Chair and Co-Deputy Chairs of Trust Waikato Reappointed

From left: Chris Flatt, Vicky McLennan, and Janise Eketone

A unanimous vote by Trust Waikato trustees have resulted in the reappointment of the Trust Waikato Chair and Co-Deputy Chairs. Vicky McLennan has held the position of Chair since March 2021 following a six-month period as Acting Chair. She previously held the role of Deputy Chair as of October 2018.

Chris Flatt held the role of Acting Deputy Chair for six months prior to trustees agreeing to a three-officer structure in which he and Janise Eketone were appointed to Co-Deputy Chair roles in March 2021. Both have been trustees of Trust Waikato since June 2018. Chris chairs the Finance, Audit and Risk committee whilst Janise chairs the Governance committee.

Vicky McLennan has been a trustee of Trust Waikato since June 2017, having previously retired from the role of Principal at Waikato Diocesan School for Girls. In her nine years of principalship, Vicky was heavily involved in local and regional educational networks and in the wider community, and encouraged the school, its students and families to support local events, community projects and charities.

She remains committed to lifelong learning and the contribution of community to personal wellbeing and is excited by the potential of collaboration to transform lives and communities. Vicky is also a trustee of the Alandale Foundation Trust and Perry Outdoor Education Trust, and is a contracted provider for NZ School Trustees Association, providing governance support to school boards.

Of the reappointments, Vicky observed “Our reappointment is a reassuring vote of confidence in the direction of the Trust and the way Board and Management are working together to support the aspirations of our Waikato communities.”

Over the last five years Janise Eketone has held multiple roles within Te Whatu Ora Waikato – Waikato District Health Board. These include Director of Maaori Health Strategy, General Manager of Maaori Health and Manager of Manu Kahaki – Covid Directorate. Janise was previously the inaugural Chief Executive Officer for the Maniapoto Maaori Trust Board for ten years.

Under her leadership, the Maniapoto Maaori Trust Board achieved the Nga Wai o Maniapoto (Waipaa River) settlement and the implementation of co-governance and co-management arrangements with Crown agencies and local governance. This settlement continues to enable Maniapoto to exercise their role as kaitiaki across the Waipaa River catchment and wider environs.

Chris Flatt is the National Secretary of the NZ Dairy Workers Union – Te Runanga Wai U (DWU). Chris is also a current director on several boards including Muka Tangata – People, Food & Fibre Workforce Development Council (WDC), UniMed Ltd, and the Waikato Trade Union Centre Ltd.

Chris has also worked as a private practice employment lawyer in both Auckland and Sydney and holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) and Bachelor of Social Sciences (Hons) from the University of Waikato – Te Whare Wananga o Waikato. Chris is also an Associate Member of Governance New Zealand (formerly the NZ Chartered Company Secretaries Association) and a Member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors.