About

Adam Dade

Northable Matapuna Hauora (Whangarei)

I am keen to be considered for a position on the NZDSN Board. My leadership experience in both the UK and New Zealand, across the social and disability sector has equipped me with valuable insights to navigate the current complex environment.

I have experience in social sector governance in both countries which gives me an understanding of the complexities and nuances across different regions. My background in innovation, service design, and delivery, coupled with my role at NorthAble, has allowed me to modernize services and gain a comprehensive understanding of both the funded and funding environments from MSD and Whaikaha.

I also have governance experience, including a role on the UK’s Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults Board. At NorthAble, I oversee the delivery of seven contracts including the NASC, giving me a unique perspective on the system’s intricacies. My focus on person-centred innovation and continuous quality improvement aligns with the principles of Enabling Good Lives.

I am confident in my ability to build relationships and facilitate robust conversations, essential for leading and influencing NZDSN’s role in shaping the funding and delivery of supports across the sector. I am committed to ensuring NZDSN’s voice is clear and heard.

Bernadette McEvoy

Totara Farm Trust (South Auckland)

My name is Bernadette McEvoy and have led Totara Farm Trust since 2018. Based in South Auckland, the Trust supports 31 adults with an intellectual disability in a residential environment.

I am passionate about advocacy and will bring this energy and commitment to the NZDSN Board – advocacy for the people we all support and the membership organisations.

The changes in the sector drive my interest in joining the Board. The NZDSN has a crucial role in informing Government agencies and Ministerial decision-making. I am persistent, if not relentless, in raising and contributing to addressing the myriad of equity issues the disabled community faces daily. Good decisions at Government level can only come from good information; contributing to the NZDSN Board and CEOs efforts is a genuine way to achieve this.

Ultimately my CE role is advocacy for the people we support and their whanau. Joining the Board will build the ability to advocate not just for our direct sphere of influence but for the wider residential provider membership.

I am on the Whaikaha CEO Forum, the employer steering group related to Pay Equity and involved in various initiatives related to my role as Auckland representative for the NZDSN.

I would consider it an absolute privilege to be on the Board and embrace the opportunity to advocate with passion and determination for people with disabilities.

Catherine Bennett

I have been actively involved in the disability sector one way or another for the last 15 years, in both strategic and operational roles. I have a strong belief and commitment to everyone having the right to live their lives how they want, doing what they want, and when. Additionally, my adult son is an autistic person, from whom I have learned a lot about life!

My last role was at Emerge Aotearoa where I was the National Manager Health and Disability Services – a role I immensely enjoyed and learned a lot from. I have, however, spent the last two years as a full-time student at Te Wānanga o Raukawa studying Te Reo Māori in a full immersion environment. I have been incredibly fortunate to be part of this kaupapa, and it has changed so much about me and my worldview. I believe this experience will enrich who I am as a leader going forward.

As the new Chief Executive of Community Connections Supported Living Trust, I am ready to dive back in and do whatever I can to support our sector. I truly believe if we strive to work together as providers, we can make a real difference. NZDSN is pivotal in helping us do that and is something I would be honoured to be part of. With my experience in the sector, my recent study, and my insight as a family member, I think I would bring some useful skills to the table.

Donna Mitchell

IHC (Wellington)

I have spent a career working in disability in a variety of senior roles. Core to this, I passionately believe all New Zealanders, including disabled people, have the right to live a great life. I am currently General Manager of Service Development & Strategy and Human Resources for IHC. I am an experienced and strategic leader with a keen understanding of the disability sector. I am driven by a desire to effect meaningful change and would like to apply my skills and expertise to the NZDSN Board.

Our sector faces, yet another, point of significant change. This requires a strong voice from NZDSN to advocate for the rights of disabled people to support them to live a good life, the rights of providers to be funded for the important and valuable work that we do, the importance of an enduring strategy to invest in the disability workforce, and the shared responsibility of funders and providers with respect to issues like our obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act.

Mel Rice – Tumuaki

Te Rarawa, Te Aupōuri, Ngā Puhi

Secretary for Te Aronga Toi Whenua, Tauranga Peka, Māori Women’s Welfare League

Mel is an experienced lead in whānau life and the community sector. Skilled in strategy, activation, stakeholder relationships and analysis. With over 18 years of experience in the community sector across all facets of community health business Mel has been instrumental in leading the transformation of services. As Tumuaki for Mel led Access/Uru Ātea, one of Aotearoa’s leading community health providers to weave Te Ao Māori throughout the business firmly believing that if you get it right for Māori you get it right for everyone.  Mel also led the same organisation in their transformation of services with a focus on tāngata whaikaha through whakamana tāngata. Taking the taonga of visions and reimaginings of hauora from what she says are smarter people than herself, and engaging hāpori in implementation.

A natural evaluator of possibilities and realities and a huge fan of disrupting the system for the good of the people, lived experience, alternative routes and seeing a way where others assume there is none, Mel is excited to lead Oko Āio into a future that is waiting to be designed.

Of Ngā Puhi and Te Rarawa descent and hailing from Te Tai Tokerau, Mel has 18 years of experience in the Home and Community Based Health sector and brings not only a Te Ao Māori view from a business perspective but also a whānau/family and hapori/community perspective.   

