SOCIALINK - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Volunteer Services Manager
- Volunteering Services Manager
Angela has worked for ages in social service development, operations and supporting clients. She has previously worked as Community Connector at Katikati Community Centre and is the co-founder and manager of Awhina House, transitional housing for homeless women in Tauranga. She has a Bachelor of Communication Studies.
She grew up in Tauranga and lives on a small lifestyle block in Pahoia with her husband and two young children. She enjoys being outdoors, walking local trails or getting out on the harbour on her paddleboard. She's also a keen bargain-hunter and can't resist an op shop or garage sale.
Specialist area: Community development, housing, management, project management
Charlotte realised talking with people was more fun and rewarding
She set off with passion, listening and talking her way around Tauranga Moana until her journey led to SociaLink where she convinced them they had just advertised "her" job. Eclectic in every way, her ultimate life goal is to be fully quirky when she grows up.
She's pretty grown up:
Holds a Diploma in Social Practice (Counselling).
11 years experience in facilitation in the areas of psycho-education, parenting, grief and domestic violence.
Social sector programme/project implementation, management and coordination experience.
5 years as a Strengthening Families Coordinator in Tauranga/WBOP.
Passionate about contributing to the wellbeing of individuals, whanau and community.
Job Titles:
- Organisational Advisor
- Organisational Advisor and
Christa has more than 25 years' experience working in executive management teams across the education and health sectors in the UK, Australia and New Zealand.
She has been involved in various not-for-profit organisations, both as a member and on boards, and understands the challenges in providing the best social services with minimal resources.
Job Titles:
- Chartered Accountant
- Treasurer
- Trustee
Darren is a Chartered Accountant with a broad range of commercial experience, he started in business advisory at KPMG. Following this, he gained international experience through various commercial business partnering roles across London, Dublin, and Melbourne. He brings to the Board a solid financial background and adaptability, along with a passion for utilizing data to think strategically helping organisations grow. He is also particularly enthusiastic about the ongoing technology and digital developments up on us.
Deborah's career has been built around helping people reach their full potential to lead their own business so they grow and thrive. She has 25 years' experience working with companies to support their growth ambitions - from innovating, entrepreneurship, start-up, growing and scaling, and multi-sector experience working with companies from lab bench to multinational stature in the US, Canada, UK, and New Zealand.
Deborah has a passion to help people be and do their best.
"SociaLink's vision is a perfect match with my world view that people should have access to the best resources available to support achieving a good life. I'm excited to be working as part of the governance team and ‘getting under the hood' to help drive forward the strategic vision through partnership and consensus-based engagement."
Jo Weise is an experienced coach who is passionate about the social sector and keen to help people in leadership roles develop their skills. She has been coaching people in developing their strengths and talents, and has run her own coaching business for several years.
Jo has a science degree and also trained as a secondary school teacher, but realised her passion was helping people reach their potential, so completed a career diploma and worked in a number of volunteer roles in Taranaki, including a suicide prevention retreat, a Taranaki Trust and a community cafe.
Kathy has been working in the social sector forever, and there is no one she doesn't know.
She can get you anything you need, no questions asked; and often has an abundance of things that she would like to get rid of, anything from bookmarks to bunnies.
Job Titles:
- Communications - Media
- Journalist
Linda Thompson has been a journalist, author, communications specialist and editor for longer than anyone wants to remember.
She moved to the Bay of Plenty more than 15 years ago, managing communications for Zespri and then the Harbour Link project before working for the regional council and NZME.
She lives in Mount Maunganui with her neurotic black house panther Scooter, enjoys the beach, reviewing books and singing with a local choir.
Liz is our General Manager.
She wanted to start a bring your dog to work policy, but as our office is really small and her dog is really big, plans had to be temporarily shelved.
Fortunately she is very smart and persuasive, and has persuaded TECT to build a big shiny new building, big enough for herself, her dog and anyone else who'd like to join her.
But seriously, she's got skills:
She's a ‘jill of all trades' with work experience in health, education and training, social policy and planning, community development, child protection, mental health and management for over 25 years.
Has a Bachelor and Masters of Social Work.
Worked for over 10 years in the Western Bay of Plenty as well as in Melbourne, London, the Pacific and Asia.
Job Titles:
- Community Insights Laboratory Manager
Liz loves to read and think and think some more! She can also produce a pretty good cake when called upon and is known to be a bit of a coffee snob, with a stash of coffee plungers, cafe loyalty cards and coffee beans stashed at a range of spots around the office.
Liz can be relied on to give careful thought to issues
and depending on whether her hearing aids are working well usually comes up with a considered answer of "I agree, let's have morning tea now."
She lived and worked in Auckland for many years acquiring a wealth of skills before returning to Tauranga and joining SociaLink.
Liz has:
Spent her career working as a researcher, evaluator, policy analyst and health promotion adviser
A Masters in Politics and Post-Graduate Diploma in Public Health.
Over 30 years' experience working in the fields of health related services
Mel Tata (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Tūwharetoa) is Chief Executive of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Ranginui Iwi.
She has spent 15 years working in Māori health and has a background in social work.
Mel says she is committed to Māori achievement and prosperity, seeking and sharing opportunity through meaningful relationships.
She has a passion for governance, particularly co-governance models.
SociaLink serves the social and community sector in the Western Bay of Plenty.
Job Titles:
- CEO of Priority One
- Co Chair and Treasurer
Nigel is currently the CEO of Priority One, the economic agency for the Western Bay of Plenty. His background is in digital marketing and media.
He has significant commercial experience and knowledge gained from a wide ranging background in small and large companies within the private sector. In his role with Priority One his area of focii are:
Fostering innovation
Creating a compelling destination
A hub for skills & talent
Connecting & collaborating
Investment attraction
Tania is part of the leadership team at Tautoko Mai Sexual Harm Support where her role is to build organisational capability and efficiencies.
Before entering the social sector, Tania has had a wide range of general business experience in the private sector in manufacturing and export, retail, media and digital technologies.
She is passionate about governance, and since joining the social sector she says she has found it humbling and rewarding. She is keen to build sector capability to make better use of funding and to support more people.
SociaLink serves the social and community sector in the Western Bay of Plenty.
Job Titles:
- Financial Administration
- Learning & Development Coordinator
Tracy is our financial goddess.
She loves budgets and forecasts, and is able to count using more than her own body parts.
The rest of us are also very good at maths, and know that there is only one of her and that she was employed not a fraction too soon.
Wiremu has worked mostly in health and wellbeing over the last 20 years.
He has been on several boards in both commercial and non-profit entities and enjoys co-designing strategic plans and measurables that address root causes.
As the owner and director of Kānuka Wellbeing and Leadership he and his team teach timeless principles and values through workshops and seminars, and continue to support people via coaching.