• Derek Wright
  Chair (until October AGM)
• Gareth Jones
• Ailsa Claire OBE
• Sarah Lewis
• Dr Lyn Murphy
• Dr Murray Patton
• Brody Runga
• Karleen Turner Puriri

I hold qualifications in leadership, mental health, and psychology, and have been a leader of large-scale health projects and organisations in both England and New Zealand for over 20 years. With over a decade of experience as a mental health NGO CEO, I became Group CEO of Ember – Korowai Takitini when it was established in 2019.

My approach is driven by a commitment to social justice, and I work to ensure that Ember supports those most in need. I am focused on creating lasting change in the way New Zealand responds to mental health, addiction, and intellectual disability.

I’m relishing the opportunity to lead the team in building Ember on principles of innovation, social justice, and hard work. I am incredibly proud of Ember’s place in the world and of leading such a fantastic group of entities.

I have a passion for seeing communities flourish, through the health and well-being of their people and through the building of social capital.  This does not happen by accident or without design, it needs proactive leadership and commitment; I offer both to Ember Korowai Takitini, informed and motivated by a combination of professional and life experiences.

I  have a background in finance .I previously worked in Social housing and Community regeneration projects in the UK. In 2004  I joined Connect Supporting Recovery, now Ember where I am the  Chief Operating Officer In my role I  focus on the quality of our services, the development of our people, and the sustainability of our organisation and that of the Mental Health and Addictions sector.

I am a Chartered Accountant and a member of the Institute of Directors. Work-life started and was developed in various National and International Corporates in New Zealand and overseas. The last two decades I have been involved in the ever-changing Health Sector including Primary and Mental Health for mainstream and kaupapa Māori providers.

Having returned to South Auckland, I am married to Meila and we have 3 daughters.

For me conversations are key

I have  30 +  years experience in Europe, the UK and New Zealand, my focus is making great organisations the best they can be in the present and in the future.
Ember is more than a place to work, my aim is to continue to evolve our culture, to keep it thriving and passionate. A place where everyone collaborates on talent & capability to  create an environment for a highly engaged and focused workforce. My passion for people and my desire for creating great places to work is balanced by significant experience with Te Whatu Ora, various DHB’S prior to that , and is backed up by  a firm foundation of many years  in Organisation Development and People and Culture  with Fontera and PWC.

I am  an educator, innovator and leader who has worked to create positive change through flax roots, regional, national and international initiatives over the last three decades.

My experience is from the worlds of innovation and entrepreneurship, media education, experiential learning design, youth development, restorative justice, and leadership development. I’ve held leadership roles at Global Women, Pūmanawa Kaiārahi o Aotearoa | Leadership New Zealand, the Prince’s Trust Aotearoa, Ara Taiohi and  in secondary education in Aotearoa and the UK.

I have firm beliefs  in the capacity we have to create a more hopeful future when we bring together our collective energy, resources and talents. I’m electrifyingly hopeful about Ember’s mission – to call forth an Aotearoa where all people are supported to be who and what they want to be.

Eke panuku, eke Tangaroa!

After a career in hospitality I retrained as a social worker and found my way into what was formerly Framework Trust working my way from the front line as a group facilitator through to my current role as an operations manager. About 6 years into my journey, I had my own experience of mental ill health when I was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder and depression. This has made me more determined to ensure that the people that we serve at Ember receive the support that they deserve

I have recently moved into the role of General Manager Operations for our vocational services where I manage the Personal Focus and Employment Services.

I believe that people deserve to be treated the way that you would expect to be treated yourself and that everyone has something offer, if you just take the time to get to know them you will discover the best in people

When I am not at Ember I enjoy spending time with my family, playing and listening to music amateur photography and watching sci-fi and superhero movies that my wife tells me ‘I am way too old to be in to’.

I te taha o tōku papa no Muriwhenua ia, ko e rima ngā iwi, ko Ngāti Kuri, Te Aupouri, Ngaitakoto, Te Rarawa me Ngāti Kahu e ngā iwi. I te taha o tōku mama no Waikato Taniwharau, he piko he taniwha he piko he taniwha.  Ko Taupiri me Pirongia ngā maunga, ko Waikato te awa, ko Tainui te iwi.

I trained as a social worker early 2000’s. I saw the main causal factors for young people and family discourse linked to abuse (violence) and MH/AOD ill health.   This motivated me to complete a Masters of HSc (Hons) with Auckland University specialising in co-existing disorders.

One accomplishment I am proud of is helping to certify an Evidenced Based model in national service with the ‘added’ approval to wrap this model in Kaupapa Maaori. This proved that ‘culture’ significantly improved wellbeing outcome for all people. I love long walks along the beach holding hands with my husband.  Whānau is everything to me. I am honoured to be part of the Ember Korowai Takitini whānau.

