Staff
Manager
Ofa Pouono
Tenaa koutou katoa,
Ko Tonga tooku iwi
Ko Pasifika te moana
Ko Pouono tooku whaanau
Ko Ofa tooku ingoa
Noo reeira, tenaa koutou katoa.
Greetings everyone. My name is Ofa Pouono of Te Whare o Te Ata Fairfield Chartwell Community House. I work for the Community House since April, 2022.
Staff
Lisa Thorne-Firth
Kia ora koutou, my name is Lisa Thorne. I am from Te Rarawa and have lived in Hamilton for 21 years. I started as a volunteer at Te Whare o Te Ata/Chartwell Community House with kete kai and have been a part time employee for 3 yrs.
Staff
Rama Karaitiana
Ko mataatua te Waka
Ko rangataikei te awa
Ko putauaki te maunga
Ko ngatiawa te iwi
Ko pahipoto te hapu
Ko poia morehu karaitiana toku papa
Ko maraea nee pikaahu karaitiana toku mama
Ko rama karaitiana ahau
Staff
Tafafaoeva (Taff)
Kia e te iwi
Ko Taupiri te Maunga.
Ko Waikato te Awa.
Ko Tainui te Waka.
Ko Waikato te Iwi.
Ko Ngaati hamoa, Ngaati Hauaa, Ngaati Mahuta, Ngaati Wairere, ngaati naho Ngaati Maahanga ngaa hapuu.
No kirikiriroa ahau
Ko Tafafaoeva Tulaniu tooku ingoa.
Tena koutou Tena koutou Tena tātou katoa.
Administrator
Jo Millar
Kia ora, my name is Jo Millar. I am the new Administrator for Te Whare o te Ata. I have lived and worked in Fairfield for nearly 30 years.
I am married to Ross, and we have 3 adult children living, and 2 grandchildren so far. All our 4 children went through Fairfield schools. I enjoy plants, crafts, family, Faith, and Social Justice.
I’m delighted to be based at te Whare o te Ata!
Staff
Pania Cunningham
Ko Pirongia raua ko Taupiri nga Maunga teitei
Ko Kawhia te Moana
Ko Tainui te Waka
Ko Ngati Hikairo i te rohe Potae no Waipapa Marae
Ko Ngati Mahuta i te rohe o Waikato no Waahi Pa
Ko Jack Te Papi Te Onehahau raua ko Rangi oku matua
Ko Jacqueline Pania Cunningham toku ingoa
Ko Pania ahau
Bachelor of Maori Visual Arts,
L7 Bicultural Social Work (partial)
Diploma in Te Aupikitanga ki te Reo Kairangi
Diploma of Teaching Rangakura
L4 National Certificate Administration
Te Whare o Te Ata Staff Member
Kete Kai
“Nau te rourou, naku te rourou, ka ora ai te Iwi”
Tena koutou tena koutou tena tatou katoa
Staff
Renae Jackson
Ko tainui te waka
Ko waipa te awa
Ko owhawhi te maunga
Ko miromiro raua ko te taumata te marae
Ko ngatimaniapoto te iwi
Ko Renae Poihakena- jackson ahau.
Trustees
Chairperson
Ellie Wilkinson
Ellie Wilkinson joined the Board of TWOTA , June 2021 and has the role of Board Chairperson.
Ellie and her husband John have lived in the Fairfield/Chartwell Community for over 25 years. She has two adult children who attended Bankwood Primary school and Fairfield Intermediate and Fairfield College. She has five grandsons which live locally and enjoys spending time with them and watching them grow. Upon Completing her degree at the University of Waikato, Ellie worked in roles which have a strong focus on community development and improved well-being. Ellie has had a leadership role at the Settlement Centre Waikato for over 10 years supporting people in the ethnic communities to achieve their settlement goals.
Trustee
Hera McQueen
Wairua mauriora e aku nui, e aku rahi!
