Our Team

Taonga Takiwātanga Charitable Trust has six elected board members. All board members whakapapa to or currently live in Te Tairāwhiti.

Our board members have come from varied backgrounds but all have a common interest in ensuring our Taonga Takiwātanga and their whānau are included in the life of their communities.

The criteria for consideration of applying to become a board member was the following;

Must have a lived experience of a physical and or intellectual disability
Must be a parent or a whānau member of a person with a disability
Whakapapa to or currently reside in Tairāwhiti
Has worked in the disability sector for more than five years
Has a deep respect for Kaupapa/Tikanga Māori
Has a beginning to expert ability to speak Te Reo Māori

Taonga Takiwātanga Charitable Trust board is committed to offering opportunities for Whānau which are underpinned by our core values of aroha, manaaki, pono, whanaungatanga

Dorothy Taare-Smith

Founder/Trustee

Ko Hikurangi te Maunga Ko Waiapu te Awa Ko Horouta te Waka Ko Ngãti Porou te Iwi Ko Dorothy Taare-Smith tōku ingoa No Tūranganui a kiwa ahau e noho ana Dorothy is the founder of Taonga Takiwātanga Charitable Trust (TTCT) which was established in 2020 to address the unmet needs of whānau Māori seeking authentic Kaupapa Māori support for their Taonga Takiwātanga (whānau member on the Autism spectrum). Dorothy has worked in the disability sector for well over 20 years as a teacher-aide, teacher, specialist teacher and advocate. Dorothy has a particular interest in the area of Takiwātanga – Autism from a Māori perspective where she has identified key implications for Te Whānau Takiwātanga seeking cultural authenticity in the Education, Health and Justice sector.

Te Umuariki Te Kani

Chairman

Nei rā te mihi ki a koutou katoa. Ko Uma Te Kani tōku ingoa. Nō Te Tairāwhiti whanui ahau me Ōmaramutu i roto i te rohe o Te Whakatōhea iwi. My interest in autism stems from whanau members who are on the spectrum and the struggles I have seen them have to go through to get assistance in the mainstream. I want to do all I can to help them

Ashleigh Taare

Trustee/Treasurer

Ko Hikurangi te Maunga Ko Waiapu te Awa Ko Horouta te Waka Ko Ngati Porou te Iwi Ko Ashleigh Taare tōku ingoa Ashleigh Taare has been a teachers-aide for children with special needs for over 10 years. Ashleigh is an experienced teacher aide and has worked with children from ages 7-21 years old with a range of disabilities. Ashleigh is an experienced practitioner who worked mostly with children/young people on the Autism spectrum and Downs Syndrome. As a trustee Ashleigh will use her skills, knowledge and experience to provide guidance and support to frontline Taonga Takiwātanga staff.

E hapara mai ana te ata ki te kotihitihi o Hikurangi Ka rere a Waiapu ki Rangitukia, ki te pae moana, ki te pae o te rangi Ka pere taku titiro ki ngā huanui tawhito Mai Potikirua ki te Toka a Taiau Ko Porourangi ariki, ko Porourangi tangata Tihei mauri ora! Kia ora my name is John Manuel, I am a papa to 7 tamariki and 12 mokopuna, very happily married for 28 years. I believe our tamariki and mokopuna are our biggest investment and make it my life’s work to ensure that we leave them with the skills and the determination to forge a brighter future for themselves, also the whanau, the hapu and iwi. I endeavour to be a vibrant leader. I have been involved in Iwi development, local community development and whanau development at a governance and managment level. I believe in ensuring we provide a blueprint for our young people and actively involve myself in a manner of activities that help to contribute to this end.

John Manuel

Trustee/Cultural Advisor

Rachel Lodewyk

Trustee/Secretary

Ko Wharepuhanga te māunga Ko Waikato te awa Ko Tainui te waka Ko Raukawa tōku iwi Ko Ngāti huri tōku hapū Ko Pikitu tōku marae Nō Tamaki makaurau ahau. Ko David Wistrand rāua ko Margaret ōku mātua. Ko Adam Lodewyk taku hoa rangatira. Ko Oliver, James me Hugo āku tama. Ko Rachel Lodewyk tōku ingoa. Rachel Lodewyk has 18 years of lived and professional experience in the disability world. Removing barriers, connecting people and organisations has become everyday life for Rachel who continues to do this in a professional capacity. However it is giving back, and helping those who are faced with an overwhelming need for support from a diagnosis that makes Rachel a great asset to the Trust.

Lewis Ria

Trustee

Ko Ahitītī te maunga Ko Parihimanihi te marae Ko Ngāti Wāhia Ngāti Kōhuru ngā hapū Ko Tākitimu te waka Te Aitanga a Māhaki te iwi Ko Lewis Ria tōku ingoa I was born and raised in Tūranganui-a-Kiwa. I am a father of two sons, with my partner Shaan Te Kani. Te Urumingi, our eldest was born in 2011; and Karere, our pōtiki was born in 2013. Karere is our takiwātanga taonga, so we have a lived experience of raising a takiwātanga child - we are a takiwātanga whānau. In our whānau takiwātanga journey, we have endeavoured to learn more about the autism spectrum. As much as we have learnt about Karere’s behaviours and mannerisms, he has also taught us so much about ourselves and our own behaviour. Through his teachings, we seek to help other whānau who may share similar circumstances, to overcome the barriers whānau may encounter - as we did on our journey. “Waiho i te toi poto kaua i te toi roa” “Let us keep close together not far apart”