Our Teams

Governance Teams and Office Staff of Te Runanga o Waihao Incorporated Society

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To contact any of our Board Members, please use the Contact Us button at the top of the page and the office will forward your email to the Board member on your behalf.

Board Members

Dardanelle McLean-Smith

Elected Board Member - Chairperson

I aho mai taku manu I te keo o Aoraki mataū.
Rere atu ia ki Waitakitaki awa noho ai tō Kāti Huirapa whaitua.
I reira kohikohi ai āna poa mo ōna marae, ko Waihao, ko Puketeraki, ko Arowhenua, ko Te Pā o Moki ērā.
Ko Kāi Tahu, ko Kāti Mamoe, Waitaha ōhoku iwi.
Ko Kāti Huirapa, Ngāi Te Ruahikihiki, Ngāti Irakehu ōhoku hapū.

Dardanelle was born and raised in Ōtautahi has a passion for whānau success. She has been actively involved from a young age with her hapū, being a participant, volunteer and trustee wherever tautoko is required. Dardanelle is passionate about rakatahi and whānau development. From a long line of servant leaders within the Waihao community, Dardanelle acknowledges that executive leadership of a rūnanga can be challenging, but it is also a position of privilege, which Dardanelle hopes the decisions of the executive board will continue to grow and nurture Waihao whānau.

In 2016 Dardanelle became a mama to Leila, who is named after her great-grandmother who grew up on the shores of Te Waihora. Leila is Dardanelle’s greatest achievement to date and she enjoys knowing that being actively engaged with Waihao will be another space Leila can learn and grow her Tahutanga and reo.

Karyn Reid

Elected Board Member - Deputy Chairperson

Ngāi Tahu / Ngāti Mamoe
Ngāi Te Ruahikihiki / Ngāi Taoka
Toa ( Winnie Brunton) née Huruhuru grew up on Māori Rd.
I’m a descendant of Chief Te Huruhuru.

Born in Oamaru, educated at Waitaki Girls High School.
Went through Māori Affairs Trade Training at Christchurch Polytechnic in Hairdressing.
Did a Hairdressing apprenticeship in Oamaru, then went to Auckland and did a film and television makeup course.
Started a Hairdressing business in Oamaru which I have been running for nearly 30 years.

Outside work, I have 2 big dogs that keep me fit and entertained, I love being outdoors in nature, I have a big garden with lots of native bird life. In 2016 I did a large native planting on the Alps to Ocean cycleway here in Oamaru which I maintain.

The business and people skills gained over many years will be an asset on the Board, I look forward to growing our footprint and future proofing our Marae for generations to come.

Kurt Scoringe

Elected Board Member

Melissa Slatter

Appointed Board Member

Waitaki Awa, Waitaki Takata. Melissa is of Waitaha, Kāti Māmoe and Kāi Tahu descent, with her Waihao whakapapa coming downTe Kapa/Koukou and the Loper line, together with Pakinui and the Harpur line. Nanny Peti Scoringe (nee Loper) was born and raised on Māori Road. Uncle Jack Scoringe built our Waihao Wharenui. Her whānau left the takiwā some 6 generations ago, and moved to the North Island. Melissa remembers fondly the kōrero with her Nana Audrey Kershaw about their Māori whakapapa which sparked her curiosity to connect with her Kāi Tahu taha. Melissa studied at Waikato University (B.Soc Sci) and Massey University (M.Phil) and has spent all of her working career is a Resource Management Act Town Planner. Melissa has held a number of leadership and governance roles throughout this time, including a 6 year term on two school boards. She is a member of Te Ahi Tūtata Taumata - the Beca Māori Staff Governance group. This special opportunity to be on the Waihao Executive is an exciting one as our Rūnanga tackles significant challenges with legislative reform, climate change and affirming our tino rangatiratanga in the place of our tīpuna. The opportunities these present to our whānau are pivotal, mō tātou, ā, mō kā uri ā muri ake nei. Melissa currently lives in Kirikiroa with her partner Gavon, and their son Anake. Along with cultivating her māra kai, Melissa has set herself a wero to weave a kete a fortnight to progress her raranga skills, and is loving her Te Pūtaketanga o Te Reo immersion journey this year with Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.

Sam MacDonald

Appointed Board Member

Sam was born and raised on the West Coast of the South Island, before moving to Otautahi Christchurch to attend the University of Canterbury. He is a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Director, and currently serves as a Christchurch City Councillor, where he Chairs the Finance Committee. Sam holds various board positions including as a Trustee of Development West Coast and a director of Christchurch City Holdings Limited.

Kahu Jones

Associate Board Member

Jo McLean

Rūnanga Representative

Jo is of Waitaha, Kati Mamoe, Ngai Tahu and Te Atiawa descent. Jo has 5 tamariki and one moko. Jo has worked as a Union Organiser for the past 13 years for EPMU, E TU and know the TEU. Jo has the privilege of being the TRoNT Representative and has held that role for some 9 years. Jo has a BA in Sociology, a Masters in Maori and Indigenous Leadership and has almost completed a degree in Law. She has held a number of governance roles over the years and acknowledges she is still learning. She feels privileged to be able to be involved in the governance at Waihao and is seeking to develop both short-term opportunities for whanau through hui and wananga along with more long-term aspirations through economic development that will bring whanau back, create housing and education opportunities and see the Marae thriving.