Our
Team

Pam (Ngāruahine, Te Atiawa) is an experienced Executive and Governor.

Her career has spanned the public sector, banking and not-for-profit sectors. As CEO or General Manager, she has led significant not-for-profits such Presbyterian Support Northern, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Diabetes Auck-land, Surf Life Saving Northern Region and Alzheimer’s Auckland. She also held the position of General Manager Community and Social Innovation with Auckland Council (formerly known as the Southern Initiative.

Pam has, or continues to hold, influential governance positions with Presby-terian Support Northern, Paralympics New Zealand and Auckland Restorative Justice Trust and continues her involvement with the Sport Integrity Unit for Gymnastics NZ, and Board appointments panel for Tennis NZ and Women in Sport Aotearoa. She is the founding member of the New Zealand International Relations Network. She spent ten and half years as President of Oceania Hockey and a member of the International Federation of Hockey (FIH).

In 2022, Pam was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to hockey and women for over 20 years. She was a foundation member of Women in Sport Aotearoa (WISPA), supporting women and girls to build careers in sport and recreation in New Zealand. She chairs the Wāhine Toa Kei Te Kokiri committee which supports WISPA’s bicultural journey.

Pam is deeply committed to diversity, inclusion and equity, and evidenced this across the many leadership and governance roles during her career. She is described as collabora-tive, communicative and collegial, with excellent leadership and interpersonal skills, and a calm, steady and authentic approach.

(Ngāi Takoto, Ngāpuhi, Waikato/Tainui).

Shirley Rivers has extensive experience in governance on several Boards; including Social Services Waikato Trust (now called Com-munity Waikato), YWCA Hamilton, Maatua Whangai ō Kirikiriroa, Waikato Polytechnic Council, Trinity Methodist Theology College Council, Methodist Alliance, New Zealand Council of Christian So-cial Services, Te Hāpai ō ki Muri (Methodist standing committee) and current co-convenor for Council of Conference (Methodist Connexional committee). Her career has involved work in Iwi so-cial services (Maatua Whangai ō Kirikiriroa), community develop-ment (Hamilton City Council), counselling (Career Services) and Tertiary Education (Wai-kato Institute of Technology). She is the current Head of Mission, for Methodist Mission Northern.

She has grown up in the Methodist Church of New Zealand – Te Hāhi Weteriana ō Aotea-roa and is a lay preacher (kaikarakia) within Te Taha Māori. The wellbeing of Māori, social justice advocacy and transformational theology are key areas of focus and development. The church values and the commitment to Te Tiriti ō Waitangi as the covenant establishing our nation on the basis of a power-sharing relationship, are foundational to Shirley’s Mission engagement.

Pam (Ngāruahine, Te Atiawa) is an experienced Executive and Governor.

Her career has spanned the public sector, banking and not-for-profit sectors. As CEO or General Manager, she has led significant not-for-profits such Presbyterian Support Northern, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Diabetes Auck-land, Surf Life Saving Northern Region and Alzheimer’s Auckland. She also held the position of General Manager Community and Social Innovation with Auckland Council (formerly known as the Southern Initiative.

Pam has, or continues to hold, influential governance positions with Presby-terian Support Northern, Paralympics New Zealand and Auckland Restorative Justice Trust and continues her involvement with the Sport Integrity Unit for Gymnastics NZ, and Board appointments panel for Tennis NZ and Women in Sport Aotearoa. She is the founding member of the New Zealand International Relations Network. She spent ten and half years as President of Oceania Hockey and a member of the International Federation of Hockey (FIH).

In 2022, Pam was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to hockey and women for over 20 years. She was a foundation member of Women in Sport Aotearoa (WISPA), supporting women and girls to build careers in sport and recreation in New Zealand. She chairs the Wāhine Toa Kei Te Kokiri committee which supports WISPA’s bicultural journey.

Pam is deeply committed to diversity, inclusion and equity, and evidenced this across the many leadership and governance roles during her career. She is described as collabora-tive, communicative and collegial, with excellent leadership and interpersonal skills, and a calm, steady and authentic approach.

