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About NZDSN
The New Zealand Disability Support Network (NZDSN) is a network of organisations and individuals that provide support services to disabled people
Since its formation in 2010 it has represented and advocated for its members. NZDSN is governed by a board of elected members and serviced by a chief executive and small, high-performance team.
NZDSN takes a pan-disability perspective on the sector.
Our vision
Our vision is an inclusive New Zealand where all disabled people are valued, their human rights are promoted and protected, and they are enabled to maximise their potential as citizens.
Our purpose
Our purpose is to promote, encourage, support and represent members in regard to the provision of high-quality equitable disability services and support for disabled people and families throughout New Zealand to enable good lives.
Our values
- We are committed to work in a manner that upholds the Treaty of Waitangi and its principles
- We are committed to the UNCRPD and its principles
- We are committed to the principle of mana Motuhake (self-determination) of disabled people
- Being a strong advocate for our members and the sector
- Where needed and appropriate, we will agitate to ensure the voice of our members is heard and seek to make a strong impact to ensure our member’s issues are addressed
- We are transparent in all that we do
- We are responsive to the needs of our members and timely in offering advice and support
- We desire a strong partnership with our members, with others in the disability sector and with those who design and implement policy and service purchasing and funding frameworks
- We are committed to unifying our sector so that every disabled person feels they are consistently enabled to enjoy a good life.
Our team
Chief executive, Debbie Hughes brings a wealth of experience in strategic leadership, policy advocacy and workforce development in the disability and social service sectors to the role.
Debbie has a track record of successfully leading significant sector transformation and influencing policy and funding decisions, while building strong partnerships with providers, government agencies, and advocacy groups.
Debbie is committed to making sure NZDSN drives meaningful change for disability support providers and the people they serve by fostering collaboration, innovation and a strong advocacy voice.
Member engagement manager
Richard Irvine is an experienced communications professional, working independently with a number of member organisations, after roles with Fonterra, New Zealand Cricket and Spark. He’s proud to work with NZDSN after experiencing the difference quality support makes through a close family member. Richard lives on Auckland’s North Shore with his partner and two high school age children.
Media queries, please call Richard on 027 232 7946 or email comms@nzdsn.org,nz
Business manager
Chief executive
Liz Robinson
Member engagement manager
Communications and media adviser
Business manager
Our board
Samantha Lee
NZDSN board chair
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 whānau 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 seven years 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.
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 for the people we all support and the members of NZDSN.
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.
Ultimately, my CE role is advocacy for the people we support and their whānau and I am proud to bring those skills to the NZDSN board table.
I am on the Whaikaha CEO Forum and involved in various initiatives related to my role as Auckland representative for the NZDSN.
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.
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.
Veronica Manion
Veronica Manion is the Group Chief Operating Officer for the New Zealand Health Group. She is responsible for a team of 700 office-based staff coordinating the work of 8,000 frontline workers in New Zealand’s largest health and community support provider.
Veronica, known as Ronni, is passionate about ensuring people receive great health, disability and community support at home and in their communities. She is particularly focused on continual improvement and developing new models of care that meet changing population needs and funder requirements, as well as making good business sense.
Ronni has deep experience in the operational delivery of services. She been accountable for the delivery of a wide range of services throughout her career. From ensuring small, targeted service lines deliver bespoke solutions to clients, through to high volume management of standardised packages. This experience, coupled with an eye for detail and her astute risk radar, means she understands how to navigate service delivery in a continually changing environment.
Ronni is also a supportive leader and forges enduring relationships with stakeholders. She is passionate about developing leaders and providing opportunities for everyone to grow and learn. She is well networked across the sector and with government agencies.
Prior to her current role, Ronni spent time within Geneva Healthcare (now an entity within the New Zealand Health Group) including as Chief Executive Officer for three years. Her nursing qualification, coupled with her experience in nursing recruitment, has also afforded her critical frontline experience as well.
Richard Williams
