Rangatahi Advisory Panel

The RAP comprises of rangatahi employees of The Aotearoa Circle's Leading Partner organisations and has three main objectives: 

  • To hold account The Aotearoa Circle's Guardians and Leadership Groups of our workstreams,

  • to provide learning and development for rangatahi employees of Leading Partners, and 

  • to advise Leading Partners on a key piece of their work each year. 

 The Rangatahi Advisory Panel brings to life our vision of restoring nature for future generations, by placing the next generation at the decision-making table.  

In doing this we bring fresh perspectives and critical insight for holistic decision making that puts restoring nature and protecting our climate front and centre. 

Our Rangatahi

  • BNZ

    Caleb Poe, a senior finance analyst of Samoan and Niuean descent, brings five years of expertise from BNZ. Raised in Manurewa, the heart of South Auckland, he champions Pasifika culture through his involvement in BNZ Pasifika advocating for diversity and empowerment in the corporate banking realm.

  • Fonterra

    Originally from Otago, now based in Western Southland, Kimberly’s passion for supporting rural communities began in retail, fostering her interest in sustainable agriculture. With experience in farm planning and emissions, she is dedicated to building strong connections between farmers, organisations, communities, and customers to pursue collective sustainability outcomes.

  • ANZ

    Morgan Pepper grew up in Oamaru but was shaped by her experiences in a post-quake Otautahi, which she now considers home.

    She brings with her a background in Personal & Commercial property finance as well as experience supporting Canterbury based start-ups. She is driven by a love for critical thinking and challenging the status quo, including where it stands to threaten the well-being of future generations.

  • Genesis

    With whakapapa to Tongariro maunga and awa, and a childhood spent in rural Waikato, Hinera has always appreciated Aotearoa’s landscapes and the communities within it. This continued through her time at the University of Waikato, where she double majored in Sociology and Anthropology. This study allowed her to appreciate the intrinsic link connection between land and people.

    This is reflected in her work at Genesis, where she works within local generation site communities helping create transformational education, training, and employment opportunities to prepare young people for the future of work, with the most impactful initiatives being apprenticeships, internships, work experience, and scholarships.

    She finds motivation in seeing rangatahi reach their full potential and accessing opportunities that once seemed unattainable to them.

  • Mercury

    Nicola grew up in Hawke’s Bay and has called Auckland home for 10+ years. She loves Aotearoa’s great outdoors and is an advocate for conscious consumerism, striving to make thoughtful choices. Nicola works in Mercury’s legal team and believes in the power of strong relationships built on honesty and connection

  • Department of Conservation

    Nurtured by the rich socio-environmental tapestries of Tāmaki Makaurau, Cameron harnesses his Scottish whakapapa and fervent political nature to fuel his passion for shaping our world's future. With a background in geography, he advocates for system shifts to address pressing global challenges and finds energy in spearheading collaborations across the social, economic, and environmental spheres.

  • Ministry for the Environment — Manatū Mō Te Taiao

    Although born in the UK, Lauren has grown up amongst Aotearoa’s native flora and fauna. Her love and respect for te taiao drive her passion for environmental protection. Through her legal background and sustainable finance experience, Lauren pushes for systemic change that sustains both the people and the planet.

  • Westpac

    Growing up on Tāmaki Makarau’s North Shore, Zoe has always had a strong affinity with the Tīkapa Moana and Aotearoa’s natural setting. Having studied Management, Psychology and Criminology, Zoe is particularly interested in the intersection between the ‘E’ and the ‘S’ of ESG, and currently works for Westpac as a Sustainability Manager where she is proud of the mahi they are doing across Climate Change, Natural Capital, and Human Rights.

  • Silver Fern Farms

    Being raised in the urban landscape of Tāmaki Makaurau provided me with different opportunities to enjoy our country's natural resources and I look back on my childhood in Aotearoa with immense gratitude. With an educational background in agribusiness, I am driven by a passion to protect and enhance the bounty of Aotearoa's natural resources for the generations who will follow. I am proud to work alongside industry leaders to create tangible and meaningful change for our people, place and communities.

Former Rangatahi Advisory Panel Members

  • Ginny Ellis-Kirifi (Ministry for the Environment) 2023

  • Hana Harris (Department of Conservation) 2023

  • Jill Kwan (Westpac) 2023

  • Moragh Graham (ANZ) 2023

  • Ryan Mac Arthur (Silver Fern Farms) 2023

  • Santhosh Chintapatla (Genesis) 2023

  • Tom Hyland (Fonterra) 2023

  • Tyra Begbie (Mercury) 2023

  • Bella Sigley (ANZ) 2024

  • Tim Hodgson (Fonterra) 2024

  • Bryn Wilson (Mercury) 2024

Rangatahi Perspectives

In March 2023, in collaboration with our Leading Partners, The Aotearoa Circle established a Rangatahi Advisory Panel to ensure intergenerational oversight of critical work at a governance level. As part of this, each month we will include in The Circular a ‘Rangatahi Perspective’, which will accompany our monthly Partner Perspectives.