Conan, originally from Pawarenga in the Hokianga, has been immersed in waka ama his whole life. His paddle-making journey began as a teenager, working school holidays in the Moananui workshop in Tutukaka for the Kjeldsen whānau. After finishing school, he continued building paddles for Moananui before pursuing systems engineering at Massey University, where his technical knowledge and product design skills took shape.

Lana, raised in Raglan, discovered waka ama in the mid-1990s when Hoturoa and Kim Barclay Kerr began coaching a group of local Raglan girls. Her love for the sport and connection to the paddling community have been at the heart of Tai Paddles from the very beginning.

Alongside their work at Tai Paddles, Conan and Lana are passionate about nurturing the next generation of paddlers. They established Manu Rere Moana, a rangatahi (youth) club based in Raglan, dedicated to developing skills, confidence, and a lifelong love for waka ama.