Our Trustees
About Delwyn
Of Ngaati Mahuta, Ngaatu Patu Poo, Ngaati Whawhakia, Ngaati Amaru, Ngaa Puhi and Ngaati Whaatua descent, Delwyn is currently the Maaori Health Manager for ACC. Previously Delwyn was the Principal Regional Advisor (Waikato) for the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Te Waananga o Aotearoa as the Head of Operations ki Te Waenga and twenty years with Spark NZ.
Delwyn holds many community leadership roles including as Chair of the Waikato Community Lands Trust, a board member of Waikato Tainui College of Research and Development, Trustee of Korowai o Maata Trust and Trustee for Te Patu Poo Iwi Trust and Director of Keep it Maaori Ltd. She also directs three of her own businesses which provide housing for whaanau within her iwi and farming opportunities for her wider whanau.
Delwyn attained her indigenous MBA with the University of Waikato in conjunction with the Waikato-Tainui College of Research and Development in 2018. She has a post-graduate Diploma in Business Management from the University of Waikato (2016).
About Don
Don is currently the Key Relationships Manager for Mercury, a role he has held since 2003. Don’s career has focused on caring for the rivers, wetlands and catchments of the Waikato while serving organisations as diverse as Mercury/Mighty River Power, the former Electricity Corporation of New Zealand, Waikato Regional Council, Hauraki Catchment Board and the Ministry of Energy. Don has also worked internationally as a geologist in the United States, Asia, Australia, South America and in the Caribbean.
Don is the co-Chair of the Maungatautari Ecological Island Trust, the largest conservation project on mainland New Zealand, a founding member of the Waikato Ecological Enhancement Trust since 2003, and an Advisory Trustee of Waikato River Care. His efforts have seen many hundreds of environmental projects be initiated, funded and delivered. He was elected Chair of the National Wetland Trust in October 2019. His broader contribution has been in enabling local iwi to develop social and economic enterprises that are founded in community-based environmental initiatives. His work has led to job creation, improved consultation with Māori, and improvement to public places and reserves, such as Lake Rotopiko reserve. Mr Scarlet is also a Trustee of the National Wetland Trust and he has assisted in gaining full public access to the site and creating a pest-free area around part of the site. The wider benefits of this project to the community, iwi and the environment include community education, increased visitor numbers, and restoration of the wetland site.
Don was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2020 for his significant contributions to environmental restoration and conservation within the Waikato Region. Don has a BSc (Hons) from the University of Canterbury.
About Mike
An experienced and proven manager who has led a variety of teams including in business and not for profit sectors, both in New Zealand and internationally.
Since 2013 Mike has been the General Manager of St Vincent de Paul, Hamilton. Vinnies provide a range of social wellbeing services to the people of Hamilton including affordable power via Our Power, healthy homes, family budgeting advice and furniture services, a Christmas toy run, a free lunch programme to 23 schools in the city, community lunches, pensioner lunches in Huntly with the Pacific Island community, six retail shops and an on-line shop.
Prior to joining Vinnies Mike had an extensive executive career in the international seafood, paints and construction industries in Indonesia and New Zealand. Mike is also a qualified sports coach with National Certificates in Sport Management and Coaching from the University of Waikato.
Of Ngati Haua descent, Mike is also manu taki for SDG 6, Affordable and Clean Energy.
