BAF - Key Persons
Our Community Connector role supports the welfare needs of individuals and whānau to keep safe while isolating at home / in the community. Community Connectors navigate and connect individuals and whānau to various services available during and transition from self-isolation. This role is funded through the Ministry of Social Development. Referrals can be made by MSD or individuals can approach Community Connectors through other agencies and community organisations. The ‘contact us' page on our website can be used to register a request with us for support.
Job Titles:
- Manager Projects & Innovation
Andrew has experience in senior management and governance roles within the health, sport and community sectors, and additional experience in education. He has extensive knowledge of community development and sustainability with a particular focus on the wider determinants of wellbeing. Andrew has Diplomas in Strategic Leadership and Teaching, a Bachelor of Education, and a Bachelor of Sport and Recreation. He is Chair of the Mentoring Foundation of NZ and New Plymouth Injury Safe Trust and a board member of Mahia Mai a Whai Tara, and the Taranaki Curious Minds allocations committee. He is also a Mentor with the Mentoring Foundation of NZ.
Job Titles:
- Growth Coordinator
- Seasons for Growth Coordinator ( South Taranaki )
Angela delivers the Seasons for Growth programme in the South Taranaki region. Having grown up in Hawera as a child, and with her family still living in South Taranaki Angela is delighted to be back working in the region. Angela has experience working as an office manager for a local school, teacher aide and as a registered nurse. Family is very important to Angela and she gets joy out of watching her children navigate life's adventures and spending time with her extended family.
Philip is the Archbishop of the Anglican Dioceses in New Zealand and also Bishop of Waikato & Taranaki. Prior to that he was involved in education at the University of Otago, parish ministry in Auckland, Northland and Otago and community development work in Auckland City. Nationally he carries responsibilities across many organisations within and beyond the Church. Uniquely he shares leadership of the Anglican Church with Archbishop Don Tamihere and Archbishop Fereimi Cama in the three Tikanga structure of the Anglican Church in these islands.
Bernie is a community strategist, specialising in communications, engagement, housing, transport and regional development. She has held various management and leadership roles in journalism, the dairy industry, local and central government and industry associations. Taranaki born and bred, Bernie grew up rural, living close to the mountain and amongst strong communities. Her family and personal connections to the province are deep and strong - and these energise her commitment to BAF's mission to create and sustain flourishing communities. She supports projects and organisations around the country to turn strategy into action.
Job Titles:
- CEO of Wilberforce Foundation
Chris Clarke is the CEO of Wilberforce Foundation. Previously he was CEO World Vision New Zealand and CEO Hawke's Bay District Health Board. He has also worked for World Health Organisation (Europe), NHS (Wales) and in a number of health sector roles in New Zealand.
Chris holds law and commerce degrees and since 2009 has been the inaugural Praxis Visiting Scholar at Green Templeton College, Oxford University.
Chris is Chairperson of Te Whakaora Tangata - a faith based trust working with disadvantaged families in South Auckland and Kaitaia and Arrow Leadership New Zealand.
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors NZ
Craig is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors NZ, Chairs the Taranaki IoD Branch committee, is Chair of the Audit & Risk committee and also serves on the IoD National Council. He enjoys helping to build Environmental, Social and Governance capabilities and is passionate about the impact that BAF makes to local communities. Craig holds a number of Independent Director roles and he is currently Chair of Carefirst Limited, Edison Consulting Engineers and is a non-executive Director of the FBT/Osflo Group, Egmont Seafoods and OurCloud. Craig lives in Oakura in Taranaki and was on the Okato Cooperating Parish Church Council for five years looking after the property portfolio.
Dean is a Chartered Accountant and has been a member of the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants for 20+ years. He has been a past Chairman of the Taranaki Branch of NZICA. Dean is a Director of Harris Taylor Limited, a Hawera based accountancy practice. He provides a wide range of advice to the farming and commercial sectors including restructurings and amalgamations, whilst maximising equity growth. Dean has clients throughout NZ and around the world. In a past life he was a Senior Investigating Accountant with the Inland Revenue Department and the Tax Manager of Kiwi Co-operative Dairies Limited.
