LINKPEOPLE - Key Persons
Brian has more than 20 years' experience working in housing and tenancy. He joined LinkPeople from Kāinga Ora in the Waikato where he worked as a Stakeholder Relationship Manager.
Job Titles:
- Business Advisor
- Member of the Board
Dr Mike Pratt is a business advisor and professional director. He holds a doctorate in Finance and is a chartered accountant.
He is a Senior Lead Reviewer for the State Services Commission's Performance Improvement Framework.
His company Sustainable Enterprise Ltd provides peak performance development services to companies, NGOs and government agencies. From 1990 to 2007 Mike was Dean of the University of Waikato Management School. Mike has published extensively in academic journals and the business press, and is known for his "Peak Performance" books and workshops.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Public Health Physician
Polly is a Public Health Physician within Child and Youth Health at Waikato District Health Board, Associate Professor of Population Health at the National Institute of Demographic and Economic Analysis (NIDEA) at the University of Waikato, and National Director of Training for the New Zealand College of Public Health Medicine.
Polly's career to date focuses on the broader determinants of population health and equity, particularly for tamariki and rangatahi/mapū. Access to appropriate, secure, sustainable, stable and quality housing is one of these critical wellbeing influences.
Within her governance, academic and clinical roles, Polly supports strategic opportunities to achieve, measure and monitor health equity. She manages a number of research and practice leadership roles in the health and housing sectors, as well as research partnerships with other government sectors, non-government agencies, community and whānau.
Polly is passionate about developing robust evidence to support population health and policy translation, and is committed to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, equity, social justice and community empowerment.
Fiona has almost 20 years' experience in research, programme management and leadership across a range of sectors including the Waitangi Tribunal claim process, mental health workforce development and Housing First.
Fiona spent two years as programme lead at Housing First Auckland before becoming LinkPeople's chief executive in October 2019. Fiona led and fronted the first Auckland-wide Point-in-Time count, Ira Mata, Ira Tangata, and led the development of the governing group for the Auckland collective working with mana whenua, local government and Ministries and departments such as Housing, Social Development, Health and Justice.
Job Titles:
- Kaitaki Waka - Māori Strategic Lead
Jason brings a wealth of experience in relationship management, strategic planning, and communication. Prior to joining LinkPeople, Jason worked with Oranga Tamariki as Poutiaki Māori Advisor within the Professional Development Team. Jason has 10 years experiencing supporting, mentoring, and assisting senior leadership teams and the wider organisation in all aspects of Te Ao Māori Cultural Capability, Learning and Development. Jason is a passionate advocate for Mātauranga Māori and continuous learning and excellence across Governance, Operational and Service Delivery.
Job Titles:
- Regional Manager - Central / Southern
Jim came to LinkPeople in early 2017 from the social housing, strategic purchasing team at the Ministry of Social Development. Prior to this, Jim was the national operations manager for tenancy services within the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment managing the dispute resolution services across the country along with tenancy advice and education. He has previously worked in leadership and management roles in Pathways, Inland Revenue and mental health services.
Jim is based in Wellington, overseeing Taranaki, Whanganui, Wellington and Christchurch.
Job Titles:
- Co - Chair of the Board
- Joint Chief Executive of the Wise Group
Julie Nelson is the executive chair of the Wise Trust.
Julie has vast knowledge and experience in the areas of governance, infrastructure services, leading complex services and development of community-based solutions.
Julie is a strong advocate for quality housing and effective wrap-around support services for our most vulnerable people. She is proud of the pioneering role she has played in bringing Housing First to New Zealand.
As co-founder and previous joint chief executive of the Wise Group, Julie now holds various governance roles throughout the group.
Justine started with LinkPeople in 2017 as team leader, bringing with her experience as a tenancy advisor specialist and a facility manager for a body corporate, managing building maintenance. Prior to this, Justine spent 12 years in London, working with youth and young adults who were in foster care. She is currently studying First Line Management.
