Reece O’Leary, trustee
Reece is the Environmental Manager for Pan Pac and was introduced to ECOED when he started his role with Pan Pac (a sponsor of ECOED). Reece enjoys spending time outdoors and is amazed by the amount of work ECOED volunteers do to support the Hawke’s Bay kiwi population. Reece and his wife Hannah are also kept busy with their three young children Frankie, Nellie, and Harvey.
Grant Russell, trustee
Grant became a trustee in 2024 and is excited to ensure Stantec as one of many sponsor’s and supporters of ECOED is able to contribute to the vision of ECOED. Grant is based in Hastings and as a Senior Principal Planner brings his vast knowledge of planning, governance and experience in sitting on other Boards to the trust.
Deb Harrington, manager
Deb was recruited as a volunteer in 2011 after taking early retirement from her banking career. Most weeks, she is in the Kawekas tracking down kiwi for health checks, raiding nests and training new volunteers.
She took over the administrator now manager role in 2021.
Tipene Cottrell, trustee
Tipene was appointed as a trustee in October 2022.
He has whakapapa connections to Wharerangi marae, Timi Kara marae and Mōteo marae.
Tipene also gives talks to school students about local hapū history.
Polly Macdonald, trustee
Polly was appointed as a trustee in January 2023. She and her partner are farming near Lake Tutira.
Aimee van der Weyden, trustee
Aimee was appointed as a trustee in February 2024. In her day job she works in communications, so helps the trust with comms and media. Aimee also enjoys heading into the forest and learning the hands-on stuff like health checks, nest raids, and monitoring.
Tamsin Ward-Smith, trustee
Tamsin became a trustee in 2024. She is an ecological consultant and has been involved with conservation in Hawke’s Bay for over 20 years, working in the Kaweka Forest Park in the early days when some of the first male kiwi were radio-tagged, and also at Boundary Stream Mainland Island. Tamsin is based in Havelock North with son Morgan, and kiwi detection dog Spur. Tamsin hopes to support the work of ECOED through her passion for kiwi and her connections with the National wider kiwi recovery community.