Our people
Our team and the Centre’s network of specialist associates and partner organisations offers grant-makers and funders, and community organisations, a unique resource for collaboration, learning, and thought leadership for social change. Our team’s understanding of national and international practice for social impact is supported by practical insights and knowledge gained from working with a range of clients to help them achieve their social impact goals.
Our people
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Karinia Lee
Head of Centre
Karinia Lee
Head of Centre
Karinia is an experienced chief executive and board member in the not-for-profit sector. Her most recent role was chief executive of New Zealand Asian Leaders where she managed the successful launch of SUPERdiverse WOMEN and subsequent membership growth of both organisations.
During her career she has held a variety of roles across a range of not-for-profit and community organisations including business development manager for Piha Lifesaving Club, general manager of Stellar Trust and fundraising manager for Ronald McDonald House Charities NZ.
A member of the Institute of Directors, Karinia is President and Board Member of YWCA Aotearoa New Zealand and is a mentor with Business Mentors NZ. Volunteer experience includes providing counsel on fundraising and grant applications to the Disabled Surfers Association, and fundraising support to Makaurau Marae.
Over 30 years in the charitable and business sectors Karinia has become known for her strong commercial acumen, agile strategic thinking, innovative leadership, and her ability to create inclusive environments that celebrate diversity.
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Aimee Kaio
Associate
Aimee Kaio
Associate
Ngāi Tahu, Te Arawa, Ngā Puhi
Aimee specialises in strategy development, iwi Māori engagement, research and evaluation. Aimee is a strong advocate for intergenerational regional development through partnership and collaboration.
Aimee’s experience has predominantly been in hapū, iwi and regional developments working across the social, educational, and cultural not-for-profit sectors. More recently, Aimee has worked within the commercial sector with SMEs and corporates.
Aimee has experience in strategy development, organisational change, management solutions, systems change, ecosystem design and start-ups. Aimee is an emerging governor, where she has a personal commitment to contributing to positive impact for people, our environment and our future generations.
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Andrea Black
Associate
Andrea Black
Associate
Andrea Black provides business process management and work-flow process support to the Centre.
She has a proven track record in project management, work-flow process and organisational design, implementation and delivery. Her career has spanned HR, executive search, operations and project management, both domestically and overseas.
Andrea works with organisations to review task, workflow, responsibility and structure to ensure they support business objectives. This generates better workplace understanding and communication, improves productivity and innovation, and creates more effective working environments.
In the last few years Andrea has been working in the NGO and not-for-profit sector, where she has enjoyed supporting organisations in the opportunity for change and success.
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Arohanui West
Associate | Climate Action Co-Lead
Arohanui West
Associate | Climate Action Co-Lead
Arohanui has a background in waste minimisation, wetland restoration, journalism and communications. Her formal involvement in climate issues began with a role as an environmental intern with Te Arawa Lakes Trust. Current roles include consulting to Para Kore, a Māori, not-for-profit, zero waste organisation with a vision of oranga taiao, oranga whānau, oranga marae.
Tribal affiliations: Te Arawa whānui, Ngāti Awa and Ngāti Tūwharetoa
Arohanui, and her climate action co-lead Esther Whitehead, support the implementation of The Funders Commitment on Climate Action an Initiative funded by Combined Community Trusts Aotearoa and supported by Centre for Social Impact.
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Chloe Harwood
Associate
Chloe Harwood
Associate
Chloe has over fifteen years’ experience of working in the philanthropic sector.
Chloe was Strategy & Innovation Manager at Foundation North. In this role she had responsibility for strategy and innovation development, while also managing policy development, communications and planning. She has been closely involved in the Foundation’s continuing efforts to become a more strategic grant maker. This has included the development of innovative and targeted funding such as the Foundation’s Catalysts for Change programme, Māori and Pacific Education Initiative (MPEI), GIFT (Gulf Innovation Fund Together), South Auckland Community Innovation fund and participatory grant making approaches.
Chloe brings professional skills and experience across strategy development and innovation approaches, facilitation, research, organisational learning and reflective practice. A graduate of Canterbury University, Chloe has previously worked for Britain’s National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA), where she awarded funding to innovative and pioneering learning projects.
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Dan Gerrard
Associate
Dan Gerrard
Associate
Dan Gerrard has extensive experience in leadership development gained over 20 years working in corporate, government, and local government. A leadership coach, mentor and facilitator, Dan is Programme Director at Leadership New Zealand, and has his own leadership consultancy, Ngākau NZ.
Prior to setting up Ngākau, Dan held leadership roles in KiwiRail, Downer and Fulton Hogan. He started his career as a plant operator and labourer and draws on his ‘learning from the ground up’ experience to inform his approach to leadership development.
