Meet our Team
Passionate about people, sport, and community — the team behind the Hub.
Sheena Hamilton
Chairperson
Sheena Hamilton brings a wealth of experience and a deep connection to the Kaikōura community to her role as Chairperson of the Takahanga Sport and Recreation Hub Board. With a background in hospitality, Sheena has spent decades contributing to the vibrancy of Kaikōura through her professional and volunteer endeavours.
Read more
Professional Background and Expertise
Skills relevant to the Takahanga Sport and Recreation Hub include event management, fundraising, and a strong ability to work within a team to achieve shared goals. Sheena’s commitment to seeing projects through to completion and her extensive community involvement position her as a valuable contributor to the ongoing development of the Hub.
Connection to Kaikōura
Sheena and her husband have been active members of the Kaikōura community since the late 1990s, contributing to local businesses and sports initiatives. Kaikōura has been central to their family’s life, offering unique experiences that shaped their sons, who have gone on to live overseas.
Involvement with Takahanga Sport and Recreation Hub
Sheena joined the board of the Takahanga Sport and Recreation Hub to ensure the vision she helped develop as part of the facility build project team became a reality. The aim – to create a thriving, sustainable hub that benefits the entire Kaikōura community.
Personal Interests
Sheena’s happy place is on her family’s launch in the Marlborough Sounds, where she enjoys the tranquility and occasional escape from phone reception. Her interests align with her active family life, reflecting her support for sports and recreation in the community.
Why Kaikōura?
Sheena cherishes Kaikōura’s stunning natural beauty, which she feels is never taken for granted. She values the strong sense of belonging and the community’s shared commitment to supporting one another, creating a bond that drives collective efforts to improve opportunities for everyone.
Tony Anker
Secretary
Tony Anker, Secretary for the Takahanga Sport and Recreation Hub, brings over 20 years of leadership experience from his service in the New Zealand Army, where he attained the rank of Warrant Officer Class One. His extensive background in coaching, facilitation, and business management, combined with a passion for promoting active lifestyles, makes him a vital contributor to the Hub’s mission of fostering health and community connection in Kaikōura.
Read more
Professional Background and Expertise
Tony served as Senior Corps Advisor for the NZ Army’s Physical Training Corps, honing his leadership and facilitation skills. He continues to support the Army by running the Kaikōura CACTUS programme and serving as President of the Kaikōura RSA. Beyond the military, Tony coached rugby overseas, managed a recreation facility in Christchurch, and worked as a Business Coach, helping small to medium-sized businesses improve leadership, profitability, and operations.
He also contracted with the NZ Army to facilitate Leadership Workshops. Until 2017, he worked as a Sales Consultant with Harcourts in Kaikōura.
Connection to Kaikōura
For the past 20 years, Tony has lived in South Bay, Kaikōura, embracing the relaxed lifestyle, stunning scenery, and vibrant community spirit. Now semi-retired, his deep ties to the area drive his commitment to enhancing community wellbeing through the Takahanga Hub.
Involvement with Takahanga Sport and Recreation Hub
As Secretary, Tony leverages his expertise in leadership, coaching, and mentoring to promote active lifestyles and community cohesiveness, particularly for youth. His vision is for the Hub to be a central space for sport, recreation, and wellbeing, fostering a healthy body and mind for all. He contributes through facilitation, event support, and strategic guidance.
Personal Interests
Tony enjoys fishing, diving, snorkelling, and mountain biking, making the most of Kaikōura’s natural wonders.
Why Kaikōura?
Tony cherishes Kaikōura’s vibrant community, relaxed lifestyle, and stunning landscapes, which inspire his dedication to fostering health and connection in the area.
Motto
Mens Sana in Corpore Sano (Healthy Body, Healthy Mind)
Deb Walford
Takahanga Runanga Rep
Kō Debbie taku ingoa
Nō Kaikōura ahau
Kō Tapuae o Uenuku, Tararua aku maunga
Kō Waiau toa taku awa
Kō Tākitimu me Tainui aku waka
Kō Ngāi Tahu me Ngāti Raukawa aku iwi
Kō Ngāti Kurī taku hapū
Kō Takahanga me Kererū aku marae
Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa
Read more
Background and Expertise
Debbie C. Walford, known as Deb, proudly serves as a representative for Takahanga Rūnanga. Born and raised in Kaikōura, she brings a wealth of community experience. Deb is actively involved in several committees, where she also holds the treasurer role for some. She is a dedicated board member of Te Rūnanga O Kaikōura Limited, contributing to local governance and development.
