Bill Takerei

Manukura | Chief Executive

Ko Bill Takerei ahau.

I am the Manukura | Chief Executive of Te Waipuna Puawai. My role is to support our staff and board to deliver on the vision of our organisation while ensuring we continue to respond to the needs of our whānau in Tāmaki and West Auckland.

I bring over 20 years of management experience to this role, but at the heart of my mahi is people. Supporting our team and helping create opportunities for whānau and communities to thrive.

I am fortunate to work alongside a team of passionate and committed staff who genuinely care about the communities they serve. One of my favourite things is hearing the laughter and conversations coming from our programmes and community spaces. Those sounds remind us why we are here and the privilege it is to be part of Te Waipuna Puawai.

Supporting staff, working with our board, building relationships with community partners, planning for the future, and making sure we have the resources needed to continue serving our communities. While people often see the programmes and activities, there is a lot of work involved in creating the conditions that allow those opportunities to exist.

Community is about relationships. People coming together, supporting one another, and sharing knowledge, for everyone to succeed.

I hope people feel like they belong when we work with them. Whether someone joins a programme, attends an event, accesses support, or just comes in for a cup of tea and a kōrero, I hope they know they are welcome here.

Te Waipuna Puawai exists because of our communities, and I hope every person who connects with us feels valued, respected, and part of something bigger than themselves.