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David Booth
Associate
David Booth
Associate
David Booth provides specialist advice to the Centre’s investment planning and capacity development programmes. He brings 20 years of experience working across a variety of areas and cultures, and a background as a successful entrepreneur.
David was a co-founder of iwantoneofthose.com, a gifts and gadgets website with annual sales of $25 million. The company was sold in 2004, freeing him to focus on supporting social and commercial entrepreneurs.
David provides consultancy and management to not-for profit organisations through the Scope Project and commercial start-up ventures at the Ice House Accelerator Programme. He is also an active Business Angel performing due diligence and investing in a variety of start-up companies.
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‘Emeline Unga
Associate
‘Emeline Unga
Associate
‘Emeline is of Tongan descent. She has experience in education, leadership, and community research utilising Pacific methods such as talanoa. As a primary teacher for 15 years, ‘Emeline has worked across diverse communities, and with Māori and Pacific peoples. She is passionate about supporting young people with diverse learning needs.
‘Emeline has a strong interest in Pacific-led social change. She advocates for equity and positive change through Indigenous approaches centered on relationality and holistic well-being.
‘Emeline has a Master of Educational Leadership (Hons) and is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Education from the University of Auckland.
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Emily Garden
Associate
Emily Garden
Associate
Emily Garden is a social researcher with strong qualitative analysis and communication skills.
She has worked for NGOs, universities, social sector agencies and research organisations in the health, social justice and sustainability spaces, including the Auckland City Mission, Design for Health and Wellbeing Lab at Auckland Hospital and the Joint Centre for Disaster Research.
Emily synthesises information, shares knowledge and tells stories in fresh and engaging ways, drawing together her qualitative research and graphic design expertise. Emily holds a Bachelor of Design from AUT University and a Masters Degree in Sociology from Goldsmiths, University of London.
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Esther Whitehead
Associate | Climate Action Co-Lead
Esther Whitehead
Associate | Climate Action Co-Lead
Esther brings extensive research and evaluation experience working in the not-for-profit, start-up sector and impact initiatives. A passionate advocate for the natural environment, Esther has a background in ecology; leaning on biomimicry tools to help resolve our greatest design challenges. She also spent over a decade working in the field of neurodiversity and equity in education and brings this insightful knowledge to the mahi. Esther has her own consultancy, Thrivemind supporting and coaching social impact strategies. She is the founder of Sustainable Queenstown Community Trust, Dishrupt(TM) and KiwiHarvest Queenstown. Esther has a breadth of governance experience as trustee/board member on a number of organisations and as a councillor at QLDC. Esther is passionate about eco-psychology and aims to always bring empathy to the fore of her leadership and storytelling.
Esther, and her climate action co-lead, Arohanui West, support the implementation of The Funders Commitment on Climate Action an initiative funded by Combined Community Trusts Aotearoa and supported by the Centre for Social Impact.
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Judy Whiteman
Associate
Judy Whiteman
Associate
Judy Whiteman provides the Centre with specialist advice for capacity development programmes. A facilitator, mentor, executive coach and consultant in both the commercial and not-for-profit sectors, Judy is passionate about helping people achieve success for themselves, their people, and their organisations.
Judy has many years’ experience in senior management and executive positions in the global financial services industry, both in New Zealand and abroad. She has also been involved for over 30 years in the not-for-profit sector in several countries as a volunteer, board member and consultant. Judy has been a director (executive and non-executive) on various boards. Her governance experiences are deep, diverse and over many years. She is currently an Independent Director with the Bank of India (New Zealand) Ltd, Trustee of the New Zealand Housing Foundation, the Debt Relief Foundation, Whanau Mercy Ministries and a Director of Carmel College Auckland Ltd. Previous roles include Presbyterian Support Northern (Independent Trustee, Deputy Chair, Chair of Investment Committee) and Te Waipuna Puawai (Independent Director, Chair).
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Kat Dawnier
Associate
Kat Dawnier
Associate
Kat Dawnier provides specialist advice to the Centre on the design, implementation and evaluation of philanthropic strategy.
Her role with the Centre is largely focused on ‘design for impact’ - supporting philanthropic partners with the development and implementation of new impact-focused models of grantmaking. Kat also provides organisational capacity development support to grantee organisations through the Centre.
Kat has worked in the not-for-profit sector in New Zealand and the UK for over 10 years. She has professional experience in philanthropy, community development, research and evaluation, and non-profit governance. She has background in the community, youth and refugee sectors, as well as in private philanthropy.
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Kate Cherrington
Associate
Kate Cherrington
Associate
Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Wai, Kapotai, Ngā Puhi, Ngāi Pākehā
Kate Cherrington's roles at the Centre include organisational capacity builder, advisor on strategy development and implementation, and governance.
