Board Of Trustees
Rikki Solomon
BOARD CHAIR
Why did you want to be part of the Board of Trustees for Te Uho o te Nikau Primary School?
My name is Rikki Solomon. Renee, my wife, and I are the parents of two wonderful children. My daughter is a current student of Ormiston Junior College and is a Year 10. My son is currently attending Te Uho o te Nikau and is a Year 5. Being of Māori descent and a multi-cultural family, I feel I provide the board with a better understanding of the obstacles some our children face when engaging with the school and education.
What are some of your skills and passions you bring to your role as a board trustee?
I am a business owner, league enthusiast, a jack-of-all-trades and am also currently in the processes of doing a Doctorate Degree in Indigenous Development and Advancement. I am currently a member of the Pakuranga Heights School Board of Trustees and have served as a board member for the past several years. I am also a member of the Lay Committee of The Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia, specifically focused on the Maori and Pacific Islander people.
What is the most rewarding or important thing about being involved on a Board of Trustees?
As a member of the board, I would give every effort to have the board, teachers, students and principal empowered to provide the best learning environment for our children. I value the diversity of the Te Uho o te Nikau community and am dedicated, reliable, loyal and trustworthy. I will continue to provide the representation our parents and children deserve and need.
Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself with our community?
I believe that education is one of the most essential parts of a child’s life and more importantly, a love of learning develops from their first years in school as well as at home. Planning should be proactive, not reactive with the focus on providing a safe environment with quality education for all students despite their differences.
Roneil Dutt
FINANCE COMMITTEE
Why did you want to be part of the Board of Trustees for Te Uho o te Nikau Primary School?
Being on the Board allows me to use my experience in corporate leadership and governance in a non-corporate environment in a give-back manner. I also look forward to increased collaboration and engagement with the staff, children, parents, other Trustees and the wider community of Te Nikau, having lived in Flat Bush for over 15 years and recently moved to within a few streets of the school.
What are some of your skills and passions you bring to your role as a board trustee?
Technology and leadership skills. I have over 15 overs of Corporate experience in New Zealand, over several organisations; government, local government and corporate. I have had hands-on and leaderships roles, have supported other staff and being supported myself by others.
I also run a religious based Registered Charity in Auckland. This has given me several years of exposure to non-profit governance and leadership.
I am passionate about learning, having spent several years in post-graduate study in New Zealand. It is very exciting to be part of the early childhood to lower primary school which is a new experience for me.
What is the most rewarding or important thing about being involved on a Board of Trustees?
Learning more about the school system all the time, the challenges and wins for the school and the community and being able to play an active part in the journey.
Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself with our community?
You’ll see me around most events at the school, feel free to talk to me about anything I can do to support you all as a Board Member.
Stephanie Lin
STAFF REPRESENTATIVE
Why did you want to be part of the Board of Trustees for Te Uho o te Nikau Primary School?
By actively working and contributing as part of the Board of Trustees at Te Uho o te Nikau School is a way of giving back to the wider school community for me. I can use my skills, education, professional background and broad community networks to support Mel, the Board and our school by being the staff voice on the board.
What are some of your skills and passions you bring to your role as a board trustee?
My journey in Education took me across four different schools, different decile and different age groups from different parts of Auckland in the last 20 years. The different roles I take in various local community groups also brings different experiences and perspectives to my role as a board trustee.
What is the most rewarding or important thing about being involved on a Board of Trustees?
The most rewarding thing about being involved on a Board of Trustees is to work alongside other trustees to ensure Te Nikau’s continuing growth and success for our children.
Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself with our community?
Not really………………….. LOL
Kay Kumar
PARENT ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE
Why did you want to be part of the Board of Trustees for Te Uho o te Nikau Primary School?
For me, it comes down to community. Te Uho o te Nikau is part of the community I call home, and I wanted to contribute to a school that means so much to the families and whānau in this area.
Having worked in education for nearly 20 years, I have seen how much strong leadership, positive school culture and genuine partnerships with whānau can influence a child’s experience at school. I wanted to bring that experience to the Board and play a part in supporting the continued growth and direction of our kura.
What are some of your skills and passions you bring to your role as a board trustee?
Master’s in Educational Leadership, which has given me a strong understanding of leadership, governance, equity and effective decision-making.
