TRUSTEES
ANDY CRANSTON, CHAIRPERSON
DAVID SCOTT
David S Scott MNZM, JP was born in Palmerston North and his career in Education and Farming led him and his family to Gisborne forty-six years ago. Married to Bev (best decision of his life!) with three adult children and six grandchildren.
David was a local body politician for many years and Deputy Mayor for twelve years.
He is currently Chair of Hauora Tairawhiti the Regional Health Board, Trustee of Te Kuri A Tuatai Marae, Rural Support Coordinator for East Coast, Gisborne, Wairoa, and a Director of Middle Mount Farming Ltd.
MOERA BROWN
Kia Ora koutou.
Nga mihi mahana I tenei wa.
Ko Moera Brown ahau no nga iwi o Tairawhiti.
Greetings to you all.
I sit as a representative of the Te Runanga o Turanganui a kiwa on the Connext Trust.
I have a variety of Governance experience but particularly bring a voice and perspective from local iwi to the table.
Naku noa,
Moera
NEIL SMOKER
Neil’s family moved to Gisborne from the UK in 2005, attracted in part by its climate and extensive opportunities to be active in a variety of ways. Being a trustee of Connext provides an opportunity to encourage increased levels of physical activity, with the associated positive mental impacts, alongside implementing initiatives designed to maximise educational achievement and life possibilities.
With more than 25 years of banking experience, the trust’s financial performance is of key interest to ensure that programmes supported are delivered effectively.
Ko Horouta toku Waka; Ko Puketapu toku Maunga; Ko Te Arai toku Awa; Ko Rongowhakaata toku Iwi; Ko Turanganui - A - Kiwa toku Kainga; Ko Paul Sadler toku ingoa.
Paul is a born and bred Gizzy boy grateful for the opportunities this special place provided him during his childhood and teenage years and continues to. Now navigating his 12th year of principalship, Paul feels privileged to be a principal. Currently principal of Mangapapa School, previously Makaraka School, Paul sees principalship as an opportunity to change the World of the 500 Mangapapa Kids in his care and values being a member of the Connext Trust as it allows him to extend this aspiration. He is grateful and excited about the opportunity to empower our young people to create healthier futures through the projects the Connext Trust is developing, supporting and driving.
Paul is excited about what the Connext Trust has already achieved and become. He enjoys the opportunity to work with, and learn from, other local leaders and finds it exciting to be able to combine their, and his own, knowledge, expertise and connections to make tangible and rewarding benefits for our Turanganui-a-Kiwa Gisborne youth and community.
Naku te rourou nau te rourou ka ora ai te iwi! With your basket and my basket the people will live!
JO HAUGHEY (OSLER)
Jo has a Bachelor of Management majoring in Leadership, from the University of Waikato. Passionate about education and a lifelong learner herself, Jo recently completed a Graduate Diploma in Teaching and Post Graduate Diploma in Digital and Collaborative Learning through The MindLab by Unitech. In 2016, Jo took up the role of Trust Manager for Connext Trust, which blended her management experience with a genuine desire to support Tairāwhiti’s educators to teach the region’s young people the skills to thrive in a world in which digital technologies continue to disrupt traditional education and business models.
Most recently Chairperson, Jo was a trustee on the Gisborne Intermediate BOT for three years and a trustee on the Mangapapa School BOT for six years. Her blend of governance and management and keen interest in supporting regional initiatives aimed at positively impacting young people through education, health and wellbeing, sees Jo enjoying her role as General Manager, Connext Trust.
After travelling extensively for eight years and working in several overseas locations Andy returned to Gisborne where he self-started a manufacturing and retail business. After 20 years, he sold the business and worked as a financial consultant and become interested in property development.
Elected as a Councillor in the GDC, this is a role he is privileged to still hold today. For the last three terms Andy has had the responsibility of chairing the Community Development and Services Committee. He spent three years as president of Surfing NZ and many years serving Gisborne Boardriders Club in many roles. Andy has also served many years on Heart of Gisborne and remains as a long-serving trustee on the Sport Gisborne Tairawhiti Board. He was excited to realise the opportunities a Trust such as Connext could offer our community and with the connect it has with GDC and Sport Gisborne was happy to be approached to serve as a trustee. While the trust is relatively young, Andy is proud of initial achievements led by Bikes in Schools and is excited to be involved in the many initiatives coming our way.
BRENT SHELDRAKE
Born and educated in Gisborne, following a long stint working in and around the sport, health and wellness industry across both Australia and Asia for over a decade, Brent returned home to Gisborne in late 2010 to raise his young family and at that time start a role as the CEO of Sport Gisborne Tairawhiti. Today, he works as a Regional Partnerships Manager for Sport NZ across the upper North Island and is exposed to several fantastic community-based health, sport, and education-based initiatives across the country that he can learn and share.
Passionate about innovation, sport, health, education and most importantly community, being a Connext trustee provides an opportunity to partner with other key community leaders across the region to help enable a positive, active, and healthy future for our young people.
Brent is also the current Chair of Central School BOT. Brent is married to Leigh and father of two boys Harrison (7) and Tyler (5).