Abhishek brings a range of governance experience from within the Methodist Church of New Zealand, reflecting a deep and enduring commitment to bicultural partnership, equity, and justice. He has served as Chairperson of the Board of the Devonport Methodist Childcare Centre Trust, providing strategic leadership and oversight to advance early childhood education within a values-based and inclusive framework. His broader governance contributions include serving on the Board of Methodist Mission and Ecumenical, where he supports the Church’s global and regional mission focus, and service on the Council of Conference, a key visioning and decision-making body that embodies the Church’s commitment to bicultural partnership.

Over the years, Abhishek has chaired parish council meetings across several congregations in which he has been stationed, consistently encouraging collaborative leadership and inclusive decision-making. His governance experience spans diverse contexts and challenges, equipping him with a nuanced and holistic understanding of the Church’s mission at both local and national levels.

Abhishek brings a reflective and inquisitive mind, a collegial approach to leadership, and a strong sense of purpose to his roles. He is particularly dedicated to the mission of Methodist Mission Northern, which aligns with his values and its foundational commitment to bicultural partnership, equity, and social justice.

Sonia Pope hails from the beautiful islands of Tonga and Niue and was raised with the values of love, service, and community. A registered Ed-ucational Psychologist with over seven years of experience, Sonia has dedicated her career to supporting individuals with complex behavioural needs and strengthening wellbeing across schools, communities, and professional teams.

Her journey has been shaped by the smiles of children, the gratitude of families, and the shared commitment of teachers and professionals she has worked alongside. Sonia brings wisdom, care, and integrity to every role, specialising in crisis prevention, trauma-informed practice, and safeguarding.

She currently serves as a Project Manager, leading youth programmes that equip young people with tools to nurture their mental health and wellbeing. In the past, Sonia was an Educational Psychologist with the Ministry of Education, and for 5 years provided special-ised support in emotional wellbeing, system-wide policies and learning and developmental needs.

Sonia was also a Professional Clinician at Massey University, where she trained Educa-tional Psychology interns with a strong focus on Pacific methodologies and culturally grounded practice. In her spare time, Sonia is also a psychologist for the Village Collective Youth Project, the Tongan Youth Trust mentoring programmes and holds several leader-ship roles including, Executive Member, Pasifikology (Pacific Psychologists Network), Ex-ecutive Member, Massey University Educational Psychology Reference Group, Member, Ministry for Pacific Peoples – Vaka of Stories National Community Working Group, Guest Lecturer and Course Content Creator for Massey University’s Educational Psychology and Teaching Programmes.

Sonia continues to be a vessel of restoration, empowerment, and cultural leadership, com-mitted to uplifting communities through psychology, education, and youth development.

Ruth is an experienced Manager, Business Owner and Governor. Her career has been in all three sectors – private, public, and not-for-profit.

As CEO in a NFP (Workplace Support – EAP services) she led the or-ganisation from a Chaplaincy service (90% of revenue) to a fully inte-grated EAP Provider. This enabled the organisation to deliver on its mission and be viable.

In the private sector she worked in the finance sector and in mobile technology. In 2004 Ruth set up her own business consultancy which morphed into a mobile technology business. This business developed a platform that enabled Users to design ”apps” without coding, to collect “formatted” data using mobile devices. This business was sold in December 2023.

The business took Ruth to the Pacific – Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Fiji – with the sponsor-ship of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The platform was used primarily in the Pacific in the Health sector. It enabled Clinicians to collect data and transfer to health systems, us-ing mobile devices. (Mobile technology is ubiquitous in the Pacific)

Ruth started her career in the public sector as a teacher and advisor.

Ruth has been a Board member for New Horizons for Womens Trust (NHWT) and imple-mented, with another Board member, Lynn McKenzie, the Annual Second Chance Sale that has raised significant funds.

Further she was the Board Chair of the Library Consortia of New Zealand (LCoNZ) for the inaugural six-year period. This is an IT consortium in the Tertiary sector consisting of three NZ Universities (Otago, Waikato and Victoria) and one Institute of Technology. (AUT).

Ruth is committed to communities working together at a local level and she is a Citizens Advice Interviewer. On a personal level she is studying the history of the Middle East and the monotheistic religions of the area – the Heirs of Abraham.

