It is with great pleasure that we announce the appointment of Rukumoana Schaafhausen, Ngāti Haua, Waikato Tainui, as a new Tindall Foundation Trustee.
Rukumoana, named after her marae in Morrinsville, is a dynamic leader who has carried her passion through roles as a lawyer, mother, director – whether in marae or boardrooms. She will bring huge experience and insight to our team and we are honoured to welcome her as the first Māori trustee to join our organisation.
Rukumoana says she is excited to join The Tindall Foundation because the work of the Foundation aligns with her own values and beliefs, “I am interested in the work the Foundation is carrying out in the community, its focus on the wellbeing of whanau and the environment and its commitment to people.”
As the current Te Arataura Chair and Kaahui Ariki Māori King’s Representative, as well as the longest standing trustee of Waikato Tainui, Rukumoana says she is both humbled and privileged to hold these roles, “I always carry a message of kotahitanga, manaakitanga and prosperity for the people of Waikato and New Zealand.”
Rukumoana is also a trustee of the Princes Trust NZ, and has carried multiple public and private directorships in Genesis Energy, Agresearch, Miro Berries Limited, and recently received the Sir Peter Blake award for leadership.
She is renowned as a hard-working principled “bridge builder” and a diverse thinker, which she attributes to being inspired by Wiremu Tamihana, as well as her children, to represent and create opportunities for the diversity of people she represents.
“I use my influence on boards to advocate and promote the importance of the true value and positive contribution a group of people can have in society beyond financial performance. True value is also about organisations having positive environmental, social and cultural impacts.”
Rukumoana describes her whanau as inspiring her daily – “I have an amazing husband, and our sons Manase and Emanuera, inspire me daily to have this view, a view motivated by doing what is right for the well-being of all people and our environmental resources. It is about the long-term lens and what we must accomplish together.”
Our Co-Founders Stephen and Margaret Tindall had this to say, “We’re delighted to welcome Rukumoana to our Trustees team. We’re really excited to be working with her and look forward to the experience, skills, passion and warmth that she will bring to her role. As The Foundation’s first Māori Trustee, her appointment is particularly special to us, and confirms our intention to work more with Maori in the future. Welcome her to our extended family.”