Bev, born and bred in Taranaki, has a consultancy practice, Quality Visions Limited, specialising in quality systems, auditing, change management, strategy, governance, and significant business and health management experience. Returning and restoring the awa, the whenua, the moana to a state where her tupuna (ancestors) sustained their wellbeing and traditions from, as they did many years ago, is crucial and requires urgent respect. Bev believes it is important to be part of the solution. Wild for Taranaki is a collective of people with a wide range of diverse skills and expertise working in collaboration to protect the Taranaki ecosystem and biosphere. She is keen to contribute and to assist with this plan and together, working to take care of the environment. Open trusting relationships, strong connections with mana whenua throughout Taranaki and a personal desire to attain a sustainable environment are attributes Bev brings to the Trust.

She holds governance roles with Paraninihi Ki Waitotara (Farms and Investments), Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki (Education/Training), Lantern House Trust (High Need Disabilities), Mahia Mai A Whai Tara Trust (Kaumatua/elderly Service), and Tamariki Pakari Trust (Research). Bev is a registered nurse and has a Master’s in Management, a Postgrad Diploma in Health Service Management, a Bachelor of Arts, and a Diploma in Māori and Nursing.

Simon was involved in a number of the early sessions exploring a regional sustainability strategy and then facilitated the Taranaki Biodiversity Forum in February 2016 so it is exciting to be able to now join the Wild for Taranaki Board. He is passionate about Taranaki’s natural environment, in particular its birdlife, and is a keen supporter of his daughter as a youth ambassador at Lake Rotokare.

He is Chief Executive Officer of BAF – Bishop’s Action Foundation which works with communities to identify the root cause of community and social issues and develop partnerships that can create lasting solutions to them. They operate as a catalyst for change, developing collaborations and solutions that can thrive beyond their involvement so that they can continue to look for more good to be done.

Simon’s governance experience includes being Co-Chair of Hui E! Community Aotearoa and Chair of the NZ Navigator Charitable Trust from their inception through to Oct 2019 and being a Director of Catalyst Housing Ltd, a charitable company exploring affordable housing opportunities for Taranaki. He also has an MPhil through AUT which focused on governance in the community sector and Post-Graduate Diplomas in Development Studies and Public Health.

Outside of work Simon is married to Theresa and has two children Oliver (16) and Amber (13) and is a coach of junior football.

Michael Joyce has seen first-hand the benefits of restoring native ecosystems and has lent his time and talents to the cause over many years.

The South Taranaki dairy business consultant and farmer served on the Taranaki Tree Trust for nine years, five of them as chairperson, before the Trust was wound up in 2016 as its functions were absorbed by the then newly established Taranaki Biodiversity Trust, now called Wild for Taranaki.

Michael brings extensive regional governance experience to Wild for Taranaki. He has been a Taranaki Regional Councillor since 2007 and currently chairs its Consents and Regulatory Committee and the Yarrow Stadium Joint Committee.

He is also a Trustee of the Dairy Trust Taranaki and the Taranaki Community Rugby Trust.

He’s fully committed to restoring Taranaki, having witnessed the return of native birds to his own intensively farmed locality after many areas of native vegetation were established and effective predator control was carried out on his own farm.

Lauren is an environmental lawyer, specialising in environmental and local government law and civil litigation. She is currently a partner at Govett Quilliam, where she leads the firm’s Environment and Planning Team.

In her day to day work, she regularly collaborates with a wide network of environmental scientists, engineers and planners and provides legal and strategic oversight for a variety of projects. She acts for local and regional authorities, national corporations, local businesses, start ups, iwi and PSGE, community organisations and individuals and families.

She understands the environmental issues within the Taranaki region and is passionate about increasing awareness of these issues within our community and working with stakeholders to design solutions for a more sustainable future. She strongly supports Wild for Taranaki’s vision and purpose, and its region-wide collaborative approach.

Lauren is also a trustee on the Moturoa School Board of Trustees, a committee member of the Taranaki branch of the Resource Management Law Association and the honorary solicitor for the Friends of the Govett Brewster/Len Lye Centre, and Heritage Taranaki Incorporated.

Amanda Clinton-Gohdes serves as a Councillor on New Plymouth District Council. She is the Chair of the Community Funding Investment Committee, Deputy Chair of the District Licensing Committee, and is the appointed Councillor to Kaitake Community Board.

Amanda holds a Bachelor of Science specialising in molecular biology and biochemistry, and a Bachelor of Laws (Hons). Before joining Council she practiced Commercial and Property Law, and also has experience in the tertiary education sector.

Amanda has a passion for working with the community to regenerate the taiao (environment), acting together with mana whenua to protect and restore ecosystems for generations to come. She is honoured to be part of the Wild for Taranaki team.

Jan is of Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Raukawa-ki-te-Tonga and Te Ātiawa descent. He is the Environmental Director for the NEXT Foundation, a strategic philanthropic foundation focused on transformation and system impact in environment, education and philanthropy.

Jan is a board member on the Biological Heritage National Science Challenge, Genomics Aotearoa, a Trustee of the Cawthron Institute Trust Board and a member of the Kāhui advisory to Ministry of the Environment Executive.

He’s passionate about restoring peoples connection to nature, convening entities to work together effectively to restore nature whilst delivering wellbeing outcomes for all involved.

E Io, e Rangi nui e tū nei, Papatuanuku e takoto nei. Koutou ngā Atua Māori – te mana ō te ao ki a koutou. Ki ngā mate, koutou kua noho āio i te taha wairua – anei te mihi manawa nui ki a koutou. E ōku whanaunga ō Taranaki Whānui, tēnei au e tū pono ki te kaupapa. Ko Tāne Wiremu Houston taku ingoa. Nō Tāngahoe, nō Ngāruahine nō Ngāti Ruanui hoki. Ngā Hapū ko Tupaia, ko Tānewai ko Manuhiakai e ora nei. Mauri ora ki ngā awa, mauri ora ki a Tītohea – Taranaki te tūpuna mounga. Tīhei Mauri Ora!

Kia ora koutou, my name is Tāne Wiremu Houston and I am a descendant of our Mounga Taranaki. It is an honour and privilege to be a part of the Wild for Taranaki Board of Trustees. It is my intent to be reliable, accountable and productive within this shared space of looking after our region’s bio-diversity. I aim to do my best by our members and enjoy doing so. Thank you all for this opportunity, let’s get it done!