Like all Māori, I’m a melting pot of whakapapa/ancestry. 

I have whakapapa links to all corners of Te Tairāwhiti. My hononga (connection) up the coast is through the Wharehinga, Haenga, Raroa, Ngatai, Kururangi and Toheriri whānau, my strongest connection being to Waipiro and the Poroporo via my grandparents, Morgan Wharehinga and Rita Haenga.

Through my nan on my mother’s side, Jane Huinga Cookson, I have whakapapa through the Katipa, Terekia, Taihuka, Kewa, Peneha, Nooti, Moeau, Kakere and Tiratahi whānau; my strongest connection being to Waihirere, Mangatu and Manutuke.

I could connect myself whakapapa wise distantly to Tāmanuhiri, but my strongest connection is via my daughters and their strong connection to Te Muriwai.

I have English and Te Arawa heritage coming through my grandfather, Bob Cookson. He was a school teacher and farmer out at Te Karaka, I loved him very much growing up. I love him still today.

My nanny Rita is also a Kahawai/Peeti from Whangaruru up North, so I have a connect up there too.

My Story

I’ve spent most of my life in Gisborne, leaving to go to university and returning as quick as I could. I love the East Coast. I love Gisborne.

Early in life I grew up around drugs, alcohol and gangs due to the male figure who was brought into our house.  My mother was our saviour and continues to be our saviour. She is a baker, social worker, evangelist and adopter of stray youth.  It’s my mum who taught me how to serve. While the circumstances in which I was raised weren’t ideal I am thankful for my upbringing; it has helped inform the opportunities I have had as an adult. I live in Kaiti and enjoy the beauty and diversity around me.

I have a passion for improving community health and education, community led initiatives, education, music, research and small business. For my Masters, my research topic was traditional Māori fatherhood.

Community

In the past, as the Chair of the Community Organisational Grants Scheme (COGS), administered by the Department of Internal Affairs, I facilitated grants to over 200 different East Coast community organisations, totalling more than $800,000 over the last three years.

During my chairmanship of the Ka Pai Kaiti Charitable Trust (KPK) I negotiated significant financial support from the Gisborne District Council, to help the Trust with Kaiti development work over ten years.  I regularly advocate on behalf of our communities at both local and national governmental levels.

I have kept myself active in the community space by being involved in the Kaiti community, and in the background with the likes of Feed Tairāwhiti, Gizzy School Lunches, East Coast Dance Crew, Horouta Waka Hoe Waka Ama club, Gisborne Intermediate School, Lytton High School and Fight for Life Education.

Governance

I am a fourth term elected councillor on the Gisborne District Council and have been the Deputy Mayor for two terms. I am a trained Hearings Commissioner chair.  Our council is tasked to serve our 50,000+ residents in our beautiful region.

I was appointed to the Tairāwhiti Iwi Māori Partnership Board – Toitū Te Ora for it’s establishment in July 2022. In February of 2024 I was appointed as a Co-Chair of the Board.

I was appointed by the Hon Nanaia Mahuta as an Honorary Adviser for the Asia New Zealand Foundation, as a Director to Gisborne District Council’s CCTO Gisborne Holdings Ltd, responsible for $120M+ of Commercial Assets for the Gisborne District, and as a Trustee to Core Education Charitable Trust, a charitable, not-for-profit company that provides public good services for the education sector.

In the past I have served as a two term board member of Hauora Tairāwhiti – District Health Board, appointed as the Deputy Chair for my second term. I was also on Te Mana Whakahaere – the governance board for Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, Aotearoa Scholarships Trust, Te Maruata Roopu Whakahaere – the Māori advisory board to the Local Government New Zealand board, and the Audit, Risk and Finance committee for Local Government New Zealand to name a few.

Skill Set

I have a background in education, having worked in primary and intermediate for the Gifted and Talented Education – GATE programme for Tairāwhiti REAP and at secondary level for Gisborne Boys’ High School. I also have held leadership and management roles at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa as an Academic Advisor, I managed 16 staff from five degree programmes, and was responsible for the research outputs across the 80+ staff in my area and the academic quality of our delivery to 1000+ students.

To be fair tho, for the last decade I have honed my governance skills across a wide range of organisations; local govt, commercial, Māori, charitable, health, education. My most relevant skills are in the governance/organisational space. I have always leaned into doing the hardest parts of my governance space. If the job isn’t hard then I feel like I’m being under utilised!

I have actively upskilled in the area of governance/organisational financial literacy and strategic financial management.

Small Business

I’ve started a LOT of small businesses! My most successful business was my events company where I ran events at various venues in Gisborne. I stopped my entrepreneurial ventures once I was elected to the Gisborne District Council.

Recently I have started two companies a furniture truck hire business and a moving company. It’s nice to be back in the entrepreneurial space again.

Ngā mihi

Thank you for taking the time to visit my website.

Mēnā, he pātai ano tāu, tukuna mai tetehi īmera ki ahau koa.

Any questions, then please feel free to email me.

Kia tau nga manaakitanga o te runga rawa kia koutou, kia tātou katoa.