Mel is a member of the Insights Alliance, and the Māori Women’s Welfare League. 

Mel Smith
CCS Disability Action (Christchurch)

Ko Mopanui te maunga e ru nei taku ngakau

Ko Waiputai te awa a mahea nei aku maharahara

No Murihiku ahau

Ko Ōtepoti taku kainga tūturu

Ko Mel Smith tōku ingoa

I have worked in the disability sector within Aotearoa and Australia for the last 25 years. As a born and bred Southlander I started my work in residential homes in Invercargill before moving to Australia to work in Employment related support services with the Deaf community. Upon returning to Aotearoa 15 years ago, I have held a number of roles within CCS Disability Action across the South Island, before having the privilege to represent the organisation and the people we support as Chief Executive.

I have a strong focus on disabled leadership and embedding the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Enabling Good Lives in everything we do within CCS Disability Action and I am keen to support this continued focus across the sector. I can see that we have a lot of room for growth still in these areas and I am aware that the people that work within the delivery of disability support services, do so because they want to be of service to our communities.

I have a strong sense that collaboration between providers is the way of the future and I am keen to put my money where my mouth is and play a role in supporting that to happen.

Richard Williams

Samantha Lee

NZDSN Board Chairperson

Samantha’s experience in the Disability sector started at 6 years of age with the birth of her youngest sister who lives with significant complexity.  Being a Whanau member of someone with a disability, the sector revealed itself to be a place where Samantha could apply the learnings and knowledge experienced through her personal journey.   The much needed change for the way disability services were delivered has been a strong focus for Samantha over the past few years with her being actively involved through many forums.

For the past 7 year Samantha has been the Chief Executive for The Supported Life Style Hauraki Trust which is based in Thames on the Coromandel peninsula. She is currently part of the Waikato EGL leadership group as one of the provider representatives. She is also currently the Co-Chair of the Waikato regional provider network.

Samantha identifies as Pasifika/NZ pakeha and lives in Paeroa in the Hauraki district with her husband and two young sons.

Sarah Hillier

Tēnā koutou, I am the Chief Executive Officer of St John of God Hauora Trust. We deliver a range of services that support tangata whaikaha or people living with neurological and physical disabilities. Prior to my current position, I was Regional Manager of our Community, Youth and Child Services division that delivers community and social services for tamariki, rangatahi and their whānau.

My career in the health and disability sector began as a Registered Nurse over 30 years ago, I am proud to have held senior clinical and leadership positions in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Since moving to Aotearoa in 2003, I have had the privilege to contribute to the lives of people and their whanau through my work with a number of providers, including Te Roopu Taurima O Manukau Trust, NZCare Group, RIDCA and Lifelinks. I am privileged to hold Governance roles that contribute to the sector. As a Trustee of Te Roopu Taurima I hold portfolio responsibility for Clinical Governance and am a member of the Finance Audit and Risk Committee. I am a Trustee of the Ozanam Canterbury Charitable Trust focused on social housing, and Chartered Member of the NZ Institute of Directors.

I am extremely passionate in my work, and continually strive to ensure high quality standards are met in ways that realise Enabling Good Lives principles for the people we support. I have lived whanau experience of people living with disabilities, and this has shaped by passion to be focused that we partner with service users and communities, to ensure their voice and their needs are at the
core of all we do.

I am an enthusiastic and dynamic individual with a strong focus on working collaboravely and in partnership. I have a particular interest and strength in strategic development, and firmly believe that all strategic goals and initiatives can be achieved through collaboration, commitment, and partnership with those whose lives we are a part of. One of the most rewarding elements of my work is in how we organise, advocate, network and collaborate across the sector to achieve our shared vision.

We have a promising future in supporting tangata whaikaha to thrive in Aotearoa. I am excited about working in partnership across the sector to deliver systems that enable equity, participation and choice.

Tony Marsden

Kia ora koutou

Ko Taranaki te maunga

Ko Waiwakahio te awa

Ko Tauranga moana te kainga inaianei

Ko Clive Marsden toku papa

Ko Raewyn Jorgensen toku mama

Ko Marsden tōku ingoa whanau

Ko Tony tōku ingoa

Ko Annette tōku wahine

Ko Jacob ā māua tamaiti

He CEO ahau mō SILC

Kia ora, my name is Tony Marsden, and I am seeking election onto the board of NZDSN.  Originally from Taranaki, I now live in the beautiful Bay of Plenty with my partner Annette and our 12-year-old son Jacob.  I have been CEO of SILC here in Tauranga for nearly six years and before that, I spent three years on the Board of SILC.

Before coming to work in the disability sector, I spent a number of years working in social housing for what was then Housing New Zealand.  I held several senior roles including working in the Community Group Housing space so I have a good understanding of the challenges facing provider when it comes to accessing good quility, fit-for-purpose houseing.  I am also a Trustee of the Tauranga Community Housing Trust.

I have a wide range of experience in governance and I believe my skills and experience will be benificial to the Board.  Housing has become a challenge for many people in our communites but disabled people are even more disadvantaged through poor design and lack of accessiblity to social housing.  I believe NZDSN can play a role in advocating for change in this space and I would like to offer my support through a role on the Board.