First-term Mayor of Nelson, Hon Dr Nick Smith, is well known in the Nelson-Tasman region after more than three decades as an MP, firstly in the former Tasman electorate and then as the MP for Nelson. During his Parliamentary career, Dr Smith was a Minister of 13 different portfolios. Dr Smith has a Bachelor of Engineering with Honours and a PhD in Civil Engineering. Following Dr Smith’s retirement from Parliament in 2021, he was Smith Crane’s project manager for the construction of New Zealand’s largest wind farm at Turitea. He was elected Mayor of Nelson in the October 2022 local elections. Dr Smith is a Member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors and a Fellow of Engineering New Zealand. He is also a trustee on several boards of community organisations such as the Cawthron Institute.

As well as the current Deputy Mayor for Tasman District Council, Stuart is a farmer and business owner. He has been a Murchison-Lakes Ward Councillor for 23 years. Stuart is committed to ensuring the preservation of our environment and advocating strongly for our rural communities. His priorities are keeping rates as affordable as possible, the improvement and maintenance of rural roads, the protection and enhancement of infrastructure such as water, wastewater and stormwater services, and the preservation and improvement of local community facilities.

Jehan is a journalist, speaker and mental health advocate. For more than a decade, he has been a familiar face on our TV screens - helping Kiwis from all walks of life to share their stories. Jehan has won many awards for his storytelling, including "Reporter of the Year" at the New Zealand Television Awards. He's the author of a book called "This Is Not How It Ends: How rewriting your story can save your life."