To tātou Kōrero

Tania is the Founding Director of Kōwhai. She is committed to recognising Māori values within business and society to ensure equitable relationships underpin a productive, profitable and sustainable future for all.

Tania has won a range of business awards. She is an internationally trained negotiator and practiced facilitator with over 20 years in Māori development including business, education, land development, environment and Treaty issues.

She currently holds several national board positions. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Māori) from the University of Waikato and a Master of Mātauranga Māori from Te Wānanga o Raukawa. She has undertaken negotiations and advanced Negotiations workshops at Harvard Law School in Boston, USA.

Piki is the Chief Executive Officer.  She leads the Kōwhai and Oceania teams based in Huntly, Ngāruawāhia and Hamilton.  Piki is responsible for leading out the strategy and ensuring quality provision of all Kōwhai services.

She has worked in the company for 13 years and has completed a number of projects during this time.  She is a University of Waikato Alumni with a Bachelor of Management Studies and is currently continuing her Executive Training with the University of Virginia – Darden School of Business.

Qualified in strategic management from the University of Waikato, with over nine years in contract management and government funding.  Maria has an extensive administrative background across a variety of business industries.

Maria brings professional and personal knowledge and experience supporting tamariki who have been vulnerable to trauma, neglect, attachment displacement and disrupted learning and development needs.

Her core focus as Business Partner Operations is to; increase efficiencies, maxmise productivity opportunities, improve service quality standards and contribute to positive health and wellbeing outcomes for tamariki and whānau.

Natalie has worked with numerous whānau, tamariki and centres. Her current role as Office Administrator requires her to ensure the Kōwhai business operates to efficiency and in compliance with company policies. She assists with all the departments of Kōwhai and ensures the operations of daily tasks. Natalie has 10 years teaching experience at various primary schools and has experience working with vulnerable children with special learning/behavioural needs.

Lee focuses on large corporation and philathropic fund raising with the goal to create a sustainable future for Tui Trust and the projects the Trust supports.

The main focus of fundraising is to help whanau, in particular the successful development of children from low socio-economic communities.  Lee believes the best way to alleviate poverty is through education and early intervention. ‘If we invest in our children now, ultimately we will all be better off.’ Lee is also the administrator for the Tui Trust Board and Moko Club Advisory Board.  

Lee is also a digital artist, editor and printer with a background in publishing magazines and numerous educational books. 

Linda has 22 years’ experience in the accounting sector. She specialises in strategic business planning, financial and corporate leadership, strengthening financial operations and new business development. Linda strengthens our internal financial controls and systems and is able to deal with and suggest active solutions to diverse business issues of varying degrees and complexity.