Science at the University of Auckland. During her internship Jessie catalogued species for NIWA’s national invertebrate collection, mapped seafloor habitats, surveyed upper North Island ports for invasive marine pests, and helped to develop an identification guide for introduced species.
Jessie is currently enrolling in a MSc through the University of Auckland to work alongside mana whenua and build new knowledge around the implications of a recently arrived marine invasive species on kaitiakitanga and the sustainability of te taiao.
Ruby Mckenzie Sheat
Iwi / hapū: He uri au nō Kāi Tahu, Kāti Mamoe, me Waitaha
Te Kūwaha Graduate Intern
Ruby has graduated with a Master of Disaster Risk and Resilience at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha after completing a BSc in Geography and Biology in 2021. Her BSc focussed on marine and freshwater ecosystems; her master’s researched Māori-tailored disaster risk communication and education tools. She is passionate about intertwining mātauranga Māori in environmental research and sustainability by building, strengthening and maintaining relationships with mana whenua.
Natalie Taufa
Te Kūwaha Graduate Intern
Natalie was part of the Te Kῡwaha summer internship programme in 2022 and has returned for the graduate internship of 2023. She is currently enrolled in a MSc in Ecology and Biodiversity at the University of Waikato. Her research interest includes our taonga species in freshwater and marine environments. Working alongside iwi to apply Mātauranga Māori coupled with western science to support environmental research and kaitiakitanga of our unique ecosystem biodiversity is her passion.
