Mary Bourke - Chair
Mary Bourke understands well the concept of long-term viability and it’s importance to WITT. Self-employed specialising in independent facilitation, she chairs the Taranaki District Health Board, is presiding member of the Lotteries Community Facilities Grants committee, and sits on the TSB Community Trust, the Bishop's Action Foundation, the F&E Rodie Trust, the Taranaki Family/Whanau Centre (interim), and has recently accepted a role on the Taratahi Taranaki Advisory Committee.
She wants WITT to become an education provider of first choice both for learners and prospective staff members.
Gavin Woolley
Gavin is passionate about community development and the connection between health, education and employment. With more than 12 years senior and executive Human Resources experience in the public and private sector, Gavin is currently General Manager HR & Organisational Development at Taranaki District Health Board and a Trustee at Whakatipuranga Rima Rau, an innovative inter-agency trust established to create 500 employment opportunities for Maori across the Taranaki Health sector over the next 10 years. Gavin’s aspires for WITT to provide a learning journey ‘like no other’ and be the destination of choice for those seeking to commence a new career, gain a promotion, develop further or learn new skills to change careers.
Paul Goldsmith
WITT is the principal provider of tertiary education in Taranaki today and will continue in this role for the forseeable future. It as our responsibility as councillors to assist in the establishment and maintainance of WITT in the best position to deliver our services and to simultaneously promote the best education opportunities for our community whether it be at WITT or through its allied providers around NZ. Witt will focus on what it is best at and will be the niche provider in the areas of unique Taranaki and NZ specialisation of study courses.
Rex Hendry
NZSSM, B.A.(Soc), Dip Mgt.
“I would like to see WITT as the best little polytech in the country – a vibrant and dynamic place for students to learn and an enjoyable place for staff to work.” Rex took up growing garlic and lavender in 2005 after 35 years full-time work. He was previously an Area Manager for the Department of Conservation in Taranaki, the Operations Manager at Scott Base in Antarctica, and has also worked as a local authority planner, a professional outdoor instructor and an electrician. He is currently the Sustainability Representative on the Regional Transport Committee, a member of the Taranaki-Whanganui Conservation Board and a Director for LandSAR New Zealand.
Sriyan Elanga Ekanayake
Elanga Ekanayake was appointed to the WITT Council by the Minister for Tertiary Education in May 2010. He is a Fellow Chartered Accountant, a Fellow Chartered Secretary and a Certified Management Accountant of Australia.
Elanga was the Chief Financial Officer of Powerco Limited, the second largest energy distribution company in New Zealand for over 20 years and retired from this position just prior to joining the WITT Council. He has also worked in Papua New Guinea for many years as a Consultant Accountant of an Asian Development Bank project.
It is Elanga’s aspiration to see WITT and its wholly owned subsidiary NZIHT becoming premier tertiary education providers in Taranaki and beyond maintaining very high quality academic standards, financial stability and good governance.
Hinerangi Edwards
Hinerangi Edwards (Taranaki whānui, Te Arawa) is passionate about Taranaki and opportunities that tertiary education and vocational training provides to individuals and whānau. She has a background in career planning, ITO moderation (public sector), agribusiness and Māori economic development. Current roles include PKW Trust Chair, PKW Inc Committee of Management member, Director of AATEA Solutions and trustee of a whānau trust. She has also been a hapū delegate for Ngā Hapū o Ngāruahine. Hinerangi has been in business with her husband Kiwa since 2000 and has four children.
Craig Macfarlane - Deputy Chair
Craig Macfarlane has always maintained a high focus on the importance of team work, team performance, productivity, quality and customer service. From the outset, with a small cafe in Inglewood, this focus has driven the desire to succeed and create a platform for all employees to extend their own personal vision where possible. Throughout his career Craig has successfully acquired skills through a sincere "hands on" approach to management to establish creditable business brands supported by proven operational systems. Now, with over ten independent and profitable businesses under his leadership he also heads Macfarlanes Assist providing national administration and business solutions to business owners from all sectors and industries around the country.
Craig's vision for WITT is to ensure that all students and employees can find focus in a productive and well structured learning arena to ensure that their career goals are nurtured and supported by the necessary skill base and industry.
Ruakere Hond
Tēnā koutou taku nui, taku rahi kei te kūreitanga o Taranaki nei puta atu ki ōna pāranga huhua noa.
My whānau connections are Taranaki. I firmly believe the distinctive form of our local language, culture and history is a critical factor for Taranaki Māori communities to be fully engaged in education. I have been keenly involved with adult education in the community and institutions since the 1980’s, especially in reo Māori immersion teaching and community development. It is inspiring to see the progress of Māori studies in WITT, which continues to be innovative and forward thinking. This supports WITT in being a pivotal facilitator of significant social, cultural and economic achievement in Taranaki by working alongside community initiatives and playing a major part in responding to local aspirations for growth and development.
Heoti anō rā e ōku karangamaha, rarau mai ki tēnei puna mātauranga. Mā wai kē te puna nei e hurahura? Māu, māku, mā tātou!
Tracey Hopkins - Council Secretary