I enjoy looking at the bigger picture, asking thoughtful questions and working collaboratively with others. I also understand that good governance isn’t about having all the answers — it is about listening, asking the right questions and making decisions that keep our learners and their whānau at the centre.
I am particularly passionate about student achievement, supporting teachers and creating an environment where every child feels seen, valued and capable of achieving their potential.
What is the most rewarding or important thing about being involved on a Board of Trustees?
For me, it is knowing that the work we do as a Board can make a genuine difference to the experiences and opportunities of our tamariki.
I value being part of conversations that look beyond the immediate and consider the kind of school we want to build for the future. That means supporting our school leadership, listening to our community, challenging ourselves when necessary and making sure our decisions remain focused on what is best for our learners.
The most rewarding part is seeing good governance translate into a school where children feel they belong, whānau feel heard, and our staff feel supported to do what they do best.
Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself with our community?
I have lived in this community for many years, so Te Uho o te Nikau isn’t simply a school I am connected to through governance — it is part of the community I call home.
I am someone who genuinely enjoys learning and being involved in the community. Outside of education, I have a strong interest in technology, robotics, coding and finding new ways of solving problems. I also enjoy spending time with my family and continuing to learn more about te reo Māori and Aotearoa.
Ultimately, I see being a trustee as an opportunity to serve. I feel privileged to be part of a diverse and growing community, and I hope to contribute in a way that is thoughtful, respectful and focused on making a positive difference for our tamariki and whānau.
Kusay Bearakat
BOARD MEMBER
Why did you want to be part of the Board of Trustees for Te Uho o te Nikau Primary School?
As a lifelong Manukau resident now raising my family in Flat Bush, this community is home. My eldest son attends Te Nikau, his brother at a local preschool and our family due to grow – so my investment in this school’s culture and long-term success is personal. I want to actively contribute to the foundation that sets our children up to thrive in a changing world, supported both academically and personally.
Education is about more than academic achievement, it’s about developing confident, capable young people who are prepared for whatever comes next and I want to play my part in making sure Te Nikau keeps offering that to our children.
What are some of your skills and passions you bring to your role as a board trustee?
Professionally, I work in the construction industry within the executive team and I’m also a Board member for an Alliance, which has given me hands on experience in governance, strategic oversight, risk and collective decision making. That background means I understand the difference between providing oversight and letting the people responsible for running the school do their jobs well.
Beyond the professional side, I genuinely enjoy working with people, developing others and bringing different perspectives together around a common goal and I bring a practical, outcome focused mindset to problem solving.
What is the most rewarding or important thing about being involved on a Board of Trustees?
For me it’s the opportunity to contribute to something bigger than yourself. On a school board that means putting our students at the centre of every decision, knowing the work we do can genuinely shape the experiences and opportunities our children have, both now and in the years ahead.
Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself with our community?
Just like a lot of us, I’m a parent first, so I understand first-hand what busy Te Nikau families are navigating day to day. I’m putting my name forward simply because I genuinely care about this school, this community and the future of our children.
Tangiao Wiperi
BOARD MEMBER
Why did you want to be part of the Board of Trustees for Te Uho o te Nikau Primary School?
I have a passion for seeing tamariki and whānau succeed, particularly as I believe they are the heart of our community and our future. I saw being on the Board as an opportunity to be a part of building that future and I thought, “I’m in.”
What are some of your skills and passions you bring to your role as a board trustee?
I’ve always had a passion for puzzles and problem-solving. I enjoy finding solutions and figuring out how we can come together to reach our collective goals. Put that together with my passion for seeing our tamariki succeed, and you end up with the collaborative approach I take when I’m around a
Board table. It’s about learning what our school needs, then combining the Board’s expertise to meet that need.
In terms of skills, I’d say governance, strategic planning, systems and people management are some of the skills I gained during my 25-year career. As an ECE business owner, I also feel I have a good understanding of our education system and the environment our school operates in.
I’m grateful to now bring that experience to our TUOTN community.
What is the most rewarding or important thing about being involved on a Board of Trustees?
Being able to invest in our tamariki and kaimahi. I believe the Board’s role is to create and maintain a framework that supports them to thrive, and I appreciate being able to use my skillset to help with this.
Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself with our community?
Our whānau loves to support our girl at as many school events as we can, so if you see me around, please don’t be shy to say hello. I’m always keen to connect with other whānau and have a chat about navigating school life and the other adventures that come with parenting/caregiving.