Skip Content
Vanessa Eparaima

The council of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa has elected Vanessa Eparaima as chairperson, replacing Richard Batley who has stood down after eight years in the role.

Richard - Ngāti Tama, Ngāti Maniapoto, Waikato, Raukawa – was seconded onto council in 2005, selected as chairperson in 2008 and appointed as a ministerial for the new council in 2015. He says after a period of significant change within the organisation it was an ideal time to hand over the reins.

“It has been a privilege and an honour to lead this organisation for the last eight years and I must acknowledge the work of current and former council members and staff involved in the comprehensive review Te Wānanga o Aotearoa has undertaken,” Richard says.

“This has led to significant change, including the appointment of Te Taiurungi (CEO) Dr Jim Mather in 2013, the organisational realignment Te Raumairanga - which has now been completed - and a new governance structure. 

Te Wānanga o Aotearoa stands today as a reinvigorated organisation with a strong future before it.”

Vanessa of Raukawa and Ngāti Tuwharetoa descent, and a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, has shown consistent and strong leadership and a proven ability to deliver results at the helm of several different organisations, says Richard.

“Her appointment as chair of Te Mana Whakahaere is an excellent one and she has all the skills to lead the next phase of the organisation’s development.”

Vanessa acknowledged Richard’s tenure which included the consolidation and financial recovery of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and leading the council through a period of significant change.

“I know that the organisation has made immense progress since Richard was first elected chair in 2008,” she says. “There is an exciting future ahead for Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, with a strong and talented council, as well as committed and passionate staff, ably led by Te Taiurungi Dr Jim Mather. We continue onward and upward in achieving our vision of whānau transformation through education and our mission of tauira success.”

Vanessa joined the council in 2015, and has been deputy chair since February 2016. Her appointment to the position of chair of Te Mana Whakahaere was unopposed. She is chairperson of the Raukawa Settlement Trust, is a director and former chairperson of Raukawa Iwi Development Ltd – the $140 million commercial arm of Raukawa, and is chairperson of Kakano Iwi Development Ltd.

In other changes, council member Bryan Hemi (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Koata, Samoan) has been elected deputy chair.

Richard will remain on the council until a new ministerial appointment is made.


 Back to news & events

Published On: 5 July, 2016

Article By: Tracey Cooper



Other Articles

  • 27 March 2025

    A whakairo journey shaped by art and community

    Murray ‘Muzz’ Green (Te Kanawa, Ngāti Maniapoto, Whatakaraka, Ngāti Mahuta, Ngāti Te Kiriwai, Ngāti Tuwharetoa, Ngāti Rangitihi, Ngāti Ngutū, Whānau-a-Apanui and Ngāti Porou) left school at 15 when he realised conventional education wasn’t for him.

  • 20 March 2025

    Nāwai i tauira, kua kaiako

    Ahakoa he rerekē noa atu te ao i tipu ake ai a Rob Bromley i tāna e mōhio nei i tēnei rā, nō te ohinga ake, ka rongo ia i tētahi hao ki te reo Māori.

  • 10 March 2025

    Te Wānanga o Aotearoa recognised as leader in Māori HR

    Te Wānanga o Aotearoa was awarded the prestigious Mana Tangata Award at the 2025 NZ HR Excellence Awards on Thursday 27 February in Tāmaki Makaurau.

  • 06 March 2025

    A kaiako who built more than a course

    When Peter Waaka arrived in Queenstown many years ago, with a career spanning government work, hotel management, and Māori development teaching wasn’t on his radar. But life has a way of leading us in unexpected directions, and for Peter, that was helping tauira turn their business ideas into reality.