Ko Pirongia tōku maunga
Ko Waipa tōku awa
Ko Tainui tōku waka
Ko Waikato Tainui tōku iwi
Ko Ngāti Māhanga te hapu
Ko Te Papa o Rotu marae e mihi atu nei
Ko Simon McQueen toku hoa rangatira
Ko Hera McQueen ahau
Kia ora koutou katoa
I have an amazing blended whanau of 5 tamariki and 10 moko.
I am a proud teacher at Fairfield primary and have been for the last 15 years.
I love our community and am very honored to have been offered a position on the board at Te whare o te ata.
I am excited to grow with the Te Whare o te ata and what lays ahead for our community.
Nga mihi nui ki a koutou katoa
noho ora mai
Hera
Trustee
Brett Colin Falconer
Kia ora, my name is Brett Falconer
I'm 32 years old, married with 2 awesome little boys.
I grew up in this community and am absolutely committed to Fairfield.
I've been blessed to be a part of a great team running our community Youth Outreach Programme called Kenehi Youth for many years now and am currently employed at Fairfield College.
Trustee
Hans Sorensen
Trustee
Joe Koti
Brought up in Fairfield/Enderley all my life
I am a father of 5 and the proud Koro of my 6 mokopuna.
I attended all our local schools in Fairfield and also worked at Fairfield College for 13 years.
I am the manager of Te Papanui Enderley Community Centre.
I am very passionate about my community and my community centre.
Anything that is happening in my Te Papanui Enderley Community I liked to be involved.
I'm here for my community
To listen
To support
To action
To lead our community into a better future for everyone..
Treasurer
Anne Douglas
My name is Anne Douglas and I am the board Treasurer having joined the board in January 2021 after moving into Fairfield a number of years ago. Hamilton born & bred. I have two adult daughters and 2 mokopuna.
I have worked in the social service sector for 30 years and have been Finance Manager & Advisor with Community Waikato since 2007. I have a Graduate Diploma in Not for Profit Management
I am excited to be part of the team at TWOTA and with the Fairfield community work towards our vision that Fairfield is a healthy, safe, inclusive, community that values achievement and creativity.
Advisor
Ratu Ratu Jr
Kia orana koutou katoatoa and warm pacific greetings too all.
My name is Ratu Ratu and I was raised in Tokoroa. Like many Pacific families my parents migrated to New Zealand in the 1960s from the beautiful Island of Aitutaki. I am a Community Advisor for Hamilton City Council working with our Community Houses in the Fairfield, Enderley and Pukete neighbourhoods. As I am employed by Hamilton City Council, I am an ex officio board member.
Meitaki Atupaka
Trustee
Peter Humphrey
Kia ora,
Growing up on a council estate in Wales I always had a social worker in my life. In my 20s, I followed my partner home to New Zealand where I became married to her - a social worker. And after a range of different occupations alonsgide bringing up 3 children, I became a social worker.
We moved to the Claudelands area a couple of years ago and I had been looking for a local community I could be a part of. When I heard Te Whare o te Ata were looking for additional board members, I put my hand up immediately.
Before retiring, I spent 11 years managing the Hamilton Christian Night Shelters and was very involved in homelessness and housing issues not only at a local level but also at a national level too. l had the honor of being part of New Zealand's Coalition to end Homelessness and was the co-chair for several years.
My spare time has been spent volunteering for many organizations and committees in Waikato. From being a fireman/station officer, the deputy chair of Comunity Waikato, a member of the Community Organisation Grants Scheme, deputy chair of Oranga Tamariki Child Protection panel, a member of the single-year grants committee for Hamilton City Council, Chair of Center 401 mental health support agencies and also a member of Age-Friendly Hamilton Steering Group.
Having a daughter with special needs has meant that my other social justice interests have been around disability issues. This has involved advocating through the courts for better support for families looking after disabled family/whanau members but also helping individual families get support.
My kaupapa will always be ‘nothing about our community without our community. I look forward to making a contribution and supporting the Fairfield community.