Kate specialises in working with groups with a kaupapa Māori focus in education and community strategy, and advancement projects. Her passion is nurturing emerging community leaders and values-based leadership practice.
Kate has served in governance and advisory roles across tertiary, conservation, philanthropic and not-for-profit organisations, most importantly alongside her marae and iwi collectives. Currently Kate is Chair of Hāpai Tūhono, Te Pou Theatre Trust, previous Chair of national Māori philanthropic and impact investment trust Tapuwae Roa (2019-2024). She is a trustee for the Sargood Bequest and the SkyCity Queenstown Community Trust. Kate also serves as a board member on the USA-based NGO, Americans for Indian Opportunity (New Mexico).
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Kathryn Nemec
Associate
Kathryn Nemec
Associate
Kathryn Nemec provides research and evaluation, and project management and coordination support for CSI clients. She has a broad range of experience and has particular interest in community development, mental health promotion, sustainability and innovation.
Kathryn has consulted extensively in the not-for profit, local government and philanthropic sector in New Zealand, and worked as an evaluation specialist in the United Kingdom. A community psychologist, Kathryn brings a strong values-based approach to her work, and has a particular interest in working collaboratively with organisations to help them demonstrate their impact.
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Kevin Prime
Kaumatua
Kevin Prime
Kaumatua
Kevin Prime is the Centre’s kaumatua.
Kevin is a commissioner with the Environment Court, as well as being a beef farmer, forester, beekeeper and conservationist.
Prior to his appointment to the Environment Court, Kevin worked with a variety of organisations in the profit and non-profit sector in the areas of philanthropy, health, conservation, justice, Maori development, education, environment, forestry, farming and sport.
Kevin is of Ngatihine, Ngati Whatua, Tainui and Welsh descent. He is married to Margaret with 13 children and 19 grandchildren. His hobbies are family, sport, golf, bee keeping, learning new things, and his favourite holiday spot is at home on the farm in Motatau.
In 2016, Kevin was recognised in the Queens birthday honours list receiving an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to conservation and Maori.
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Kirsty Gover
Operations Support
Kirsty Gover
Operations Support
Kirsty provides operational and secretariat support to the CSI team.
Kirsty has a broad range of experience in primary and secondary healthcare. This includes roles in hospital administration/PA, health promotion and community engagement, and as Smokefree practitioner/educator. As fundraising manager at North Shore Women’s Centre she also delivered healthy eating classes for diverse groups in the community. Kirsty is passionate about supporting communities to uplift their health and wellbeing
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Louise Marra
Associate
Louise Marra
Associate
Louise Marra provides specialist advice on the development of leadership, systems work and social innovation.
Louise has capabilities in strategy development, social innovation and innovative thinking, general leadership development, executive coaching and mentoring, and creating effective cultures. Louise has many years’ experience working both in and on leadership at senior levels in the not-for-profit, government and private sectors. She was previously the Executive Director for the Auckland Policy Office (a cross-government initiative), and has also worked as an advisor to former Prime Minister, Sir John Key.
She is currently Director of the Leadership New Zealand programme, and runs her own business, Unity House. Louise holds post-graduate qualifications in environmental management, public policy, Jungian and transpersonal psychology and has trained and worked extensively in the healing and integration of collective and intergenerational trauma to help create new worlds from new places.
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Mata Cherrington
Associate
Mata Cherrington
Associate
Ngāti Hine, Te Kapotai, Ngāpuhi-Nui-Tonu, Ngāi Pakeha
Mata’s roles at the Centre include governance, strategic planning and expertise in embedding Te Ao Māori values and principles in practice.
Mata explores opportunities to work with leaders to normalise values that ensure enduring and sustainable impact for communities. She recognises the importance of sound philanthropic practices and its contribution to inform and improve sectors nationally and globally in response to the changing needs and evolution of populations. She has a depth of understanding of the community trust environment from her roles as trustee and chair of Community Trust South.
Mata is committed to honouring the aspirations of her tupuna and contributing to creating a better world for her mokopuna.
Mata has a LLB and a Bachelor of Social Science.
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Michelle Gallagher
Programme Coordinator
Michelle Gallagher
Programme Coordinator
Michelle provides support for CSI’s programmes, such as our Te Pūaha Talks webinars.
She brings an impressive range of skills and experience to our team. Prior to joining CSI, Michelle was as a recruitment co-ordinator in a fast-paced environment at Synergy Consulting Group. In this role she helped candidates through the registration process and supported Synergy’s consultants and directors with key elements of the recruitment journey. Michelle managed company website maintenance, monthly newsletters, business support, quotes, client contracts, employment contracts, and coordination of employee timesheets and expenses.
