Rotary Club of PlimmertonThe JR McKenzie Trust and Rotary
Joan Smith and Marama Takao
JR McKenzie Trust, Trustee Joan Smith and Maori Development Advisor/Kaitohutohu Marama Takao will highlight the long and proud association the trust and Rotary have had over the past 75 years. Their presentation will cover the current focus of the Trust on 'disadvantaged children and their families' and 'Maori development'. Examples of the successes of current grantees in our Rotary District 9940 will be discussed. At the end of their talk, there will be a discussion on ways in which the Trust could strengthen its relationship with Rotary to create greater benefit for our communities and New Zealand.
Joan Smith was appointed a Trustee to the JR McKenzie Trust in 2012. In this role she chairs the Wellington Regional Panel that visits and assesses all shortlisted grant applications in District 9940. Since joining the Rotary Club of Wellington 12 years ago she has been a panel member. She has 8 years’ experience as chief executive of NGOs. Not for profit governance and mentoring are her current professional interests. Joan is Treasurer, Life Member and a Past President of the Institute of Public Administration NZ, a mentor and Life Member of the Institute of Management, Trustee of the Dowse Foundation and Chair of a farming company. Prior to this she held general manager, chief economist and policy manager positions in government departments and crown agencies in the transport, education, forestry and agricultural sectors.
Marama Takao is of Ngāti Rārua, Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāti Tama, Ngāi Tahu, Ngāi Tūhoe, Scottish and Ngāi Te Rangi descent. She is the Māori Development Advisor/Kaitohutohu for JR McKenzie Trust and has worked in the area of community development and funding with Community Volunteers Inc., then the Department of Internal Affairs (Community Development and Funding), for the past 30 years. Before moving to Ōtaki in 2010 to be close to her two mokopuna/grandchildren, Marama lived in Motueka where the majority of her whānau still live.