Our Team

Katie Milne has spent much of her life championing rural New Zealand and the people who keep it running. A fifth-generation West Coaster, she first became involved with Federated Farmers in 1991, later serving as West Coast president and then National President in 2017. Over the years, she has contributed to a wide range of industry and community groups, including the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee, the Farmer Mental Wellness Strategy Group, and the West Coast TB Free Committee.

Katie previously served on the board of Westland Milk Products until its sale and has been a board member of Predator Free 2050 Limited. She is now in her second term on the West Coast Tai Poutini Conservation Board. She also helped found the Lake Brunner Community Catchment Care Group and currently chairs the Ara o Te Kinga Trust.

Her leadership and passion for rural communities have been widely recognised, including being named Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year and winning the Rural category of the New Zealand Women of Influence Awards in 2015.

Rob is the CEO of the Isaac Conservation and Wildlife Trust and Isaac Land Holdings. He holds a B.Sc. (Hons) with a major in Geology from the University of Canterbury. His background in heavy civil construction, land development, and environmental land management is complemented by time spent in the Asia-Pacific region and the UK working for multinationals.

Rob and his wife, Michelle, are landowners on the flanks of Te Kinga and have been involved in the district for 30 years. For the Ara o Te Kinga initiative, Rob is committed to community-driven conservation and achieving long-term ecological outcomes in the region. He is particularly passionate about the translocation of rare and endangered species as Ara o Te Kinga’s predator-free mission becomes a reality. He enjoys the outdoors and, when time allows, spends time in the Alps and at Lake Brunner.

Renee is a passionate advocate for sustainable development and strong rural communities on the West Coast. She brings extensive governance experience spanning education, community, the primary sector, and economic development, including eight years as Chair of Development West Coast.

Renee and her family own and operate a dairy farm in the Lake Brunner area, neighbouring the Predator Free Te Kinga Project. She is a founding member of the Lake Brunner Community Catchment Care Group, has a demonstrated commitment to environmental stewardship, and is a DairyNZ Dairy Environment Leaders Alumni.

Renee has held a variety of governance and leadership roles at local, regional and national levels, including Muka Tangata-People, Food & Fibre Workforce Development Council, Tai Poutini Polytechnic, local schools, various advisory groups, and is a long-serving member of Federated Farmers West Coast Executive. 

Although originally from elsewhere, Jo has spent most of her life on the West Coast, drawn by her love for the region. She lives at Aratika, near Moana.

Passionate about native plants and animals, she began working in conservation as a kiwi ranger in 2007. When the opportunity arose to help establish a community trust to protect Mt Te Kinga from introduced predators, she was pleased to get involved.

She firmly believes that where nature thrives, communities flourish.