Karilyn Te Riini is Chairperson of Tūwharetoa mai Kawerau ki te Tai and a recognised
leader in iwi governance, geothermal development, and Māori public policy. For more
than 20 years, she has served her iwi across governance, health, economic development,
and Crown partnerships. Her governance roles include Chairperson of Ngāti Tūwharetoa
Holdings Ltd, Director of Ngāti Tūwharetoa Geothermal Ltd, Deputy Chairperson of the
Ngāti Tūwharetoa Fisheries Charitable Trust, and Senior Advisor at Te Puni Kōkiri, the
New Zealand Government's lead agency for Māori development.
Grounded in the values of Tūwharetoa, Karilyn believes geothermal is far more than a
renewable energy resource—it is a taonga entrusted to each generation. Sustainable
development must balance economic opportunity with the protection of the whenua, wai,
and geothermal resource, ensuring today's decisions create enduring benefits for whānau,
hapū, and future generations.
Holding a Bachelor's degree in Strategic Management and membership of the Institute of
Directors New Zealand, Karilyn combines commercial governance with a strong
commitment to kaupapa Māori. Her leadership is centred on building enduring
relationships, fostering partnerships founded on trust and mutual respect, and
demonstrating that Indigenous knowledge and commercial success can work together to
create lasting intergenerational prosperity.
Passionate about strengthening Indigenous collaboration around the world, Karilyn
believes that by sharing knowledge, innovation, and lived experience, Indigenous
communities can collectively shape the future of geothermal development. Through
international partnerships and the Indigenous Geothermal Symposium, she advocates for
an Indigenous-led approach that protects geothermal as a taonga while unlocking
sustainable opportunities for generations to come.