John, an engineer and professional director, became intrigued by Te Araroa after reading Geoff Chapple’s narrative of that first journey. He finally walked Te Araroa in its entirety during the summer of 2020/21.  During and after that walk John realised the enormous effort required to ensure the trail continued to develop and remain viable and iconic despite the pressure of increasing walker numbers.  He joined the Te Araroa Waikato trust in 2021 and the national trust in 2022.  John was appointed Chair in late 2023 and is a passionate promoter of the whakahou/regenerative strategic direction.