Matarau Governance Group

Ariana Estoras

Ngāti Maniapoto

Ariana is currently the Kaiārahi Matua, Director Māori Strategy, Research, and Partnerships at AgResearch (a Crown Research Institute). She has over 15 years of experience in agribusiness policy, economics, and research and is passionate about enabling Māori economic development through growth in the agrifood sector.

Along with her team, she is committed to building long-term partnerships with a range of Māori organisations, embedding Te Ao Māori competency across science, and delivering a Māori-centred research portfolio that integrates Mātauranga Māori and science.

Francene Wineti

Te Ātihaunui-a-Pāpārangi, Ngāti Tuwharetoa, Ngāti Rangi, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairoa

Francene is a senior executive and leader who is driven and passionate about research, science and innovation and its commercial potential to drive economic development. Francene has a wealth of experience in iwi/Māori development and strong relationships in the government, science and innovation sectors with established iwi/Māori networks, across all faces of Māori business.

Dr Tanira Kingi

Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Rangitihi, Te Arawa

Dr Kingi is an agricultural economist with over 30 years’ experience in New Zealand’s primary industries as a research scientist. He holds several government and Ministerial advisory group appointments on Māori land tenure and environmental policy reforms. Tanira is involved in a range of research programmes centred around land use change for whenua Māori.

Reina Tamepo

Te Whānau ā Apanui, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Awa

Reina is a Sustainable Value Chains System Researcher in the Te Ao Māori Research Group at Scion Research. Research capability includes value chain modelling, spatial modelling, nutrient modelling and farm systems. She is passionate about empowering Māori in land use decision making and development in ways that achieve intergenerational aspirations.

Dr Nikki Harcourt

Waikato, Ngāti Maniapoto

Dr Harcourt is the Kaihautū Māori Research Impact Leader for Manaaki Whenua (a Crown Research Institute). In her role she works with Māori partners to ensure that land use decisions can be made based on best advice that is relevant to Te Ao Māori perspectives. She is passionate about utilising her skills and knowledge to develop novel solutions in ways that benefit Māori.

Naomi Aporo

Ngāti Kahungunu, Te Arawa, Ngāpuhi, Ngāi Tahu

Naomi was the previous Kaihāpai Māori for the Our Land and Water National Science Challenge that funded the build of Matarau and funded key research Projects from which Matarau draws data and information. Her term of the Matarau Governance Group is transitional while Matarau is rolled out and established.