Nate Brabender
Leadership Investment Manager
Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Ruapani
Nate is a dedicated individual driven by the values of manaakitanga and a strong sense of service. Raised by his grandparents and later in his teen years by a solo mum, he observed and learned determination and how to serve whānau from an early age.
"All things to all people" - Is Nate's attitude, though his role may say Investment Manager, Nate enjoys serving his people in as many was as he can. With a background in team management and development, combined with studies in Sustainable Investment at Harvard Business School, Nate brings a unique skill set to his role and to Te Mātāwai.
One of Nate's greatest achievements was empowering leaders to lead by implementing team development strategy to take an NGO from a team of 230 individuals and growing it to 750 individuals increasing capacity and productivity by $2m a year.
Joining Te Mātāwai in 2020 from Te Amokura Consultants as a contractor Nate soon fell in love with the kaupapa and was inspired by whānau revitalising te reo Māori in their kāinga, hapori and iwi. Nate then joined full-time where his role was to refine the investment program and the investment team's capacity and capability using his skills in team management and development. Nate is also passionate about his own te reo Māori journey with his whānau, actively implementing a whānau language plan with his wife Chelina (Ngāti Welsh) to raise their future tamariki fully immersed in te reo Māori, ensuring the preservation of their cultural heritage.
"Anei tātou nā ko te pō: anā tātou nā he rā ki tua - here affliction grips us, yonder is relief. We are in this for the long-haul e te whānau, though we are at critical state today, I truly believe kei te ūkaipō haere tō tātou reo, mā ngā whānau, ngā hapori māori me ngā iwi tō tātou reo e kawe ki te karamatamata o te rākau taumatua. Mā tātou anō te reo e whakatō ki ōna whenua haumako”
