Our Trustees | O Matou Tarahitī
CHRIS USSHER
CHAIR
Chris was appointed Chair in May 2022 and previously has been a Trustee since July 2018. A lawyer by trade, he is a partner in a New Plymouth law firm with a particular focus on property, trust and commercial law. Before practising as a lawyer, he worked in a range of policy and advisory roles in the public sector, both at the Treasury and the Ministry of Social Development.
WHAREHOKA WANO
DEPUTY CHAIR
Born and educated in Hawera, Wharehoka (Whare) went on to Waikato University training as a secondary teacher and he brings 30 years of experience working in the education sector. Wharehoka is married to Emere and they have four children and 11 moko who are mostly based in New Plymouth.
His tribal affiliations are Te Atiawa, Taranaki, Ngati Awa and he is well respected for his leadership in the Taranaki community, along with other responsibilities such as cultural ambassador for the region at events such as Womad. Whare is currently CEO of Te Kahui o Taranaki Iwi Trust, Chairperson of the Taranaki Maori Trust Board and is a trustee on Te Kotahitanga o Te Atiawa Board.
SOPHIE BRAGGINS
TRUSTEE
Born in Ngamotu, Sophie spent her younger years living in the Pacific Islands before returning to Taranaki for High School. She completed her degree in psychology and human resources at Canterbury University and her first role saw her working in Dubai, Qatar and Abu Dhabi with an Australian HR company.
Her career has seen her specialise in strategy, communications and people and change management across various industries, and most recently in Law as the CEO of Govett Quilliam. She holds several governance roles; Trustee of Taranaki Women’s Refuge, and previously as the Chair of both the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce and CEO Forum. Sophie has been a Trustee of Toi Foundation since September, 2020.
Sophie and husband Michael have two children, Isabella and Theo and she leads an active life with a keen interest in ocean swimming, running and supporting local community initiatives.
ROBIN BROCKIE
TRUSTEE
Robin was appointed as a Trustee in June 2017. Robin is a retired chartered accountant and now actively engaged with a number of governance roles. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Australia and New Zealand and a member of the Institute of Directors.
Robin completed his education at Victoria University with a Bachelor of Commerce and Administration. Joining the accounting profession in Wellington, that was soon followed by several years in Asia and the United States and eventually residing in Taranaki from 1985.
Robin has throughout in his professional career had the opportunity to work with a wide variety of organisations in providing services centred around corporate recovery, strategic advice, assurance, governance and several related services.
Robin was previously Chair of Venture Taranaki Trust and Chair of the Western Institute of Technology Taranaki Limited. Robin is currently a Director of Tui Ora Limited, Director of Toi Foundation Holdings Limited, Member of the Standing Committee of the Anglican Diocese of Waikato and Taranaki and serves as the Chair of its Finance Committee, Trustee of the Dame Malvina Major Foundation and is Chair of the Dame Malvina Major Foundation – Taranaki Committee.
Robin is married to Barbara who has, and continues to support Robin throughout his professional career, as well their daughters Emma (sustainability and environmental consultant, Auckland) and Renee (process engineer, Taranaki).
BALI HAQUE
TRUSTEE
Born in Pakistan, raised and educated in England, Bali started his New Zealand teaching career at Spotswood College in 1975. He has since gone on to be the principal of four secondary schools and Deputy Chief Executive of NZQA.
He has also provided leadership to principals and teachers as the President and Executive member of the Secondary Principals Association of New Zealand (SPANZ), and as an Executive member of the PPTA.
Bali is author of Changing our Secondary Schools published in 2014, and New Zealand Secondary Schools and your Child a Guide for Parents, published in 2017.
Bali is currently the Chair of the Minister of Education appointed Independent taskforce to review Tomorrow’s Schools. This review will focus on the future governance management and administration of the compulsory schooling sector.
Bali lives in New Plymouth with his wife Cara. Their two sons Daniel and Tobias currently live in Kabul and Paris respectively.
NICOLA NGAREWA
TRUSTEE
Nicola Ngarewa, Ngāti Ruanui, Ngā Rauru, Ngā Ruahine,
is born and bred in Patea and has taught in all sectors of education from Early Childhood to Tertiary. She is currently the Principal at Spotswood College the Chair of Te Aho O Te Kura Pounamu, a board member for Te Ako Mātātupu, and the former Chair of the NZ Teachers Council.
In 2013, she received a Sir Peter Blake Leadership Award as a result of transformative work at Tamatea High School. In 2016 she was the recipient of the Taranaki Daily News Person of the Year for transformative work at Patea Area School, with the school receiving the National UNESCO award for Education - Global Citizenship 2018.
Nicola is married to Wayne Cribb, they have two daughters.
LIANA POUTU
TRUSTEE
Born and raised in Taranaki, Liana attended New Plymouth Girls’ High School and went on to study at the University of Waikato. She was a legal practitioner for 14 years with a strong focus on Treaty of Waitangi, Maori land and Maori governance issues.
Liana is the current Pouwhakarae (Chair) of Te Kotahitanga o Te Atiawa Trust (the entity responsible for managing Te Atiawa’s Treaty Settlement). She also holds other governance roles with Te Atiawa Iwi Holdings Management Ltd, Tui Ora Ltd, Te Reo o Taranaki Charitable Trust and is a member of the Taranaki-Whanganui Conservation Board.
Liana is proud to be following in the footsteps of her grandfather Ted Tamati who was a foundation member of the TSB Community Trust and served as a Trustee from 1988 to 2001.
RYAN EAGAR
TRUSTEE
Ryan was born and raised with his three brothers in Stratford, Taranaki. A graduate of Stratford High School he went on to gain a BSc Chemistry and MSc (Hons) at Waikato University.
After stints living in Japan, France and the UK Ryan returned to NZ and worked in senior roles across insurance (AIG, Allianz), finance, investment (Macquarie), private equity and venture capital.
Ryan is currently the chair of two private companies, a member of the Institute of Directors and a founding member of Launch Taranaki.
Married to Susan with two teenage children, Emma and Luke, Ryan can often be found in the surf or on the water in summer or coaching football or on a mountain in winter.