Meet The Team
Melody Te Patu
MPTT CO-ORDINATOR
Melody Te Patu has strong whakapapa links to Whanganui and Taranaki. She is a mother of four children. Melody has worked in tertiary education for 15 years across differing roles as lecturer, student support and and coordinator for Māori and Pasifika Trades Training. Melody is passionate about education and empowering Māori and Pasifika people and communities. The role of MPTT Coordinator allows her to support and guide whānau, hapu, iwi and communities to up skill and engage in education, while in a supportive learning environment that can lead to higher education, employment or apprenticeships.
Ko te manu e kai ana te miro, nōna te ngāhere. Ko te manu e kai ana te mātauranga, nōna te ao.
“The bird who eats from the miro tree, owns the forest, however the bird that consumes learning owns the world”
Katrina Mayo
Contracted Advisor
Katrina has been living in Taranaki for the last 13 years and raising two children in the land where the mountains meet the sea. Katrina has 20 years experience in the vocational education field. With a background in HR, Career Development, and Trades Training. She has passion for helping people find their career path and looks forward to supporting Taranaki Futures to create pathways for Taranaki rangitahi.
Contact: katrina@taranakifutures.org
Meet the Trustees
(Acting Chair – Re-standing)
Andrew is the 3rd generation Managing Director of Pepper Construction Ltd. He has worked in the company for 27 years taking over the business in 2013, with previous experience in Project Management. Born and raised in Taranaki, Andrew was educated at NPBHS and Taranaki Polytechnic (WITT) attaining a New Zealand Certificate in Engineering – Civil.Andrew has wide experience with community development and the construction industry in Taranaki. He currently holds governance roles with the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce, WISE, Building Wellness Taranaki, Taranaki Construction Safety Group and previously with Taranaki Registered Master Builders, Devon Intermediate School & Building Together Better Communities Trust. Andrew is an avid advocate of all things ‘Taranaki’ and has a wide range of experience in governance, business and changing environments. He believes Taranaki Futures provides a leading role in creating opportunities for our Rangatahi and developing pathways for them to develop and connect with training, businesses and communities in the region. Currently an existing Taranaki Futures board member, he has experienced the achievements and changing environments in which Taranaki Futures has operated in. Activities he has been involved in that have provided many Rangatahi opportunities include but not limited to are Trade Apprenticeships, Gateway, Build a Bach, Build a Trailer, Accelerator, Cadetships and Sports clubs. He is a strong advocate of supporting Rangatahi and their endeavours to together create opportunities and a better Taranaki Future.
I have a keen interest in seeing the Trust build on its success in helping to build a connected Taranaki wide workforce development sector. I care deeply about seeing our rangatahi step into jobs that matter to them, where they feel confident and supported. I want local employers to find the skilled people they need without jumping through hoops, and I believe our support services should work together—not in isolation—to make that happen. It’s about making the whole system smarter and better connected so everyone in Taranaki can thrive. I bring experience in cross-sector collaboration, strategic planning, and community engagement, and I believe in the power of local leadership to shape inclusive economic growth. I see the tangible outcomes of what the Māori Pacifica Trades Training academy brings to our workforce – a pipeline of adventure ready, well trained and supported taiohi and I want to strengthen their connection in the trades workforce. In my professional life, I’m the General Manager of the Māori Business Network in Taranaki, supporting Māori business owners to grow capability and strengthen their connections. I’m also currently enrolled in a pilot Māori Governance Training Programme through Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, which is helping build my knowledge of tikanga-led leadership and good governance practice. I sit on several other boards/committees including Puketapu School where I have been the Chair for 6 years.
Kirsty Jamieson has with a breadth of experience in labor market analysis, the development of regional workforce plans, and strategic alignment of organisational people activities. With a deep understanding of workforce trends and an ability to bridge talent supply and demand, Kirsty has dedicated her career to driving impactful change at an enterprise and regional level. In addition to her expertise in workforce strategy, Kirsty brings robust governance experience to the table. She holds governance positions roles on the board of TOPEC and the Stratford Community Sports Society, contributing to high-level decision-making processes, strategic planning, and organisational oversight. Her governance tenure is marked by a commitment to integrity, strategic foresight, and effective collaboration, ensuring alignment of organizational objectives and stakeholder priorities. Throughout her career, Kirsty has played a pivotal role in fostering innovative partnerships, leveraging data-driven insights, and ensuring workforce and governance strategies align with long-term goals. Her combination of operational expertise and governance acumen makes her a valuable asset to any board, driving forward-thinking solutions for complex challenges.
My work history has been varied but always within the building and construction industry. I completed a carpentry apprenticeship, achieving advanced trade certificate. After this I ran my own construction company , under my name, for 38 years. We trained 9 apprentices ,4 being Maori, who mostly run their own businesses. I’ve spent 10 years on the Registered Master Builders national board, 2 years as national president. I’ve also served 17 years on the Taranaki Master Builders Executive. Within national apprentice training, I spent 11 years on the BCITO board and completing 5 years on the ConCOVE (Construction and Infrastructure Centre of vocational excellence) board- an independent research organization closing on at the end of 2025. The government has just appointed me to the establishment advisory group for the Construction ISB -Industry Skills Board which will have responsibility for moderation and developing and approving skills standards. I’ve also recently completed 6.5 years as a regulator on the Licensed Building Practitioners Board.
