Kuru Ketu - Ruapehu District Council Representative
Kuru was previously an Associate at McCaw Lewis Lawyers,
working primarily in the Māori Legal space assisting with Resource Management
matters, Maori Land issues, Marine and Coastal Area Applications, Treaty
Settlements and Waitangi Tribunal claims.
He’s held a number of governance and quasi judicial roles, and is
a current elected member of the Ruapehu District Council.
Kuru lives in Taumarunui where he also works for his iwi, Ngāti
Hāua.
Kuru is a passionate outdoors person and takes advantage of the
district great environment. He also plays competitive Men’s Netball in
his own time.
Andrea Tyler - Owner and Operator, Plateau Lodge
Born in Australia in a place called Kalgoorlie, Andrea's childhood was very desert-oriented, but her passion has always been travelling. Andrea's extensive travelling has taken her to all seven continents. She is currently living in New Zealand creating a life as a motel owner at Plateau Lodge.
Andrea has been fortunate enough to work with many large hotels over the last 20 years from P&O Resorts in their luxury eco-tourism islands to land base Millenium, Hilton, and Ayres Rock Voyages Resorts.
Andrea is very passionate about tourism and supporting the community. She believes in nurturing villages and developing the region to grow her business in National Park Village.
Annie Rolls - Owner and Operator, Opotiki New World
Visit Ruapehu’s Antoinette Rolls (or Annie to others) was
the owner of Ohakune New World until 2021. Since 2021 she moved with her family
to Ōpōtiki, to take ownership of the New World there. She is the last remaining
founding director of Visit Ruapehu under its new structure formed in 2019
having previously been appointed as a trustee in 2014.
As a business woman, coupled with her local relationships
and whakapapa, Annie brings a wealth of experience and dedication to her role
as our Board Chair. She is passionate about Ruapehu as a people and as a place
and in her spare time loves to play golf, ski, travel and spend precious time
with whānau.
Tracey Goodall - Executive General Manager Passenger, KiwiRail
Tracey has worked in the tourism industry for over 20 years in New
Zealand and internationally, and is passionate about helping visitors explore
Aotearoa in their own unique ways. She believes the best travel experiences
come from connecting with place, meeting locals, and discovering what makes
each region special.
She has a strong personal connection to the Ruapehu region, having
previously lived in Taumarunui and worked closely with the central North Island
throughout her career. Tracey loves the outdoors and believes tourism plays an
important role in sustaining communities and celebrating place.
She is pleased to bring her experience and local connection to the Visit
Ruapehu board.
Nigel Douglas - Chief Executive Officer, OMD
Nigel has worked in advertising for over 30 years and runs
NZ’s most recognised media agency, OMD in Auckland. He has been connected to
Ohakune for most of his life, working at Kings part time in his early twenties.
He also has a house in Ohakune where he spends his most joyous times, skiing,
hiking, biking and imbibing.
