Meet our team

Our ability to make a difference relies on the experience and skills of our staff who represent a formidable team bringing together comprehensive knowledge of community development, regeneration, social and community research and project management.

Chief Executive Officer – Simon Cayley

Simon has extensive experience in community development, capacity building, social research, governance and management. Simon has an MPhil with a research thesis that examined governance in voluntary and community organisations and contributed a suggested framework of governance for the sector. He has also completed Post-Graduate Diplomas in Development Studies and Public Health and is an accredited business mentor with Business Mentors New Zealand. Simon is also Vice-President of Social Development Partners and a trustee of the Great Fathers Trust.

Manager Projects & Innovation - Andrew Brock

Andrew has experience in senior management and governance roles within the health, sport and community sectors, and additional experience in education.  He has extensive knowledge of community development and sustainability with a particular focus on the wider determinants of wellbeing.  Andrew has Diplomas in Strategic Leadership and Teaching, a Bachelor of Education, and a Bachelor of Sport and Recreation.  He is currently a trustee of the New Plymouth Injury Safe Trust, on the Board of Trustees for Woodleigh School, and a committee member at Woodleigh Athletics Club.

Research Manager - Annette Schwanen

Annette has experience in community development, social research and evaluation. She has a MSocSc, a Postgraduate Diploma in Community Psychology from Waikato University and is undertaking a Postgraduate Diploma in Social Sector Evaluation Research through Massey University. Annette is a member of the Aotearoa New Zealand Evaluation Association (ANZEA), the Australasian Evaluation Society (AES) and the Association of Social Science Researchers (ASSR). Alongside establishing an evaluation service that will operate as a social enterprise, Annette’s role at the Foundation involves working on social research projects and developing a model of farming for charitable purpose.

Administration and Accounts Officer – Annabelle Sacree

Annabelle has a Diploma in Hospitality Management from Auckland University of Technology and brings skills ranging from account processing to marketing. Annabelle also brings experience of working in various holiday and after school programmes. She fulfills a broad role for the Foundation including providing the core staff team with administrative support as well as working on a range of initial project related tasks.

ICT Gateway Coordinator – Kiki Ruakere

Kiki operates our ICT Gateway social enterprise and provides strategic IT advice, remote management and technical support for voluntary and community sector organisations as part of the Foundation's ICT Gateway programme.  Kiki brings significant experience from the corporate sector where he was engaged as a systems engineer and aligns this with a deep understanding of the realities of the community sector.

Seasons Coordinator (North Taranaki) – Diana Lawrence

Diana has worked in the Social Service arena for the last 16 years mainly in the areas of Child Protection, Family Violence and Parenting. Most of this time was spent in Hawkes Bay. Her roles have included Social Worker for a community agency, Strengthening Families Coordinator, Family Violence Coordinator and panelist for the CYPS Care and Protection Resource Panel. Since 2004 Diana has been the Coordinator of the Seasons programme in North Taranaki. Her first group ran in 2004 and the programme now extends from Waitara, to Inglewood and throughout New Plymouth, and has reached over 240 children, young people and their families by way of 3 different programmes, running in schools and afterschool. Diana's qualifications include university papers to a BA, a Certificate in Community and Social Work and an Advanced Certificate in Child Protection Studies, plus many short courses in Social Work and Counselling.

Seasons Coordinator Central Taranaki – Judy Wood

Judy brings experience that involves teaching, governance and community work. As the Seasons Central Taranaki Coordinator she has built a new programme that is now offering Seasons programmes for the Stratford, Hawera and Patea communities. She is also actively involved in children’s, youth and women’s ministry at Holy Trinity Church, Stratford.