Thank you and hello: welcoming our 2024 Rangatahi Advisory Panel Announcing our new cohort of young leaders
It is an absolute pleasure for The Circle to announce and welcome the 2024 cohort of the Rangatahi Advisory Panel (RAP). This Panel is made up of representatives from our Leading Partner organisations, all under 30 and all of whom have demonstrated leadership qualities and a commitment to restoring nature. We have a RAP for three reasons:
To hold to account The Aotearoa Circle's Guardians and Leadership Groups of our various workstreams
To advise Leading Partners on a key piece of their work each year, and
To provide learning and development opportunities for Rangatahi Panel members
We want to thank the members of the 2023 RAP for the significant contribution they made to the work of The Aotearoa Circle. We also want to thank them for their handover to the 2024 Panel. They have indicated a desire to keep in touch and we hope they will do so.
We also want to express our gratitude Izzy Fenwick who is the heart of FENWICK group, which runs the selection process for our Rangatahi Advisory Panel. Izzy also mentors and guides the members.
These are the members of the 2024 Rangatahi Advisory Panel:
Hinera Parker – Genesis
Hinera grew up in rural Waikato, with whakapapa to Tongariro maunga and awa, and a childhood spent in rural Waikato. She double majored in Sociology and Anthropology a the University of Waikato, study which she says allowed her to appreciate the intrinsic link between land and people. At Genesis she works in generation site communities helping other young people prepare for the future of work.
Bryn Wilson – Mercury
Bryn was born in Bay of Plenty and says he makes the most of Tauranga Moana's natural treasures. He also has a passion for finance, economics, and business analysis, but says his strength lies in forging connections. As kaitiaki, he believes his foremost responsibility is to safeguard the future of the whenua and its people.
Maggie Powell - Silver Fern Farms
Maggie was raised in the urban landscape of Tāmaki Makaurau. She has an educational background in agribusiness, and is driven by a passion to protect and enhance the bounty of Aotearoa's natural resources.
Tim Hodgson – Fonterra
Tim grew up in Wellington but has lived and worked all around Aotearoa. Tim says he started his environmentalism at 8 years old, nagging his parents to save water while brushing their teeth. Henow works as an Environmental Engineer at Fonterra and is committed to driving better outcomes for our people and planet.
Zoe Tilsley - Westpac
Zoe hails from Tāmaki Makarau’s North Shore and says she has always had a strong affinity with the Tīkapa Moana and Aotearoa’s natural setting. Zoe studied Psychology and Criminology, and is particularly interested in the intersection between the ‘E’ and the ‘S’ of ESG.
Caleb Poe - BNZ
Caleb, was raised in Manurewa,”the heart of South Auckland”, and is of Samoan and Niuean descent. He is a senior finance analyst at BNZ, where he passionately champions Pasifika culture. Caleb is actively involved in BNZ Pasifika, advocating for diversity and empowerment within the corporate banking sphere.
Bella Sigley – ANZ
Bella grew up in Tāmaki Makaurau and regularly visited family in the Cook Islands, which she says gave her a passion for understanding and protecting our unique natural ecosystems. Bella’s postgraduate studies in finance have led to an interest in the reframing of value through a socioenvironmental lens.
Cameron Johnson – DOC
Cameron was also raised in Tāmaki Makaurau. He has a background in geography and he advocates for system shifts to address pressing global challenges. Cameron says he finds energy in spearheading collaborations across the social, economic, and environmental spheres.