Job Titles:
- Growth Coordinator
- Seasons for Growth Coordinator ( Central Taranaki )
Heather arrived in New Zealand with her husband & three small children from Zimbabwe in 2001 having been previously involved in non for profit & charity work. Heather spent nearly ten years at Hospice Taranaki/Te Kahu Pairuri ki Taranaki as a volunteer for three & half years & then became the Day Programme Co-Ordinator for the Palliative Patient Group for six & half years. Heather is passionate about making a difference to the day to day lives of the Taranaki community. Heather enjoys time with her grown up family, walking, reading, culture & art together with travel.
Jo is a seasoned coach and facilitator who is passionate about helping people in leadership roles to strengthen and develop their skills. She has worked across sectors in coaching and facilitation for many years, alongside her role as director of a small company in the construction industry.
Jo has a science degree, a graduate diploma in teaching, is an accredited coach, and has studied at masters level in conflict resolution: restorative practice. She is also continuing her journey in Te Ara Reo Māori which began several years ago at Te Wānanga O Aotearoa here in Taranaki.
Judy has been a Seasons and Seasons for Growth coordinator since April 2008 and the Taranaki SfG Trainer since 2016. Judy's other experience includes high school teaching, governance church and community work. More recently she has acquired four grandchildren and loves to be with them. She is actively involved at West Baptist Church, sings with Taranaki Harmony Chorus and Living Harmony Choir and loves running, cycling, swimming, gardening, walking, writing and reading.
A former long-serving mayor of the South Taranaki district, Mary is an experienced governor having held national roles in Local Government and latterly across the education, health and philanthropy sectors. She is a self-employed facilitator, mediator and coach, and continues to be committed to sustainable and sensible initiatives that contribute towards the vitality of rural communities.
Ngaire has extensive experience in accounts processing having previously held roles with Wells Instrument & Electrical and Tainui Resthome & Village. As well as providing an accounting service for The Bishop's Action Foundation, Ngaire also manages the accounts for over thirty Anglican Parishes within the Diocese of Waikato & Taranaki Parish Accounting Service.
Job Titles:
- Accounts Administrator
- Accounts Officer & Wheelhouse Administrator
Sarah is an experienced accounts administrator having worked with several small businesses as an Account and Office Manager. In her previous roles she also provided administration support to different community groups. Sarah has a Bachelor of Sport and Recreation with a Double Major of Sport and Exercise Science and Management. She takes pride in enabling outcomes through her extensive administrative skills.
Simon has extensive experience in community development, capacity building, social research, governance and management. He has an MPhil with a research thesis that examined governance in voluntary and community organisations and contributed a suggested framework of governance for the sector and has completed Post-Graduate Diplomas in Development Studies and Public Health. Simon is an accredited mentor with The Mentoring Foundation of New Zealand and is the Chair of Wild For Taranaki and The Eat a Rainbow Foundation, he is also a trustee of Ngati Tawhirikura Hapu Trust, Flourish Taranaki, Start-Up Taranaki Trust, Access to Justice & Wellbeing Trust and a Director of Catalyst Housing Ltd.
Te Aroha has a portfolio of interests firmly grounded in local governance and community development work. She has governance roles with high public expectations and accountabilities that range from the operational emphasis of a marae committee to the strategic oversight of Taranaki's wellbeing required for a district health board. The net asset holdings are as small as $63,000 for a social services provider operating in the family violence sector to the diversified asset base of a post-settlement governance entity. Having completed a PhD in 2018, Te Aroha has returned to being more hands-on in community development work supporting for-purpose entities with strategic planning, capability building and project management. Te Aroha is of Taranaki, Te Atiawa, and Ngāruahine descent. Her spare time is spent with her mokopuna or developing her interest in photography. She and her husband, Greg van Paassen, live in Te Hāwera.
Before joining the ICT Gateway in 2019, Trudy completed her Bachelor of Information Technology at Waikato Polytechnic and worked for the Waipa District Council as an Informix Database Administrator. Moving to Australia for 20 years, she worked for the Nurses Board of Western Australia as their Computer Supervisor and started a family before returning to New Zealand to be closer to extended family.