Otago Community Trust welcomes two new Trustees to the Board
7 Oct 2026
Otago Community Trust is pleased to welcome two new Trustees to its Board, bringing membership to a full capacity of 12. Mary Jane Kivalu, of Ōtepoti, and Phill Hunt, of Wānaka, took up their roles officially on the 1st September 2026.
Trustee appointments are made by the Minister of Finance under the Community Trusts Act 1999, with Trustees selected for their professional or community-based experience and required to live within the Trust's region.
The Board is responsible for managing funds of more than $329 million and distributing income for the benefit of Otago communities, meeting monthly to consider grant requests and governance and strategic matters.
Mary Jane is Aotearoa-born of Tongan heritage, with family ties to Nuapapu (Vava'u) and Nomuka (Ha'apai). She came to Dunedin to study at the University of Otago, where she now lives with her husband Petelo and son 'Ofeina, and is a Professional Practice Fellow at the University. Her career spans business, education, community development, aviation and research, alongside voluntary leadership roles in tertiary student advocacy, youth development, sport, and Pasifika community work. Her approach to community service is grounded in relationships, cultural responsiveness, and creating opportunities for people to thrive.
“I'm honoured to join the Otago Community Trust Board. I've spent my career working alongside communities across Otago, and I'm looking forward to helping the Trust create even more opportunities for people here to thrive," says Kivalu.
Phill has spent his life in the Wānaka area, apart from secondary school in Dunedin and a Bachelor of Commerce (Agriculture) from Lincoln College. He returned to the family farm for a thirty-year farming career alongside his wife Lizzie, with the couple also holding farming interests in South Otago. His governance experience runs through the Wānaka Show, Animal Health Board, Hato Hone St John and Federated Farmers - he was admitted as a Member of the Order of St John in 2013 - and he currently chairs the Otago Rural Support Trust.
"I've spent my life among rural communities and seen firsthand what they contribute to Otago. I'm looking forward to bringing that experience to the Board and supporting the Trust's work across the region," says Hunt.
OCT Chair Stacey Honeywill says the appointments strengthen the Board's connection to communities across the region.
"Mary Jane and Phill each bring depth of experience and a genuine commitment to the people of Otago. Their perspectives will add real value as we continue to support communities right across the region," says Honeywill.