A former long-serving mayor of the South Taranaki district, Mary is an experienced governor having held national roles in Local Government and latterly across the education, health and philanthropy sectors. She is a self-employed facilitator, mediator and coach, and continues to be committed to sustainable and sensible initiatives that contribute towards the vitality of rural communities.
Philip is the Archbishop of the Anglican Dioceses in New Zealand and also Bishop of Waikato & Taranaki. Prior to that he was involved in education at the University of Otago, parish ministry in Auckland, Northland and Otago and community development work in Auckland City. Nationally he carries responsibilities across many organisations within and beyond the Church. Uniquely he shares leadership of the Anglican Church with Archbishop Don Tamihere and Archbishop Fereimi Cama in the three Tikanga structure of the Anglican Church in these islands.
Craig is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors NZ, Chairs the Taranaki IoD Branch committee, is Chair of the Audit & Risk committee and also serves on the IoD National Council. He enjoys helping to build Environmental, Social and Governance capabilities and is passionate about the impact that BAF makes to local communities. Craig holds a number of Independent Director roles and he is currently Chair of Carefirst Limited, Edison Consulting Engineers and is a non-executive Director of the FBT/Osflo Group, Egmont Seafoods and OurCloud. Craig lives in Oakura in Taranaki and was on the Okato Cooperating Parish Church Council for five years looking after the property portfolio.
Bernie is a community strategist, specialising in communications, engagement, housing, transport and regional development. She has held various management and leadership roles in journalism, the dairy industry, local and central government and industry associations. Taranaki born and bred, Bernie grew up rural, living close to the mountain and amongst strong communities. Her family and personal connections to the province are deep and strong – and these energise her commitment to BAF’s mission to create and sustain flourishing communities. She runs her own consultancy business, supporting projects and organisations around the country to turn strategy into action.
Dean is a Chartered Accountant and has been a member of the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants for 20+ years. He has been a past Chairman of the Taranaki Branch of NZICA. Dean is a Director of Harris Taylor Limited, a Hawera based accountancy practice. He provides a wide range of advice to the farming and commercial sectors including restructurings and amalgamations, whilst maximising equity growth. Dean has clients throughout NZ and around the world. In a past life he was a Senior Investigating Accountant with the Inland Revenue Department and the Tax Manager of Kiwi Co-operative Dairies Limited.
Te Aroha has a portfolio of interests firmly grounded in local governance and community development work. She has governance roles with high public expectations and accountabilities that range from the operational emphasis of a marae committee to the strategic oversight of Taranaki’s wellbeing required for a district health board. The net asset holdings are as small as $63,000 for a social services provider operating in the family violence sector to the diversified asset base of a post-settlement governance entity. Having completed a PhD in 2018, Te Aroha has returned to being more hands-on in community development work supporting for-purpose entities with strategic planning, capability building and project management. Te Aroha is of Taranaki, Te Atiawa, and Ngāruahine descent. Her spare time is spent with her mokopuna or developing her interest in photography. She and her husband, Greg van Paassen, live in Te Hāwera.
Chris Clarke is the CEO of Wilberforce Foundation. Previously he was CEO World Vision New Zealand and CEO Hawke’s Bay District Health Board. He has also worked for World Health Organisation (Europe), NHS (Wales) and in a number of health sector roles in New Zealand.
Chris holds law and commerce degrees and since 2009 has been the inaugural Praxis Visiting Scholar at Green Templeton College, Oxford University.
Chris is Chairperson of Te Whakaora Tangata – a faith based trust working with disadvantaged families in South Auckland and Kaitaia and Arrow Leadership New Zealand.