Northland Community Foundation’s Board consists of 5-9 independent Trustees, each serving a 3-year term, with eligibility for reappointment for two further 3-year terms. One of these Trustees is appointed by Te Whatu Ora Te Tai Tokerau, while the remaining Trustees are appointed by the board. The regular scheduled retirement of Trustees means we will require new Trustees to replace them.
The Foundation’s Trustees bring together a wide range of expertise including business and financial management, law and community development. Board members volunteer their time to oversee the functions of the Foundation and provide representation from around Northland.
The upcoming scheduled retirement of trustees means we will require new trustees to replace them.
Northland Community Foundation seeks community-minded people with strong local networks and governance capability to join their dedicated voluntary Board of trustees. This is a rewarding and crucial role joining an existing team of governance locals who are managing donor relationships, building a new endowment asset for the region and making crucial granting decisions for funding priorities, based on community needs and opportunities.
To find out more, click here.
Meet the Trustees
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Richard Alspach
I am a farmer. I have spent the best part of the last fifty years representing and advocating on behalf of rural communities. Increasingly over that time it has become obvious that those communities are on the back foot. We simply don’t have enough votes. We have to find ways of looking after ourselves, because nobody else is going to do it for us. Hence my strong support for the Northland Foundation, and particularly the Northern Wairoa Fund. It provides a way to fight back, and support our own area and people into the forseeable future. A great concept.
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Season Downs
Season-Mary Downs
(Te Kapotai, Ngati Hine, Ngapuhi)
Season-Mary was born and raised in Northland and is a Director of Tukau Law. Season-Mary has extensive experience advising and representing whanau, hapu, and iwi clients in Maori legal matters and Treaty of Waitangi claims processes. Season-Mary is an active member of Te Hunga Rōia Māori o Aotearoa (Māori Law Society). Season-Mary has completed a PhD with the University of Waikato, on her thesis being “Nga taumata o te moana: Reconciling the governance and ownership of the takutai moana (foreshore and seabed)”. Season-Mary is dedicated to working with whanau, hapu and iwi clients to achieve their long term aspirations.
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Megan Wills
Megan Wills is a Director of Wills Westerna a boutique law firm in Whangarei. Megan is also the Treasurer for Volunteering Northland and Trustee of Te Hau Owhiowhio Otangarei.
Megan’s areas of expertise are commercial work, conveyancing and establishing family and charitable trusts. Megan is also focused on helping her clients with relationship property issues together with estate planning including wills and estate administration.
Megan has a genuine interest in her clients wellbeing and works towards ensuring they receive the best outcome available.
Having lived in Auckland and Wellington, Megan was a foundation student at the University of Waikato graduating with an LLB in 1994. Megan has worked in a number of law firms in both Auckland and Whangarei gaining a broad knowledge of law. Once established in Whangarei Megan completed a Bachelor of Arts in history. Megan joined the firm at the beginning of 2014 becoming a Director in the same year.
Megan enjoys supporting her three children in their academic and sports activities. Megan also enjoys putting on her gumboots and helping her husband in their family farm in her spare time as well as relaxing with friends and family at the beach.
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Nicola Hartwell
Nicola Hartwell is a lawyer employed by Northland Regional Council and an active member of the Whangārei Heads community, volunteering her time as: deputy chair of the Bream Head Conservation Trust; trapper in the Bream Head Reserve; and coach of the nippers at Whangārei Heads Junior Surf Lifesaving Club.
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Pip Zammit
Pip Zammit is our new Northland DHB representative on the Foundation Board. Pip is the Director of Allied Health, Science and Technology for the Northland DHB. Pip is the Service Manager of Oral Health and is also the Chair of the Northland Regional Clinical Governance Forum.
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JP Dignon
JP joined the board in March 2024
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Moe Milne
Moe joined the board in March 2024