1. Rula Talahma
I would like to express my interest in making critical and impactful contributions to our communities through joining the board of Hui E! I will bring more than seven years of work experience supporting former refugees and migrants through the different professional and community roles that I held, including with NZ Red Cross and Ministry of Education.
I have completed training in governance and leadership with Pearl of the Islands Foundation and Manawka Ao Network. I formed a working group under the Refugee Support Group (Dunedin), led a successful application for INZ Community Sponsorship Programme, and later joined the SRG as a trustee. I joined the Board of Interpreting New Zealand with focus on strategic planning and risk mitigation, as well as the English Language Partners Ethnic Advisory Group. I hold strong relationships with resettlement partners and community organisations like the Dunedin Multi-Ethnic Council and the Southland Multi-Cultural Council.
Being local in Ōtepoti and working across Otago Southland with links to the rest of the South Island will bring the voice and aspirations of ethnic groups into the table. I am happy to explore with Hui E! the current challenges in an increasingly changing environment.
I am a descendant of Palestinian refugee parents from Gaza who migrated to Aotearoa ten years ago. My academic journey led me to obtaining a bachelor’s degree in engineering and MBA from Palestine, and a PhD in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of Otago. I am bi-literate Arabic English speaker with a developing literacy in Te Reo Māori. One of the growing areas of work for me is influencing my immediate circles to take practical action to give effect to te Tiriti o Waitangi, especially within old and new communities.
2. Ben Amadi
I am currently working in the Cybersecurity department at Xero. I have fifteen years of work experience in the IT sector. I am driven by a deep sense of responsibility to serve and elevate the communities I’m part of. I’m eager to channel this heart for the community into a new challenge by becoming a board member at Hui E! because I want to be a catalyst for positive change and contribute towards a more inclusive Aotearoa.
I would bring a blend of experience and skills to Hui E! A proven track record in strategic thinking, problem-solving, planning and execution. I have successfully led project teams through transformative growth and navigated complex challenges. My stakeholder engagement and facilitation expertise enabled me to foster positive change and build relationships.
I volunteer with various Not-for-Profits such as Job Mentoring Service where I mentor former refugees and skilled migrants to get their first Kiwi workplace experience in the IT industry. I also volunteered with Samaritans. These experiences gave me a profound understanding of the sector’s dynamics, challenges and opportunities. I was nominated for the New Zealand Women
in Security 2023 Awards for ‘Male Champions of Change’ – it celebrates champions who are fearlessly leading the charge against gender-based discrimination and bias in their workplaces.
I serve as a committee member for the Nigerian Association in Wellington and groups in Xero.
Given my cultural background, I deeply understand the importance of honouring the Te Tiriti o Waitangi in every endeavour. Working in the community has given me a unique perspective and respect for the diverse voices that shape our communities.
I believe in the power of collective efforts to drive change and amplify the voices of those often unheard. This is why I would be honoured if the membership voted me to join Team Hui E!
3. Tim Antric
Ko Mauao te maunga e rū nei take ngākau.
Ko Arkengathdale te riu.
Ko Arkle te awa.
Nō te rohe o te whenua o Ioka ahau.
E mihi ana ki ngā tohu o nehe, o Tauranga Moana e noho nei au.
Ko Tim Antric ahau.
Ko au te Kairataki o Hemisphere.
Nō reira, tēnā koutou katoa.
I’m excited about the opportunity to support Hui E! as a trustee. I’ve been actively involved in the community and voluntary sector for more than 30 years. Going from establishing an HIV/AIDS support organisation in the early 1990s through to board roles in the mental health, volunteering, and youth development sectors. Today, I’m a board member at Achilles New Zealand, and through my work I support fantastic organisations like the KŌ Kollective, Poutiri Trust, My Life My Voice, Wellington Pride Parade, and the Billy Graham Youth Foundation.
I’ve written more grant applications than I can count, I’ve chaired the boards of Greater Wellington YMCA (now Y Central) and Youthline Wellington, I’ve been Executive Director of Public Libraries of New Zealand, and I’ve worked for the Mental Health Foundation and Public Health Association. Today, I’m Kaiarataki Managing Director of social marketing and advertising agency Hemisphere and Hautū Takitoru of social change collaborative Te Huihui o Te Kakau.
My career has always focused on Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI). I’ve worked around homophobia and heterosexism, trans and non-binary access to healthcare, migrant exploitation, depression, equitable health service access, te Tiriti responsiveness. As a gay cis man, I bring my lived experience of discrimination and heterosexism as a useful lens to understand the need for social change.
I’m passionate about what good strategic governance looks like, governance that is accountable to the community, and draws on a range of different worldviews and knowledge bases. This was my initial PhD subject although my final PhD focused on the evolution of social marketing in Aotearoa.
Dr Tim Antric FCIM FRSPH MRSNZ
Tangata Tiriti | Tauiwi | Tyke | He/Him/Ia