(Ngāi Takoto, Ngāpuhi, Waikato/Tainui).

Shirley Rivers has extensive experience in governance on several Boards; including Social Services Waikato Trust (now called Com-munity Waikato), YWCA Hamilton, Maatua Whangai ō Kirikiriroa, Waikato Polytechnic Council, Trinity Methodist Theology College Council, Methodist Alliance, New Zealand Council of Christian So-cial Services, Te Hāpai ō ki Muri (Methodist standing committee) and current co-convenor for Council of Conference (Methodist Connexional committee). Her career has involved work in Iwi so-cial services (Maatua Whangai ō Kirikiriroa), community develop-ment (Hamilton City Council), counselling (Career Services) and Tertiary Education (Wai-kato Institute of Technology). She is the current Head of Mission, for Methodist Mission Northern.

She has grown up in the Methodist Church of New Zealand – Te Hāhi Weteriana ō Aotea-roa and is a lay preacher (kaikarakia) within Te Taha Māori. The wellbeing of Māori, social justice advocacy and transformational theology are key areas of focus and development. The church values and the commitment to Te Tiriti ō Waitangi as the covenant establishing our nation on the basis of a power-sharing relationship, are foundational to Shirley’s Mission engagement.

(Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Tahu-Ngāti Whaoa).

B Com (Commercial Law), Dip Com (Marketing), CA.

Leon, and his accounting team, have had the privilege of a working with Te Taha Māori, the Māori division of the Methodist Church community, for over five years.

Leon has had held several Senior-Management roles and govern-ance roles particularly in the iwi-Māori sector. Leon was a partner at Deloitte for 10 years, where he briefly led Auckland’s accounting and advisory services before starting and leading Deloitte’s Māori services practice.

Leon currently sits on a number of boards and audit and risk committees. He has his own Iwi-Māori Development firm which offers services in accounting, business growth strate-gies, property projects and community engagement.

Therefore, Leon brings a wealth of diverse skills to the board table; a keen interest in the wellbeing of iwi-Maori and wider communities, a strong commercial background, small business and large corporate experience, cultural experience comfortable working in a range of organisations.

“Ka mimiti te tai o Hokianga, ka tōtō te tai o Taumarere Ka mimiti te tai o Taumarere, ka tōtō te tai o Hokianga”

Arapera is of Ngāpuhi descent and is currently the Tumuaki for Te Taha Māori of the Methodist Church of NZ: Te Hāhi Weteriana o Aotearoa. She is based in Penrose, but her work can take her across the country as the leader for the Church’s bicultural partner. She is well versed within the spaces where the church operates and has led Te Taha Māori for several years. She has considerable experience in governance roles across the whole church and has chaired various committees. Her external governance experience includes Auckland Health Board Ethics Committees, University of Auckland Academic Staffing and Faculty Policy Committees.

She began working in the private sector in several companies within the Fletcher Industries Group and then moved into the former Department of Social Welfare, in the training unit, until its devolution in the 1990s. She has engaged in Health Services as a Patient Advo-cate and has a wide knowledge and experience of social service platforms in Aotearoa.

Arapera then spent more than a decade in teaching and research in an academic career in Māori Studies at the University of Auckland. Her research interests focused on the rela-tionship between language and identity and how it underpins concepts and understandings of the Māori world. She advocated strongly for indigenous modes of research; engaging with the community, involving them right from the outset, helping to ensure that their voices are heard.

This is the background and the lived experience that Arapera brings to this Board where she represents and advocates for the Bicultural Journey of the Methodist Church of New Zealand.

Ruanna Tagaloasa-Letalu is of Samoan Niuean descent, with a ca-reer spanning over twenty years in the public sector, education, and social services. Throughout her journey, she has experienced firsthand the complex and persistent challenges faced daily by Pasifika communities. She currently serves as an Account Manager – Pasifika, working alongside communities across Aotearoa New Zealand and the wider Pacific region.