Job Titles:
- Acting Regional Manager - Waikato
Leonie has a Bachelor of Social Work (Biculturalism in Practice) degree at the Wananga O Aotearoa and is currently registered with the Social Workers Registration Board, Aotearoa. She joined with LinkPeople in March 2017, starting as a community support worker, building relationships with homeless whānau who were rough sleeping on the streets in South Auckland. She then moved into her current role and shares the team leader position. Her team of nine continues to support and house homeless whānau in South Auckland. Before joining LinkPeople, Leonie spent 14 years working for the Wise Group in South Auckland, starting as a cleaner in 2003 and working her way into senior leadership roles. She has worked in community-based mental health and addictions support services, working across residential services, mobile community services, youth respite and crisis respite services, finishing as an afterhours on call leader in 2017.
"I am of Ngāpuhi decent, my whakapapa links are to Te Aupouri, through my Father and Ngāti Toki through my mother, I have no birth children, but have had for the past 5 years, two whaingai boys ages 12 and 9 who I consider as my own. I was born and raised on my Marae surround by great leaders who showed what Whangaungatanga is and what it looks like, they showed me how to Manaaki, awhi and support and taught me how to uphold my Rangatiratanga, it is because of those Kaumatua and Kuia that I was moulded into the person I am today."
Job Titles:
- Regional Manager - Lakes / Bay of Plenty
Michelle Tiriana-Bishop joined LinkPeople in July 2017 to lead the housing team in Rotorua. With the rapid growth of service provision, in January 2020 she was appointed regional manager, with oversight of the tenancy, housing and health teams in the Taupō, Rotorua and Tauranga areas.
Michelle has almost 20 years' experience working in the social housing sector, including 16 years with Housing New Zealand. She has held various tenancy related roles and spent four years in a community development position working with vulnerable communities. Michelle has strong community and agency connections and prides herself on leading a team who share her genuine passion for peopleand always having them at the centre of everything they do.
Penny has been a councillor and local body elected member for the last 27 years. She served as deputy mayor for Waitakere City and then deputy mayor for the newly amalgamated Auckland council for six years.
She has been closely involved in city planning and development of housing policy chairing a variety of committees responsible for these areas.
Penny has also been a member of the Auckland Housing First governance group, and was appointed to the board of Kāinga Ora (formerly Housing New Zealand) in January 2020.
Job Titles:
- Board Co - Chair / Chief Executive, Wise Group
- Co - Chair of the Cancer Agency
Shelley Campbell is chief executive of the Wise Group.
Previously CEO of the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Cancer Society, Shelley has held roles as chief executive at Sir Peter Blake Trust and Waikato Primary Health.
Shelley's extensive background in the health sector saw her become a member of the New Zealand Health and Disability System Review Panel 2019-2020. She oversaw the Better Sooner More Convenient health business cases for the Minister of Health's reforms in Auckland.
Shelley is the co-chair of the Cancer Agency (Te Aho o Te Kahu) and chaired the Minister's National Bowel Cancer Screening Taskforce. A member of the New Zealand Order of Merit - health and disability, she is also an Honorary Captain of the Royal New Zealand Navy. In 2007 Shelley was awarded a Sir Peter Blake emerging leader award.
A strong advocate for reducing health inequities, Shelley believes the most effective health systems are those that invest in and develop community and primary health care services and supports.
Stephen Hunt joined LinkPeople in July 2021, bringing with him an extensive range of experience from the local government and the charity sectors. This experience includes leading local government teams responsible for strategy, policy, asset management, procurement, project management and governance. He also spent three years as the New Zealand CEO of an international charity.
Stephen has an LLB (Hons) and a B Soc Sc from The University of Waikato, as well as a Grad Dip Bus (Admin) from The University of Auckland.
Job Titles:
- Regional Manager - Auckland
Tom Caukwell has a background in mental health - with six years working in the mental health sector - and has worked for LinkPeople since 2013. He has led the Housing First service delivery in South Auckland since 2017. Tom is studying towards a conjoint Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Business at Massey University, majoring in social policy and management. With a passion for people and influencing positive systems change, Tom was appointed as the regional manager for LinkPeople Auckland in January 2020.