I moved to Taranaki with my family in 2010. This move was prompted by the desire to have a better work – life balance whilst continuing to develop a rewarding career in this region and giving great opportunities to my children. An experienced Executive with over 19 years management experience across Manufacturing, Engineering, Maintenance and Electrical Distribution, I am deeply enthusiastic and passionate about Taranaki, with hands-on experience across sectors. I have been heavily involved in developing training plans for various industries to ensure workforce capability meets industry needs. I believe that by working with employers to forecast future employment needs and understand the skills required for the workforce of tomorrow, we will see Taranaki thrive with meaningful, well-paid local career pathways. I am committed to supporting the region’s transition from Oil and Gas to sustainable industries such as electricity generation, food, and fibre, while building on what Taranaki already does well (safety awareness, excellence in the energy sector, food sector, and a reputation for quality). I bring a combination of governance, industry, and practical workforce development experience. My background includes serving as a board member for Mahia Mai and Building Wellness Taranaki, demonstrating strong leadership, financial and strategic decision-making skills, with a drive to improve efficiency.
I am a passionate advocate for Māori health and workforce development. I hold an MBA, majoring in Human Resource Management, and bring a strong strategic and people-focused approach to leadership. As a current member of the Toitū Te Waiora Workforce Development Council and a former member of the Taranaki Regional Skills Leadership Board, I feel I have contributed extensively to shaping regional and national strategies for skills growth and workforce planning. I am committed to creating alternative employment pathways for rangatahi, ensuring young Māori have access to meaningful, sustainable opportunities. My work focuses on improving health equity and supporting Māori communities to thrive through innovative, community-led solutions.
‘I’m very much a local,’ says Tim. ‘After college I was educated at Otago University and then came back to Francis Douglas. I went overseas for a number of years and when I returned I ended up here again. I have a strong connection with the community through the parents and friends who now send their kids to the college. That was a big part of why I wanted to be here and make sure we produce a quality education for our Catholic families in the Taranaki province.’ Tim began as principal of Francis Douglas in term one 2021, having been Deputy Principal Pastoral before then. The college has a role of 780 boys from years 7 to 13, with 120 boarders. Tim is married with two children, Harry and Macy. He is a surfer and has had a long-standing interest in rugby, having coached the school First XV during a golden period, which included a number of future All Blacks – the Barrett brothers, Liam Coltman, Ricky Riccitelli and Du’Plessis Kirifi. He was also assistant coach of the provincial rugby team, the Taranaki Bulls, for the last three years.
With over 18 years of teaching experience across the Māori education sector, I (Te Ātiawa, Taranaki) have emerged as a tech-educator and innovator driven by a vision, which is equipping the next generation of Māori learners with the tools and belief to succeed, both culturally and digitally. As the founder of Oranga Matihiko, a kaupapa that began as a targeted learning initiative and has since grown into a full-fledged community movement, I have been able to demonstrate how mātauranga Māori and digital literacy can work together to ignite rangatahi potential.
Sarah Wood, Programme and Support Coordinator Building Wellness Taranaki
Over the past 27 years, I have channelled my passion for supporting people in the health sector environment. With a clinical background, I have spent 20 years leading small teams of allied health professionals, delivering services, implementing projects, and facilitating life-changing community work to help people live healthier lives. Eighteen months ago, I purposefully stepped away from management to return to frontline work, leading to my current role as Programme and Support Coordinator at Building Wellness Taranaki. Here, I support people in construction, trades, and related industries, along with their families, who are struggling with mental wellbeing, connecting them to tailored support. I also lead our peer-led business mentoring programme, Mentor Mates. My community links extend through the education sector via my husband, Mike, who heads Food Technology at Inglewood High School. We have two daughters, Abbie who experienced the value of the Taranaki Futures programme in 2019 and Tara who is currently in Year 12. With broad networks across Taranaki, I am eager to begin a governance role, strongly believing in the Taranaki Futures kaupapa and the tangible value of opportunities the Trust provides young people.
Angela started her career in Hospitality at the age of 17 in the Wairarapa as an apprentice chef. Over the past 39 years she spent 10 years living and working in Australia, 4 years as co-owner operator of award-winning Sage Café in Feilding, Manawatu and a total of 25 years working within the hospitality tertiary sector. During that time Angela was actively involved with NZ Chefs and for 8 years was the President/Executive of the Taranaki branch. Angela is currently Director – School of Engineering and Trades, responsible for all Trades programmes, Hospitality, Primary Industries, Secondary Tertiary Pathways at the Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki (WITT) in New Plymouth. Angela has been at WITT since 2012, where she was a Chef Tutor for the first 5 years before moving into leadership roles. Highlights of Angela’s career was being the Private Chef to the New Zealand High Commissioner in Canberra, Australia, owning and operating Sage Café, becoming a chef tutor and most recently the Director of a School at WITT. Angela has had a successful and fulfilling career in the Hospitality and Education industries.