Safe Exit

Meet our some of our team and Board who guide us to tackle the significant issues impacting women and girls. Plus read a few staff stories and discover what they have planned at Good Shepherd NZ

Our People

Our People

Meet our team

Fleur Howard, Chief Executive

Fleur is the founding Chief Executive of Good Shepherd NZ. Fleur’s involvement with the Good Shepherd Sisters spans more than 20 years; she supported them to establish a Trust, then to establish Good Shepherd NZ as a charitable organisation to continue their mission in New Zealand. Fleur reports to Good Shepherd NZ’s independent Board of Directors and works closely with the Chief Executive and Board of Good Shepherd Australia to lead and implement our strategy. Fleur brings significant business, governance and legal experience to the organisation, combined with a deep passion for social justice and a commitment to creating better futures for women, girls and families.

Our Board

Emma Saunders, Chair

Emma is a business owner and works on governance boards with senior executives to find the best path to achieving an organisation's vision. Her parents were health professionals and community volunteers, which sparked her belief in equity, service and systems for strength. Emma gravitates toward tackling significant issues that compound disadvantages for people, particularly women.

Sr Teresa

Sr Teresa Donworth

Sr Teresa is a founding member of the Good Shepherd NZ Board. After working in finance she joined the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, and has been involved in many ministries in the residential, community and institutional settings. Sr Teresa spent 15 years as a prison chaplain, and eight years with The Trading Circle, and is particularly interested in supporting people to realise their potential through employment.

marian-kleist

Marian Kleist

Marian has many years’ experience in social services, and has held senior management roles in a variety of organisations working with asylum seekers and refugees, families with a member experiencing major mental health issues, people who have been sexually abused, and victims of crime. She serves on the New Zealand Parole Board, has been a social worker in women’s health and worked for the probation service. Marian remains committed to improving the lives of women and children.

Emma thompson

Emma Thompson

Emma is Manager of the Central Region Eating Disorder Service. Emma was instrumental in establishing an intensive recovery service in the mental health directorate at Wellington Hospital that was responsible for several highly successful initiatives, including the Wellington Special Circumstances Court and Te Mahana, New Zealand’s first homelessness strategy. Emma works in an advisory capacity both in New Zealand and Australia.

Sara-Jane Elika

Sara-Jane is an admitted Barrister and Solicitor to the High Court of New Zealand and a strategic management consultant with a background in media, creative enterprise and education. Her passion for contemporary Pacific music has gained national and international recognition including published academia in ethnomusicology. As an independent director in governance, her key strengths include leadership analysis, stakeholder engagement, employment relations, policy and cultural intelligence.

Ally Gibbons

Ally was born and raised in Rotorua and is part of a strong Te Arawa extended whānau. Both her language and her tikanga are important to her. Her 40 years in education has been closely aligned to the achievement of young Māori women, and she was principal at Rotorua Girls’ High School when it was awarded the Prime Minister’s Education Excellence in Governing Award/Te Awatea Award. She has 15 years of governance experience in the Education Sector and led school reform projects in the United Arab Emirates.

Anne Astin

Anne is an experienced Board member, Chairperson and Executive with more than 25 years of working in the areas of education and science, the food, beverage and pharmaceuticals industries, food safety regulation, energy, land management, environment, and social services. Anne is passionate about advocating for those in our societies who are not able to do so, promoting women in leadership, sustainability in the food industry, and elevating organisational governance. 

Staff stories

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You can also make a donation, or set up a recurring donation, by contacting us directly

accounts@goodshepherd.org.nz

Nicola Eccleton

Nicola Eccleton

Head of Purpose and Impact

Nicola is responsible for ensuring we achieve our purpose and grow our impact across our services and activities. She is responsible for communications, research, evaluation, advocacy and developing new projects and partnerships to achieve our mission. Nicola brings to the role a broad range of experience across small business, education, community development and social services. 

Natalie Vincent

Head of Microfinance

Natalie is responsible for all Good Shepherd NZ’s microfinance activities, including Good Loans, DEBTsolve and Drive. Natalie is also responsible for managing partnerships in the microfinance and broader financial inclusion sector for the benefit of financially excluded New Zealanders. She brings significant social sector experience, including previously as Chief Executive of Ngā Tāngata Microfinance. 

Matt Halsey

Matt Halsey

Microfinance Development Manager

Matt identifies areas where New Zealanders continue to be financially excluded from mainstream financial services and works with partners to leverage our respective strengths and develop new products and services to meet their needs. Matt has a background in law, international aid and microfinance, predominantly in Southeast Asia.  

Nikki Thompson

Finance and Administration Manager

Nikki manages all the accounting and administration functions for the organisation and brings a wealth of experience in senior leadership roles in charities, small and medium-size businesses and government agencies.  

Beryl Brogden

Projects Advisor for Economic Resilience

Beryl supports our partners and staff to build their capability and improve their responses to people in difficult economic circumstances, manages our Economic Harm Support Service and advocates for improved responses to the economic impact of family violence. Beryl has many years of experience in family violence, from crisis intervention, safety planning, education, through to peer support. 

Saravinder Pannu

Senior Marketing and Communications Advisor

Saravinder is responsible for the delivery of all marketing and communications including social media and our website. She works closely with external stakeholders and media to reach the communities and people that may benefit from our programmes and services, and to advocate for fairer outcomes for financially excluded New Zealanders. Saravinder has worked in a range of communications roles in business and the not-for-profit sector in New Zealand, the UK and the US.   

Victoria Ongolea

Victoria Ongolea

Team Leader - DEBTsolve

Victoria supports our team of Financial Wellbeing Coaches to provide our DEBTsolve services to clients affected by unmanageable, high-cost debt. Victoria has experience in community development, including as a Financial Mentor.  

Vijay Farley-Naiker

Team Leader - Good Loans

Vijay supports our team of phone-based Good Loans Advisors and Client Engagement Specialists to provide people living on limited income access to no interest Good Loans to purchase essential items or services. Vijay has a diverse range of experiences in various industries, including not-for-profit, retail banking, tourism and hospitality. 

Cathy Robinson

Quality Assurance Advisor

Cathy is responsible for supporting our operations team and provider partners to successfully deliver our Good Loans programme. She is responsible for policies, processes and monitoring to help guide this work. She has provided support to clients facing hardship both at The Salvation Army and at MSD prior to coming to Good Shepherd NZ.  

Lisa McCauley

Research and Evaluation Advisor

Lisa keeps us up to date with the most challenging issues facing New Zealanders and evaluates the range of services and programmes provided by Good Shepherd NZ to inform our advocacy work and ensure the services and programmes are reaching the people that need them most. Lisa has 20 years of experience in senior research and evaluation roles in the public sector, including Ministry of Social Development and NZ Police. 

Sandra Maslen

Sandra Maslen

Training and Capability Coach

Sandra ensures our microfinance teams have the skills and knowledge they need to effectively support our clients. In this role, Sandra combines her experience in education and financial mentoring. 

 

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