Whenua Iti Trust
Whenua Iti Trust Inc. is a charitable trust with a volunteer board who govern the operational arms of the organisation: Whenua Iti Outdoors and ExpedNZ.
Our board members are selected for their commitment to our kaupapa, governance expertise, community knowledge and sector specialisations.
We are looking for a new chairperson. For further information on this role please see the advertisement, role description and Board structure
Our Board Members
Pip Lynch, Chair
I've always been attracted to mountains, forests, deserts and other remote places. Being outdoors made sense to me; it allowed me to succeed in physical activities and fit in socially. I realised that other young people felt similarly and that lead to my involvement in outdoor education. I've worked as an outdoor instructor, school teacher (briefly), university lecturer in outdoor and environmental education, researcher of outdoor education, and volunteer member of governance boards within the outdoor education sector. My motivation is always to support opportunities for people to develop their own capacities for travelling through and living in natural areas, and for finding peace, inspiration and satisfaction from engaging with natural areas. When I first visited Whenua Iti in the early 1990s, I was impressed with the opportunities that the centre offered and I am still very impressed. It is a privilege to serve on the Trust Board.
Phil Sharpin, Trustee
Kia ora koutou - As a semi-retired educationalist, I am delighted to be able to bring my 30 years’ experience in secondary/tertiary education and training to the Whenua Iti Trust (WIT). My relationship with the Trust and Whenua Iti Outdoors began about 1990, when I was the local manager of Skill NZ, and has continued almost without a break to the present. In August 2017 I joined the Board as a trustee. What motivates me to support and be part of WIT is my strong belief in the power of the outdoors to change young (and not so young) lives for the better. I’m a family man and my wife, Trish, and I are lucky enough to have all our children and grandchildren currently living in NZ.
Cheryl Heta, Trustee
The Whenua Iti Challenge Course I completed was one of my life changing moments that I will be forever grateful for. So when asked to be part of the Whenua Iti Board, it was in a sense "Mana" and an opportunity for me to give back to an Organisation that will forever have a special place in my heart. At the time I was a single Mum aged 48 raising two boys and in order to grow gorgeous boys you need to be a good, positive healthy Mum - Whenua Iti helped me do this. On the course we were asked to think about our goals. One was getting a good job and run a marathon at 50 in Paris. I did both! I am now a 56yr old, still healthy and positive, employed by Rabobank NZ for 7.5yrs, with only one goal that I wrote down all those years ago left to achieve.
David Ross, Trustee
My career has been focused on equipment, clothing and rights for outdoor and sports industries and I have enjoyed building business throughout Europe, NE Asia, North America, Russia and Australasia. Specific experience includes international market development, distribution, marketing and product management. More recently, through my leadership position in a Crown entity, I have been engaged in conservation, sustainability, tourism and public - private partnerships. With a passion for wild places, I enjoy rock climbing, ski touring, hiking and rotary aviation. I have been fortunate to have climbed with many great people in stunning parts of the world and am proud to be involved with the outstanding team at Whenua Iti Outdoors.
Eli Grace-Webb, Trustee
Raised in the Nelson area, I recall fondly the many adventures I had exploring the nature that abounds us and the confidence it instilled. Passing similar experiences on to my kids these days, makes me realise just how important Whenua Iti Trust is to the rangatahi and community it serves.
Qualified in law, economics and finance, I bring to the Trust my experience of more than 15 years as an economist advising governments, businesses, regulators and other organisations across New Zealand, Australia, and Asia. I am truly privileged to work alongside my fellow trustees, whom are both passionate and wise, as we look to further the vision of the Trust.
Tiegan Maru, Trustee
Tēnā koutou, ko Tiegan tāku ingoa. Hello, my name is Tiegan and I am a member of the Whenua Iti Trust board. As a Motueka local, I have had the opportunity to engage in many programmes with Whenua Iti and felt very privileged to be able to experience first-hand the work that Whenua Iti does in our community. For over the past 8years, I have worked and trained in the youth development and sport and recreation space. With this knowledge, I hope to contribute a new and insightful perspective to the board. I enjoy getting out and about soaking up our beautiful beaches and landscape, we are so fortunate to have in the Tasman region.
Lisa Dunn, Trustee
Whenua Iti Trust Staff
Nicki Bensemann, Minute Secretary
When I look back at the life changing learning times in my life, they are mostly centred around opportunities for ‘Experiential Learning’ in the outdoors. Times when I was really challenged and pushed outside of my comfort zones. These have included Outdoor Pursuits Centre, a Spirit of Adventure sailing voyage and more recently a trip to rural Nepal and trekking in the Himalayas. It is a desire to share this learning, to see and encourage others push into hard spaces, learning to become the best version of themselves, that gives me such a huge amount of satisfaction. As a teenager moving into the district I became aware of Whenua Iti Outdoors (WIO) and at various times my 3 now teen boys have all benefited from the programmes run here. As a newcomer to the position of Board Minute Secretary I consider it a privilege to be able to offer my enthusiasm, skills and 30+ yrs experience as a Chartered Accountant, Trustee and Board Secretary to this team.
Social Impact Report
As part of an on-going evaluation process we find ways to measure the impact of Whenua Iti Outdoors. You can read our findings in this report.
Interested in Getting Involved?
We are always open to new ideas as to how use our programmes to support positive change within our community. If you have an idea to run past us, don't hesitate to get in touch!
Want to find out more about a programme or have a question for us? Talk to one of our friendly team - we're happy to help.