The day-to-day administration and control of the NZHIA (in between Annual General Meetings) is handled by the Executive Committee, who are elected during the Annual General Meeting of the Association.
For contacting anyone on the executive board, please email us directly at: admin@nzhia.com or fill out the contact form here: Contact NZHIA.
(We, unfortunately, have had to remove the executive direct email contact details due to spam issues.)
Executive Board 2026 – 2027:
Richard Barge
Chairperson
Hemptastic, Be All Hemp, Triple M Company
Mobile: +64 (0)21 706 690
Richard started in the industry in 1994 and has been the Treasurer of the NZHIA since 1998, then the Deputy Chair and became the Chair in 2020.
His background is in business finance and administration, and is a trained accountant and has a bookkeeping business based in Paeroa & Auckland.
Evan Dubisky
Secretary
Kapiti Coast District Council
Mobile: +64 (0)27 578 7183
Evan joined the NZHIA in 2021 to get a first-hand look at the exciting opportunities that the hemp industry offers Aotearoa New Zealand.
Based in the Wellington region, Evan wants to see the hemp industry becoming a thriving part of the future New Zealand story โ from nutrition to housing to new applications at the forefront of green technology.
Dave Hovell
Treasurer
Taitokerau Hemp Limited
Dave affiliates to Ngฤpuhi, Ngฤti Porou and Tainui and brings more than 20 years of governance, finance and supply chain experience across not-for-profit, community and industrial organisations. Dave has served on the boards of Parafed Northland, Steelsands Credit Union,
Sailability Northland and the Maungatapere School Board of Trustees, and is currently chair of the board of Taitokerau Education Trust.
His governance work is grounded in strong financial and operational leadership. Dave is Finance Manager at Te Hau ฤwhiowhio o ลtangarei Trust and Financial Controller for Te Waiariki Ngฤti Kororฤ Ngati Takapari Iwi Hapลซ Trust in Whangฤrei. He has previously held finance and executive roles with 155 Whare ฤwhina and Taitokerau Education Trust and was General Manager of Taimahi Trust. Before moving into the not-for-profit sector, he spent 13 years at Refining NZ in performance reporting, management accounting and capital accounting. This followed an early career in supply chain and production planning with Fletcher Building and National Foods Australia.
Dave believes hemp has real potential to build sustainable regional economies in Aotearoa. He sees it creating jobs, adding value to land, and opening opportunities for Mฤori landowners and rural communities. He wants to help the industry build the strong governance, processing capability and markets it needs to grow.
Dave holds a Bachelor of Applied Management (Accounting) and is CPIM certified. He is based in Maungatapere with his wife Chloe, and two of their three children still at home.
Teresa Raumaewa
Executive
Tee’s Pots
Teresa Raumaewa is Ngฤti Hau of the Whanganui River, a mother and grandmother who wants to leave a healthier future for her whฤnau and generations to come. With her late husband, she managed large sheep and beef stations for much of her life. She later spent four years as Supply Operations Manager at Waiouru Military Camp, and now works in the biological fertiliser industry.
Teresa founded Tee’s Pots, a home-based business teaching people to grow toxin-free kai using biochar and activated garden charcoal, and selling and promoting hemp products. A long-time advocate for biochar and activated carbon, she encourages people to have a go at growing hemp and sees hemp and carbon as natural partners for restoring our soils, water and people. She joined the NZHIA to turn that potential into practical change.
Ko au ko te awa, ko te awa ko au.
I am the river, and the river is me.
Tanya Simmonds
Executive
HempCentral
Tanya Simmonds is the founder of HempCentral in Queensberry, operating New Zealandโs first Ashford hemp processor for building and fibre products.
With a background in health care and a passion for regenerative farming, Tanya is dedicated to building local supply chains, advancing hempcrete construction, and driving sustainable growth in New Zealandโs iHemp sector.
John R Smith
Executive
Tasman Hemp Co
Mobile: +64 (0)27 279 06 48
John R. Smith has been involved with the hemp industry for the last ten years.
Firstly, working alongside Hemp Technologies in Taranaki NZ and building houses from hempcrete. A total of four houses have been built in New Plymouth to date. Presently, John is licenced to Sell Real Estate & licenced to grow industrial hemp in South Taranaki.
Dave Hovell
Executive
Taitokerau Hemp Limited
Dave affiliates to Ngฤpuhi, Ngฤti Porou and Tainui and brings more than 20 years of governance, finance and supply chain experience across not-for-profit, community and industrial organisations. Dave has served on the boards of Parafed Northland, Steelsands Credit Union,
Sailability Northland and the Maungatapere School Board of Trustees, and is currently chair of the board of Taitokerau Education Trust.
His governance work is grounded in strong financial and operational leadership. Dave is Finance Manager at Te Hau ฤwhiowhio o ลtangarei Trust, and Financial Controller for Te Waiariki Ngฤti Kororฤ Ngati Takapari Iwi Hapลซ Trust in Whangฤrei. He has previously held finance and executive roles with 155 Whare ฤwhina and Taitokerau Education Trust, and was General Manager of Taimahi Trust. Before moving into the not-for-profit sector, he spent 13 years at Refining NZ in performance reporting, management accounting and capital accounting. This
followed an early career in supply chain and production planning with Fletcher Building and National Foods Australia.
Dave believes hemp has real potential to build sustainable regional economies in Aotearoa. He sees it creating jobs, adding value to land, and opening opportunities for Mฤori landowners and rural communities. He wants to help the industry build the strong governance, processing capability and markets it needs to grow.
Dave holds a Bachelor of Applied Management (Accounting) and is CPIM certified. He is based in Maungatapere with his wife Chloe, and two of their three children still at home.
Teresa Raumaewa
Executive
Tee’s Pots
Teresa Raumaewa is Ngฤti Hau of the Whanganui River, a mother and grandmother who wants to leave a healthier future for her whฤnau and generations to come. With her late husband, she managed large sheep and beef stations for much of her life. She later spent four years as Supply Operations Manager at Waiouru Military Camp, and now works in the biological fertiliser industry.
Teresa founded Tee’s Pots, a home-based business teaching people to grow toxin-free kai using biochar and activated garden charcoal, and selling and promoting hemp products. A long-time advocate for biochar and activated carbon, she encourages people to have a go at growing hemp and sees hemp and carbon as natural partners for restoring our soils, water and people. She joined the NZHIA to turn that potential into practical change.
Ko au ko te awa, ko te awa ko au.
I am the river, and the river is me.
John R Smith
Executive
Tasman Hemp Co
Mobile: +64 (0)27 279 06 48
John R. Smith has been involved with the hemp industry for the last ten years.
Firstly, working alongside Hemp Technologies in Taranaki NZ and building houses from hempcrete. A total of four houses have been built in New Plymouth to date. Presently, John is licenced to Sell Real Estate & licenced to grow industrial hemp in South Taranaki.
Other NZHIA Committees & Teams
Each committee has a strategic plan identifying milestones and goals to help focus their efforts in supporting the NZHIA Executive to achieve the overall objectives of the association. Please contact us if you want any more information on the committees within the NZHIA or want to find out how you can help.
Members/Admin Committee: Looking after the members experience and taking care of the administration for the association.
Media Committee: Raising awareness and funds for the association, and producing newsletters and information for both the media and the industrial hemp community.
Government Committee: Working with the government to ensure the regulations are workable and they are aware of what the industry needs to develop successfully.
Research & Development Committee: Looking at “Food, Fibre and Health” areas, identifying gaps in the road map to achieving a fully integrated and sustainable industry within New Zealand. Click here for more info about the NZHIA R&D Committee.