Rochelle is a senior leader with over 10 years’ executive management and leadership experience in the community, government, NGO and corporate environments. Over the course of her career, Rochelle has demonstrated a passion for philanthropy while playing a pivotal role in building, supporting and driving community initiatives as a member of various government, public and private organisations. In these roles, Rochelle has showcased her commitment towards honouring the core values and principles of New Zealand Aotearoa’s cultural diversity, Te Tiriti o Waitangi and everything that encompasses the New Zealand spirit.
Twelve years in the not-for-profit and public sector has given Ronja a rich experience in project management, community sector leadership, organisational management, as well as solid analytical and research capabilities. She has been part of the Hui E! whānau as the External Relations Coordinator, Relations Manager and now Project Manager since 2017. She holds a first class honours in International Business Management.
Sakhr has worked in youth engagement for more than five years, with involvement in research, project management, education, and advocacy. He is originally from Yemen and has travelled far and wide for study and work before choosing to make Aotearoa home. He's a Rotary Global Grant alumni with a background in Peace and Conflict studies, and is very passionate about promoting equity in communities. When he is not working he can be found enjoying live music or organising his own music gigs, which support charity organisations and artists through a 100 percent of the profit.
Katerina Kupenga (Ngāti Porou and Te Whānau a Apanui) is a trained facilitator and leadership coach and has a depth of knowledge in coaching for performance, strategic planning, team building, culture, and leadership. She then went on to work with school principals across Aotearoa delivering strategic planning and leadership programmes and is the founder of AraHIna Facilitation and Coaching Consultancy. Katerina is passionate about supporting those who are out there making a difference for our hapū, iwi, and communities. Over the past 20 years, she has raised her four sons within Kōhanga Reo and Kura Kaupapa and has played key roles in establishing strategies that improve and promote kaupapa Māori. Katerina is also a certified workplace and business coach and is currently training towards becoming a certified ToP facilitator through the Institute of Cultural Affairs (Australia).
Terrell Okeeffe-Ineleo is of Māori and Tokelauan descent and has over a decade of experience in a diverse range of roles within the customer service sector. Having studied Gagana Tokelau and currently in Te Ara Reo Māori studies, she is driven by her culture and ethnic background to work alongside our people, for our people. As the Kairuruku, Terrell aims to harness her passion and utilise her skills in administration and coordination by working effectively within the team.
Jewelz is Ngā Puhi and Te Rarawa based in Tāmaki-Makau-Rau (Auckland). She has spent 15 years working to improve the wellbeing of Māori and Pacific communities within the charitable sector, working at both grassroots and systems level. Jewelz specialises in bringing communities together and supporting them to identify and direct their own kaupapa (positions and policies). A strong leader with skills in collaborative practice, agile thinking, and facilitation, she thrives in complexity. Jewelz's goal is to see Māori rangatahi (youth) and hapori (community) thriving in the places where they live, learn, work and play.
Sarah Morris is currently undertaking an Atlantic Fellowship in indigenous-led social equity through the University of Melbourne. Her area of interest is in how champions in the community sector can contribute to decolonisation and fulfilling the vision of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Sarah most recently worked for the Aotearoa New Zealand Children’s Commissioner, advocating for the interests, rights and wellbeing of children and young people. Drawn to social justice through storytelling, Sarah trained as a journalist before moving abroad and establishing a successful career in international development. She has worked for international aid agencies like Oxfam and UNICEF supporting community development projects in Africa, Asia and the Pacific. After returning home to Aotearoa New Zealand in 2008, Sarah reoriented her career to children’s rights advocacy. Sarah has run her own consultancy business supporting non-government organisations and charitable trusts working for social and environmental justice. Sarah is fired up about supporting community champions to fulfill the vision of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Māori self-determination and social and environmental justice. Based in Te Awakairangi, Sarah is mum to two spectacular daughters.
As an advocate, advisor, connector and parent who has travelled the world, Andrea is passionate about reducing inequities and disparities for Māori across all sectors. She is interested in the preventative measures rather than reactive, and looks at the big picture in how to guide Māori with tino rangatiratanga. Andrea is respectful in particular to Kaumātua, outcome focused and optimistic. She adopts an innovative based approach to work and strive to create opportunities for others to flourish and thrive. Andrea has an affinity with Kaumātua and our babies, and another passion is to preserve Te Ao Māori by sharing our beautiful culture.
Bill has more than seventeen working at strategic and business unit levels in general management and trust management. Bill runs a business mentoring service under his business, Numb3rs Talk Limited. He initially worked as accountant from 2015 for Target Accounting Ltd servicing clients across the North Island. Bill then established 6 channels of client relationships. He is a provisional member of ICAANZ and an Associate Fellow of the NZIM. Bill has served on Navy League Canterbury (NZ) Inc and a member of the Defence Association of NZ. He holds a BEd, BCom and MBA.
Ginnie Denny has held governance positions in a range of education-related organisations over the past 6 years. She brings expertise in tertiary and adult education as well as business acumen to the board table. Professionally, Ginnie works at the interface of business and education to create sustainable training platforms that meet the needs of both individual learners and their workplaces. She has a special interest in strengthening adult literacy and numeracy provision. Ginnie has worked for the Tertiary Education Commission, New Zealand Qualifications Authority and various Industry Training Organisations and Private Training Establishments to develop robust systems and processes to improve learner outcomes.
Soifua was born in Tonga but has called Tauranga Moana home for over 16 years. She is Tātāriki Rautaki for Waiariki Whānau Mentoring and has spent many years within the community and social services sector in various roles between frontline, management and governance. Soifua's passions for the sector include celebrating cultural intelligence, activating organisational success and supporting safe collaborative practice. She is keen to be part of a team that shares knowledge and values authentic relationships. Soifua's favourite job is mum to five fānau who continue to ground her by reminding her daily that she’s not that good at TikTok. She is grateful that she can be a parent as part of a supportive village made up of her kāinga from Niuafo’ou and Ha’apai.
Prabha is an experienced art practitioner and administrator. She is the founder, producer, director and choreographer of Natraj School of Dance. Prabha’s work and contribution to dance and the ethnic community has been recognised by the community including receiving a QSM. She currently works for a government agency. Prabha is a facilitator, coach, mentor, assessor, presenter, panel speaker and an experienced governor and sits on various Not-for-Profit boards. She never hesitates to represent the community effectively where needed and is a strong advocate of diversity and inclusion across all sectors. Based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara/Wellington.