Her professional background includes a range of leadership roles within the Ministry of Social Development – Work and Income, where she served as a Case Manager, Service Centre Manager, Regional Labour Market Manager, and Operations Manager for public-private joint ventures supporting South Auck-land communities. She has also held senior positions such as Director of Community Part-nerships, Operations Manager, and Project Manager for the Methodist Church of New Zea-land – Sinoti Samoa. Presently, she serves as the Convener of the Sinoti Samoa Social Service of Punao’a and represents Sinoti Samoa on the Methodist Alliance Steering Com-mittee.

In addition to her professional experience, she holds a master’s degree in Social and Com-munity Leadership. Her extensive background in governance and social development pro-vides her with a deep understanding of the needs of vulnerable and underserved communi-ties, as well as the vital role the Methodist Church plays in supporting whānau through its mission work.

Having lived experiences similar to those of the communities she serves, Ruanna brings a deep sense of empathy, cultural understanding, and commitment. She is dedicated to building strong, supportive systems that empower communities to flourish, become inde-pendent, and make informed choices for a better future.

Sher joined Family Services in 2013 having previously worked for Lifewise in 2003 and 2005.  With a background in counselling and social work practices, Sher has extensive experience working with diverse client groups and complex social issues.  Committed to innovative responses and seeking positive change through whānau led, solution focused and preventative approaches Sher, has a passion for keeping tamariki safe and thriving, and whānau and individuals adequately supported, strong and connected to their communities

Karen, a member of the Senior Leadership Team, leads a group dedicated to building strong relationships and enhancing financial sustainability across Lifewise, Airedale Property Trust, and Methodist Mission Northern. With extensive experience in professional services, aged care, and the not-for-profit sector, Karen is passionate about creating opportunities that support vulnerable families and empower communities to thrive.

She works closely with senior leadership and key partners to develop innovative fundraising programmes, champion the Lifewise brand, and advocate for positive change.

Karen is committed to honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi and fostering inclusive, values-driven partnerships that reflect Lifewise’s mission and kaupapa.

Katee oversees the ECE services of Lifewise. With an extensive background in teaching, management and education facilitation, Katee joined the team at Lifewise in 2015.
Katee’s goal is to create high quality low cost childcare within the community for children and families who otherwise may not have the opportunity.
“It’s a real privilege to be in a role that allows me to contribute so positively to the lives of young children and their families.”

David helps Lifewise develop effective solutions and maintain a culture of innovation. He supports the establishment of new work across the organisation, including implementing new models. He provides business development support to the team in identifying and securing of new opportunities.

He plays a strategic role in supporting the organisation to achieve its vision. He works alongside managers and their teams as a champion for the Lifewise Way.

As a graduate of the Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Court (AODTC) and a registered Addictions Practitioner, Jo began her career as a peer support worker, using her lived experience to connect with and uplift others. Over time, she moved into leadership roles, building teams, developing sector-wide initiatives, and driving meaningful transformations within the homelessness and addiction sectors.

Ann-Marie leads the design and delivery of services, managing business operation so Lifewise is delivering its strategic objectives, working to budget, and enhancing its reputation. She ensures that Lifewise achieves all of its contractual outcomes, that the service teams are appropriately resourced and supported, and that service-delivery teams operate to the highest professional standards.

Ann-Marie is a registered mental health nurse and leader, with extensive experience in leading complex non-commercial operations, and in leading the design and delivery of services in the NGO sector, at Te Whatu Ora, and in other governmental departments. Ann-Marie’s post graduate qualifications include a MA in  Acute Mental Health Nursing, and management at a postgraduate level. Ann-Marie strongly supports Lifewise’s collaborative approach and the social enterprise model supporting its kaupapa. She is a strong clinical leader, and will help elevate a workforce that has lived experience.

Maraea Mokaraka is of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, Tainui, Te Arawa, Tainui and Ngā Puhi descent. She is a registered bi-cultural social worker and an Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) clinician. Maraea’s journey into the AOD sector came through her lived experience and with the support of her Kaumatua at Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei. Two years into her recovery, she embraced a career at a drug treatment centre, eventually earning a degree in social work and supervision. Maraea is experienced in running suicide prevention programmes, has extensive AOD expertise, is a member of DAPANNZ, and previously headed up our Youth Housing team, where she introduced programmes and processes to strengthen the team. Maraea is also a Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei whānau representative on the Odyssey board.