About Jenny Rowan

Jenny Rowan has been involved in community politics for the past 30 years.  She is a former Mayor of Inglewood (1986-1989), a former Deputy Chair of the Taranaki Regional Council (1989-1991) and a former Deputy Chair of the Paekakariki Community Board (PCB).

Prior to being elected Mayor, Jenny worked as a Commissioner in the Environment Court for 16 years and worked throughout New Zealand hearing cases on a range of high profile resource management issues including controversial roading projects, subdivisions, and developments.

Jenny has lived in Paekakariki since 1999.  She first became known to Paekakariki people during the 2000-2001 floods when she put her extensive civil defence experience into practice as the village’s Civil Defence Co-ordinator.  She is a former National Civil Defence Recovery coordinator and in this role has worked with a diverse range of communities to help them get back on their feet after major disaster events.

As a member of the Paekakariki Community Board Jenny led the fight to save Whareroa Farm and keep it in community hands.  This campaign was so successful the Government paid out $4.5million to buy the farm back from Landcorp and Jenny remains involved in the Whareroa Farm Trust.

Last year, she founded, and now chairs the Kapiti U.S. Marines Trust, which aims to collect, preserve and promote the unique U.S. Marines history, in and around Whareroa Farm, Queen Elizabeth Park and Paekakariki village.  

Jenny has been a key player in both the restoration of the award-winning antique signal box in Paekakariki, and the historic old barn in Queen Elizabeth Park. 

Jenny comes from a fourth generation farming family in Taranaki.  She was involved in a farming business partnership in Taranaki for 18 years while raising her two daughters.  She lives in Paekakariki with Jools, her partner of 23 years. Together, they have six children and three grandchildren.

She is a qualified mediator, a Justice of the Peace and was awarded the Queen’s Service Order in 1991.