Sporting Legacy
Hailing from a large whānau of ten children, Deb grew up surrounded by a strong sporting tradition. Her father and brothers were avid rugby players, inspiring her early interest in sports. She started playing netball young, leading a team for over 30 years. During this time, she also umpired and coached, and for the past 15 years, she has been the treasurer of the local netball centre. Additionally, Deb has been involved with the local Walking Netball group for the last six years, promoting active lifestyles.
Community Involvement
Deb recently joined the Takahanga Sport and Recreation Hub as a representative for Takahanga Rūnanga O Kaikōura. With her extensive sporting background, she continues to support the next generation, with nephews, great nephews, and nieces now playing rugby and netball on the new courts. Her involvement highlights her commitment to the community’s recovery and growth, especially following the Kaikōura earthquake, where she acknowledges the hard work of predecessors in establishing the Hub.
Personal Interests
Beyond her community roles, Deb enjoys following rugby and netball and relishes her regular swims at the Kaikōura Aquatic Centre. She cherishes visiting whānau from out of town. To Deb, the heart of Kaikōura lies in her whānau, friends, and the sense of home it provides.
Barney Beaven
Board Member
Barney Beaven, a Hub Board Member for the Takahanga Sport and Recreation Hub, brings 47 years of entrepreneurial experience as the former owner of BG Beaven Builders Ltd. With a passion for community engagement and a background in business planning, staff management, contract negotiation, and strategic decision-making, Barney’s leadership and dedication to Kaikōura make him a vital contributor to the Hub’s mission. His expertise also includes fundraising, public relations and compliance.
Read more
Professional Background and Expertise
Barney ran BG Beaven Builders Ltd. from 1977 to 2021, where he built strong customer relationships, developed marketing strategies, and led a high-performing team to achieve consistent revenue growth. He ensured compliance and fostered an inclusive workplace.
Connection to Kaikōura
Having retired to Kaikōura, Barney has deep ties to the community through decades of involvement. His work with local organisations, including the Amuri A & P Show, Amuri Lions, and Hurunui Council, reflects his commitment to fostering community spirit and growth.
Involvement with Takahanga Sport and Recreation Hub
As a Hub Board Member, Barney focuses on uniting diverse community groups, securing funding, and planning events. His vision is to create an inclusive space where people of all ages connect through sport and recreation. He contributes through fundraising, event planning, and promoting collaboration.
Personal Interests
Barney enjoys rugby, cricket, fishing, and shooting, reflecting his active and community-oriented lifestyle.
Why Kaikōura?
Barney cherishes Kaikōura’s welcoming community, good people, and stunning hills-to-sea landscape, which inspire his ongoing dedication to the area.
Mark Fissenden
Board Member
Mark Fissenden, Operations Manager at Fissenden Bros Ltd and long-time Paperplus Kaikōura owner, brings over 25 years of business leadership and community involvement. Passionate about sport and active lifestyles, he is committed to making the Takahanga Hub a unifying space where Kaikōura thrives.
Read more
Professional Background and Expertise
Mark Fissenden has built a diverse career rooted in Kaikōura. After completing his education at St Joseph’s and Kaikōura High School, he began his professional journey at Trustbank, where he worked for seven years. He then spent two years driving a bulldozer for Fissenden Bros Ltd, a family business run by his father and uncle Peter.
In September 1999, Mark purchased West End Book and Music Centre, now known as Paperplus Kaikōura, and has successfully managed the business for 26 years. During this time, he served as a Board of Directors member for Paper Plus New Zealand (PPNZ) for 14 years, contributing to strategic leadership in the retail sector. In 2020, Mark returned to Fissenden Bros Ltd, where he now holds the role of Operations Manager, leveraging his extensive experience in business management and operations.
Involvement with Takahanga Sport and Recreation Hub
Mark is passionately involved with the Takahanga Sport and Recreation Hub, driven by a commitment to see the project succeed. His vision for the Hub is to create a sustainable operation that engages the entire Kaikōura community through sport and recreation. By promoting active lifestyles and community participation, Mark aims to make the Hub a cornerstone of local unity and well-being.
Personal Interests
Outside of his professional life, Mark enjoys a range of active pursuits, including tennis, golf, squash, rugby, and diving. These interests reflect his enthusiasm for physical activity and align with his vision for the Takahanga Sport and Recreation Hub.
Why Kaikōura?
Mark’s favourite aspect of Kaikōura is its stunning landscape, where the mountains meet the sea within a 10-kilometre span. This unique natural environment encapsulates the essence of Kaikōura, making it a place he treasures and chooses to call home.