Our People

Tēnā kōtou,
Ko Geoff Rolleston ahau.
Ko Te Arawa me Mātaatua ngā waka, no Ngāti Whakaue me Tauranga Moana ahau.
Nā reira, tēnā kōtou katoa!

I am privileged to be the Tauranga Moana regional representative on MKGI. I am committed to delivering on expectations, but in order to do that, we need your feedback, and your contributions. We need to be a united voice on critical issues affecting our iwi livelihoods, and we need to be connected.

My current roles are mainly governance in our iwi sector as well as local government. I will be using these networks to advance our position on both a local level, and the international stage.

Look forward to engaging in the upcoming months.

Nga mihi

I am Chair of two Gisborne based Maori Agribusinesses, namely Wi Pere Trust and Mangatu Blocks Incorporation, and for both I e been on the board for over thirty years.
as a chartered accountant for twenty years before moving on to become a professional rector, with wide experience across a number of boards both public and private, Māori and Non-Māori.

Ko Ngāpuhi, Te Whakatōhea me Te Whanau-a-Apanui ngā iwi.

I enjoyed 19 years in hospitality managing Auckland and Taupo bars, restaurants, and night clubs, before providing systems and administration capability to Māori Trusts.

Born and raised in Auckland, with 2 years of schooling at Opotiki college. Moved back to Opotiki in 2018 with my husband and 3 of our 6 tamariki to strengthen ties to my father’s whakapapa.

Involved in the kiwifruit industry through Te Kaha 67 Ahu Whenua Trust, which has 2 conventional G3 orchards, with 1 preparing for organic conversion within the next 2 seasons.

Ko Taranaki te maunga,​
Ko Waitara te awa,​
Ko Otaraua te hapu,​
Ko Ngati Awa te iwi,​
Ko Mataatua te waka​
Ko Helen Scott ahau.​ ​

Helen is a mother of three and has over 20 years of experience within the kiwifruit industry. From picking the fruit to managing 3 orchards for Māori Investments Limited.

Māori Investments Limited were finalist in the 2023 Ahuwhenua awards and in 2022 Helen received the Bay of Plenty Supreme winner for Ballance Farm Environment awards​.

She is the Rangitaiki representative for Māori Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated and provides expertise in growing and managing kiwifruit orchards. This approach showcases the passion she has in working with the whenua.

Ko Rangiuru raua Otawa ngā maunga
Ko Kaituna te Awa
Ko te Arawa te waka
Ko Tapuika te Iwi
Ko Vance Skudder toku ingoa

Kia ora my name is Vance Skudder and I live in Te Puke (Bay of Plenty).

In the early 1970s my great grandfather (Puruha Wihapi) told my dad to clear several dairy farm paddocks for a Kiwifruit Orchard to replace it. At the age of 7 years old, I began to help my dad clear the fields from grazing cattle to planting shelter and structure the land to grow fruit. Today we run a small kiwifruit orchard and graze cattle on the farm which I manage.

I am on several Governance board including Paengaroa North K Orchard which is 43 hectares of Haywood and G3 Gold kiwifruit, and Tapuika Iwi Authority.

After serving 20 years in the New Zealand Police Force, it is wonderful to wake up and walk through the kiwifruit orchards everyday and enjoy some of the bounties of the land.

I was born and breed in Te Tauihu – Motueka, spent much of my time outdoors within nature, fishing, gardening etc.

Over the past 18 years I have predominantly spent my working life and now career in Pipfruit production. I started working for Kono NZ LP (Food and beverage arm of Wakatu Inc) some 12 years ago. From here I have worked in all of its horticultural sectors in varying roles covering Hops, Pipfruit, Kiwifruit, compliance, h&S, and am now the General Manager for the Kono Horticulture operation. We are committed to our long term goals and have several aspirations to be better kaitiaki for our whenua which is something that resonates with me.

I am deeply passionate about horticulture and training and have taken opportunities where I can to support others by being involved with various committees. Outside of work you will often find me and my son in the garden or in the kitchen learning to cook what we have grown. I am thrilled to be part of MKGI and look forward to connecting and being more emersed in the kiwifruit industry. 

Amy has been working in the kiwifruit industry for 9 years most recently working for Zespri International as the Māori & Community Relations Manager and has in-depth knowledge and understanding of the kiwifruit and horticulture industry spanning the entire supply chain through offshore markets to consumers.  In her time at Zespri, Amy coordinated the establishment of the Māori Kiwifruit Growers forum and led multiple Māori grower delegations into global markets throughout Asia, Americas, Europe and the Middle East.

Prior to Zespri Amy was the Executive Officer at Te Awanui Huka Pak, working alongside the Chairman to support the seventeen Māori shareholders. Working in these positions has given Amy a firm overview and understanding of the kiwifruit industry.

Amy, having owned and operated businesses in the hospitality sector since 2004, has a broad range of skills to offer.  Her hospitality background has seen Amy develop a solid network and successfully operate several businesses during the global financial crisis.

Amy has a key focus on improving outcomes for Māori and strongly advocates for increasing the skills and capabilities of Māori in both business and the Primary Industries.