Our Board – Kāhui Poutūārongo

Helen Eskett MNZM (Chair)

Helen has a background in accounting. She lives in Christchurch and is of Ngai Tahu descent. Helen is currently the Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee, is self-employed as an employment consultant.

Helen is the immediate past president of the NZ Family Planning Association and until recently was the Treasurer of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) which works in more than 150 countries.

Helen is also a Board Director for the Concept Foundation, a Global organisation based in Geneva and Bangkok. Founded by WHO 25 years ago, the Concept Foundation identifies, innovates and enables equitable access to quality-assured, affordable, essential sexual and reproductive health medicines and technologies.

Wayne Chapman (Finance Committee Chair)

Wayne is a dairy farmer. Whangarei born and bred, of Nga Puhi descent, his background is in banking. He is involved in sports administration, and is a long-term Rotarian, Paul Harris Fellow, and has received the Distinguished Meritorious Service award.

Wayne has been a long-time advocate of the organisation and effectively led the Board for over 20 years before standing down and staying on the Board as immediate past chair.

David Boyle

David is General Manager KiwiSaver for Fisher Funds, and is well known for his passion regarding financial capability with some 37 years in the financial services industry.

Previously David worked at Mint Asset Management as Head of Sales and Marketing. Before that he was GM of Investor Education for the Retirement Commission. Highlights from the role included working on the changes to KiwiSaver as part of the Retirement Income Policy Review, being part of the Government steering group to review the Financial Adviser Act and helping to get financial capability in schools.

Before moving to CFFC, David held General Manager roles with ANZ Wealth in distribution and funds management and was a member of its leadership team.

Paraone Pirika

Paraone was born in “Te Takere o te Waka Te Arawa” Rotorua at a place called Owhata, under the watchful eye of his ancestral houses ‘Tutanekai & Hinemoa,’ into a family of 12 with him being the youngest. he started his working life on a farm as a shepherd before moving to Wellington where he worked in General Motors Car Factory for 5 years as a car painter, before returning to Rotorua. Whilst in Wellington he met his wife, whom has since passed on, of Te Whanau a Ruataupare, Ngati Porou and Ngati Rongowhakaata descent. They had 2 girls who have given them three awesome mokopuna, all boys.

For the past 20 years Paraone has been working in Education and Social Services, specialising in working with young people referred by Oranga Tamariki and Youth Justice. He is currently chair of

Te Pukenga Koeke o Te Arawa, Ngati Tuteniu Hapu Trust, Te Whare Whitinga o Te Ra ECE and Te Parewaitai Lifestyle Village. He is also a director for Te Pumautanga o Te Arawa and a trustee for Te Arawa Whanau Ora. Ngati Te Rorooterangi Hapu Trust, Te Orea Trust, Te Kahui Ako Rawhiti mai, Te Waiariki Purea Trust NGO, and Te Tatau Pounamu Community Collective.

Roy Tikao

Roy was appointed to the Stand Tū Māia Board to represent the interests of Ngāti Wheke who are the hapū that hold mana whenua and mana moana over Whakaraupō and the surrounding areas, on which is the Stand Tū Māia Village in Otautahi. Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke is one of the 18 Papatipu Rūnanga that make up Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, the iwi authority representing Ngāi Tahu whānui.

Roy is the owner/director of Excellence Consultancy which provides Business, Coaching, Mentoring and Training services. He is Co-Chair of Te Ahu Patiki Charitable Trust which is a publicly purchased Conservation Park, and Chair of the Positive Directions Trust, and NGO in the Whanau Ora space. He is also Secretary for Te Hapu o Ngati Wheke Inc and a Director on Te Poho o Tamatea Charitable Trust, a Marae investment Company.

Roy lives on his beautiful ancestral lands and often generously hosts the children attending the Stand Tū Māia Village along with the Stand Tū Māia staff at his marae.

Jeannie Warnock

Jeannie joined the Stand Tū Māia Board in 2025. Until 2024, Jeannie was a partner in law firm Greenwood Roche for seventeen years, specialising in commercial property, rural law and social housing. For much of that time she had the honour of acting for Stand Tū Māia.

She has held positions on boards of a range of organisations including a regional Life Education Trust, an air ambulance operator and a charity that supports polio survivors and people living with neuromuscular conditions.

Although she now lives in the greater Wellington region, she was born and lived in Whanganui for many years, as did generations of her family. She maintains strong links to the Whanganui region.

Dr Fiona Inkpen (CEO)

Fiona has held senior positions in community-based organisations as well as the corporate and government worlds. She has considerable experience in helping organisations, individuals and groups to develop their potential, sometimes in very difficult situations and with significant barriers. Fiona’s strengths include her great combination of experience at the coalface combined with demonstrated clinical skills, team leadership skills and strategic ability.

Fiona gained her PhD from Victoria University of Wellington. As well as practical experience in psychopathology and community work, in the past she has held board positions with the Schizophrenia Fellowship (Wellington) and Richmond Fellowship (National).

Fiona’s experience includes 25 years as the Chief Executive of Stand Tū Māia - taking the organisation from threat of closure to being a deeply respected, locally and nationally, specialist child and family service. She was previously General Manager of the Community Living Trust, HR and Organisational Development Manager for Fisher and Paykel Finance, Programme Manager at Arohata Prison, and Director Richmond Fellowship, Wellington. She has also been a training and development consultant, counsellor and psychotherapist.