Michelle also has experience in the not-for-profit sector. Her first job, following the completion of a Bachelor of Fine Arts, was as an administrator at Artists’ Alliance, supporting the delivery of resources, information, career path advice and networking for visual artists.
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Miranda Cassidy-O’Connell
Associate
Miranda Cassidy-O’Connell
Associate
Miranda brings specialist advice to the Centre on environmental issues and how we can collectively act for regenerative and positive impact. She has extensive experience in creating conditions that enable diverse voices to reach common ground.
Over 25 years, Miranda has worked with multiple stakeholders spanning policy analysis, project management, collaboration training, facilitation, and large group planning. She has especial experience in Māori rights and interests in environmental issues, including fisheries and coastal management. Miranda has worked for iwi, not-for-profit, government and private sectors and is currently director of her own consulting company, FOLKUS Ltd.
Miranda holds a BA (Sociology), a MSc (Hons) in Resource Management and qualifications in neuro linguistic programming and regenerative development. She aims to continually learn ways of enabling and inspiring people to work together to build a sustainable society.
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Rachael Trotman
Associate
Rachael Trotman
Associate
Rachael Trotman provides the Centre with research and evaluation expertise.
She is a social researcher and evaluator whose work includes facilitation, mentoring, writing and advisory work for a range of organisations, from grass roots community groups to philanthropic bodies and government agencies. Her passions are supporting people to know and show the difference they make and undertaking applied research and evaluative work that effects positive change in the world.
Rachael is the Coordinator of Ngā Tau Tuangahuru - the Maori and Pacific Education Initiative Longitudinal Study and Lead Evaluator for the Gulf Innovation Fund Together (GIFT). She is also involved in diverse CSI programmes of work with a range of funders and organisations.
Rachael holds an MA (Hons) and a post-graduate diploma in Human Ecology.
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Robin Hickman
Associate
Robin Hickman
Associate
Robin Hickman provides strategic communications advice, to the Centre and its partners, to help them engage with diverse stakeholders, and capture their stories and bring them to a wider audience.
Robin has consulted on communications for corporates in New Zealand and Australia. She has won an International Association of Business Communicators Gold Quill award, and New Zealand’s supreme Kiwi Quill award.
Her involvement in the not-for-profit sector has included both consulting and governance roles.
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Sarah Greenaway
Associate
Sarah Greenaway
Associate
Sarah is an experienced evaluator and researcher in the community, not-for-profit and academic sectors. She works alongside funders, leaders, organisations and communities to draw on diverse sources of evidence to inform decision-making.
Sarah has a pragmatic approach to monitoring and evaluation and also using design-thinking techniques. She also has experience in public health, mental health and addiction.
Over the last six years, Sarah has developed an in-depth understanding of homelessness and housing issues in Aotearoa through her work at Lifewise, Housing First Auckland and the Inner City Auckland Homelessness Initiative.
Sarah has a PhD in Sociology from the University of Auckland.
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Te Aorangi Murphy-Fell
ASSOCIATE
Te Aorangi Murphy-Fell
ASSOCIATE
Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Apa
Te Aorangi is managing director of Haemata, a Māori language, education and capability-building consultancy which works across the public and private sectors. Te Aorangi's focus in his work is the revitalisation of the Māori Language and the development of the Māori economy. In addition to a Bachelor of Management Studies (Hons) he is a graduate of the Master of Māori Language Excellence programme, delivered by Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.
Te Aorangi sits on the BayTrust and Squash Bay of Plenty boards. He is a member of the BayTrust’s investment committee, and an independent member of the New Zealand Hepatitis Foundation’s investment committee.
Te Aorangi is a Chartered Member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors. He is the youngest member of the Institute to go through the chartered pathway.
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Tuihana Ohia
Associate
Tuihana Ohia
Associate
Ngāi te Rangi, Ngāti Pukenga, Te Arawa, Ngāi Pākehā
Tuihana Ohia has been involved in the design and implementation of a number of significant wellbeing initiatives including Vodafone’s Manaaki Support Network and Te Wānanga o Aotearoa’s wellbeing programme Tau Ora.
Tuihana brings a wellbeing perspective and expertise to project management, programme design, capacity building, strategy development, relationship liaison.
Tuihana’s passion for nurturing emerging wellbeing leaders and embedding wellbeing within communities and corporate spaces led her to create Rāngai – The Wellbeing Collective. This provides a space for those working with or who have an interest in wellbeing to meet, exchange knowledge, creativity, and support innovation. She also the founder Woo Table Kōrero, a community-based initiative that brings people together to hear from their community superstars.