I have  a background in health and social services that includes leadership and management roles in quality and risk (including development of policies and clinical processes/systems; measurement of outcomes and reporting mechanisms; strategic, workforce, operational development and management in large organisations, project management, auditor for health services nationally and internationally, and senior lecturer at university. I’m also a registered nurse and qualified teacher and have been a consultant and project manager working with health providers for over 20 years. I’m all about  collaboration and partnering with teams to identify and mitigate risks, and to bring a quality improvement lens to services.  

I am a Chartered member of HRNZ.  I have many years of experience in Human Resources, most recently in Te Whatu Ora and the disability sector. 

I have a strong background in employment relations and change management. I aim to build capability and competence in managers so that they can lead their teams to success.  I am authentic, considered and empathetic.  I get great satisfaction from developing my teams and seeing light bulb moments for managers as they build their own people skills. 

I have been working in the Mental Health and Addictions field since completing my Masters in Anthropology in 2006. In this time, I have worked a variety of roles from front-facing support to back-office support, to my current role.

My team make sure our staff are equipped to go out and do the fantastic mahi they do, as well as ensure Ember has a visual presence out there.

Historically, I have helped Ember go through various system changes to better enable us to do the job we do. These changes have helped us move forward and take advantage of the ways technology can assist us with frontline support.

Doing the right thing, helping those who need help, being open and accepting of all people, our differences, similarities and quirks. Outside work, I have a young family who gets all my time. When I find spare time, I am often in a workshop building and repairing or out in the wilderness.

 I have worked in MH & Addiction sector for the past 17 years.  I have a Bachelor & Post Graduate diplomas In Social Work, Graduate Diploma in Health Sciences, and am a Dapaanz Registered Clinical Supervisor and Practitioner.

I come from a Lived Experience in Addiction and Mental Health, which drives my passion to deliver the very best to Tangata Whaiora both in our services and the community.

I have worked both in community and residential settings, including the pilot Alcohol & Other Drug Treatment Court in Waitakere, with time also spent working within the DHB as a CADS Clinician before joining Ember over 4 years ago.

I am  the General manager for High and Complex services across North and South Auckland. I have had  an extensive career in the health sector mostly within mental health and rehabilitation services since 2000, including both inpatient acute services and community work. 

I qualified in Social Work from the Auckland College of Education  in 1999,  I  started working for Connect Supporting Recovery in 2011. 

I have my  own experiences of mental distress that has equiped me to be an agent for change in Social Work . My professional expertise  combined with my  lived experience enhances and informs my approach to managing  services. 

I am an IT professional. I graduated from Unitec in 2008. For the last 10 years, I worked in the health sector in different technology roles. In the constantly evolving world of technology, I am privileged to be working in IT and to be deploying my skills in a sector where they can have a real impact on peoples’ lives.

I am proud to be a part of the Ember team that is making a big impact by supporting the community. I am married to Jyotsna and a proud father of three kids.

Talofa lava,

I am a New Zealand born Samoan and grew up in Central Auckland. My parents migrated from Vailoa Palauli and Utulaelae Salani in the early 60’s. I am the eldest of four boys. I have a partner with a blended aiga and plenty of grandchildren that keep me busy.

I have over 20 years’ experience within the Mental Health and AOD sector, both professional and lived experience.

I am a Registered Social Worker, having practiced in residential and community settings. I have a passion to improve Mental Health Services to ensure that quality support is available for whaiora.I am privileged to lead the Peer and Lived Experience services within the Auckland region.Faafetai lava

I have worked in the Health and Disability Sector since moving to New Zealand in 2001 and joined the Framework team in 2005.  Throughout the years I have had the privilege of working across most of our services, starting with our Intensive Support Services, then on to Community Support Services and after that our Employment Services.

I have been involved in managing constant contract and funding changes, ensuring and supporting our teams to not only provide what we are contracted for, but to be innovative and flexible in our approaches to ensure individualised, meaningful, strengths focussed  support for people accessing our services.

I have a real passion for the Health and Disability sector are excited to now be part of Ember moving forward.

In my spare time, I enjoy being a mom to three very different, busy boys.  I also enjoy getting involved in a variety of sports to keep fit and healthy.

I have 13 years of experience in accounting and finance management, with a career that spans public practice in New Zealand and roles in various national and international corporations. As a member of CPA Australia, I bring a strong ethical framework and a commitment to high professional standards to my work. 

Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of gaining experience in diverse settings, both in New Zealand and overseas. This global perspective has provided me with a deep understanding of financial regulations, strategic financial planning, and corporate governance. 

Joining Ember is an exciting opportunity for me. I believe that effective financial management can be a powerful tool for social good. At Ember, I aim to ensure that our financial strategies align with our mission, helping us make a positive impact on the communities we serve.