Meet the board members of the Waikato River Authority. Bringing together a diverse range of leadership, knowledge, and experience, the board helps guide the Authority’s long-term direction and commitment to the health and well-being of the Waikato River.
Ko Tongariro te maunga, Ko Taupō te moana, Ko Tūwharetoa te iwi, Ko te Heuheu te tangata. Ko Ngāti Ruingarangi, rātou ko Ngāti Rauhoto, ko Ngāti Te Maunga ngā karangaranga hapū.
Danny Aperahama Loughlin is the iwi appointee for Tūwharetoa. He is General Manager for Ngāti Tūwharetoa Fisheries Charitable Trust.
As a trustee of the Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board for over 18 years, he has a responsibility as the legal kaitiaki for Taupō Waters, including the Waikato River. Danny is also a Councillor on Taupō District Council for Te Papamārearea Māori Ward.
His current Board responsibilities include: Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board; Waikato Regional Council Joint Governance Committee; Ngāti Tūwharetoa Fisheries Holdings Limited; Tauhara Moana Trust.
Stu Kneebone is councillor on the Waikato Regional Council and a local farmer. He actively supports initiatives that contribute towards catchment health, water quality and biodiversity enhancement.
Mr Kneebone has experience across local government and is committed to the local environment and working with River Iwi. He’s been heavily involved in the Healthy Rivers/Wai Ora project change since its inception, including Co-Chairing the committee that governed the project with River Iwi.
From a practical perspective, Stu has had an active involvement in Regional Council catchment management restoration work, as well as extensive riparian restoration work on his own farm.
Ko Pukewhārangi te papakainga
Ko Manga-o-Kewa e rere ana
Ko Te Kūiti Pā
Ko Ngāti Rōra te hapū
Ko Gannin Ormsby tāku ingoa
Gannin Ormsby, of Ngāti Maniapoto descent is a Te Nehenehenui Appointee to the Waikato River Authority Board.
He is also a Trustee of Te Nehenehenui Trust and works at the Waikato District Council as a strategic advisor.
Gannin served in the British Army for 12 years and has more than 20 years’ experience in local and central government.
Stuart Muir is a dairy farmer on the lower reaches of the Waikato River near Waiuku. He has a long history of riparian and wetland restoration and education. He has had a particular focus on conservation strategy, environmental management and agricultural business strategy and planning.
Stu is chair of The Endangered Species Foundation. He speaks Māori and adds a strong mātauranga Māori perspective to local and national bodies.
Ko Taupiri te Maunga, ko Waikato te Awa, ko Tainui te Waka, ko Waikato te Iwi, ko Ngaati Mahuta tooku hapuu, ko Taniwha raaua ko Waahi ngaa Marae.
An experienced governor and director, Jackie currently serves as Deputy Chair of the executive board for Waikato-Tainui (Te Arataura), a trustee for Taniwha Marae, and as a director of WEL Networks and CityCare Group.
Professionally, Jackie is an Environmental Engineer, Researcher, and Infrastructure Strategist with over 20 years’ experience working for and with communities, local authorities, iwi and the private sector. Jackie is passionate and committed to the restoration and enhancement of the Waikato River and actively works towards achieving the objectives of Te Ture Whaimana both professionally and in her governance roles.
Taku ara rā, ko Tūrongo, I wawaea ki te Tai-rāwhiti, Ko Māhinaarangi, ko te rua ra I moe ai a Raukawa; He kāwei tautika mai ki ahau.
Nachelle is the Raukawa appointee to the Waikato River Authority. Her marae include Ōngāroto and Mōkai which both sit in the upper river catchment near Ātiamuri, Aotearoa and Rawhitiroa/Owairaka which both sit within the Waipā River catchment.
She has governance experience in commercial entities and Māori Authorities. These include overseeing significant commercial investments in geothermal power generation, agriculture, horticulture, and telecommunication investment. She also has a strong focus on sustainability and environmental stewardship which is inherent in her roles at the hapū, Land Trust, and Iwi Authority level.
Evelyn Forrest was appointed by the Te Arawa River iwi Trust, where she currently serves as the Chair. She is a Reporoa-based leader with deep connections to her Ngāti Tahu–Ngāti Whaoa iwi, whenua, and marae.
Evelyn works closely with the Waikato Regional Council on environmental and river restoration initiatives, including projects at Ōrākei Kōrako, and contributes to co-governance through roles such as Te Rōpū Hautū and iwi environmental planning.
She is committed to protecting the mana of the Waikato River and advancing collaborative approaches to its restoration.
Shadrach Rolleston is of Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Pūkenga and Ngāti Haua descent.
Shadrach is a resource management consultant and policy advisor with experience in Māori relationship management and engagement. He is currently a government appointed commissioner at Tauranga City Council where he lives with his family.
Erina Watene is an experienced governor and director, having also served on Te Wai Māori Trust, NZ Biological Heritage Science Challenge, Iwi, and not-for-profit boards; as well as many advisory groups (such as the New Zealand Fish Passage Advisory Group).
Professionally, Erina is a freshwater scientist with a background in river and lake restoration, tāonga species research, resource management and environmental planning. She is experienced working at the interface between policy, mātauranga Māori, and science.
Ms Watene grew up alongside the Waikato River and has whakapapa connections to Waikato Iwi. Her strong technical expertise in freshwater management sits alongside her community connections.
Born and raised in the Waikato, Susan O’Regan comes from a family steeped in farming and public service. A graduate of the University of Otago with degrees in Law and Political Science, she began her career in the Beehive before establishing a successful family law practice in Te Awamutu.
In 2010, Susan shifted her focus to farming and family life, joining her husband John Hayward to develop their award-winning Waikato dairy farm, Judge Valley Dairies.
Elected to local government in 2016 and later serving as Mayor of Waipā, Susan led the organisation through a period of significant reform and financial challenge. Her term was marked by driving unprecedented regional collaboration, championing boundaryless thinking, and embedding a long-term, strategic mindset across council and community. She played key roles in initiatives such as Waikato Water Done Well, Future Proof, the Electoral Reform Working Group and continues to contribute to governance as a Board Trustee of Sport Waikato.
