Our People

Everyone can be a leader for a healthier Aotearoa. Working together, we can create healthy communities now and for the future. Meet our people who are committed to supporting healthier environments in places where we spend our time.

David George
Kaiwhakahaere Mātua (CEO)
Sport Waitākere

Having worked in a variety of roles both domestically and internationally across almost 20 years, David brings extensive experience of leading and supporting teams to achieve strategic outcomes. David is proud to lead an immensely talented whānau to achieve Sport Waitākere’s vision of ‘Kia Tuia, Kia Ora, Kia Tū’  (Everyone Connected, Healthy and Active) across the West Auckland community.​​​​​​​ Email

Kerry Allan
Impact Strategist/ Healthy Families Waitākere Manager

Kerry's extensive experience provides strategic and visionary thinking, leading teams towards a shared vision and direction to achieve collective impact.

With an academic background and interest in nutrition and physical activity, Kerry is passionate about shifting systems so everyone can access healthy kai and be physically active. 

Kerry leads the Healthy Families Waitākere team in supporting change for better health and wellbeing taking a preventative systems approach by challenging the status quo.

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Catherine Powell
Practice and Development Lead

Cathie has worked in Waitākere for over 30 years as a community developer, mediator and educator and is committed to interrupting colonisation, poverty and all forms of discrimination.

​​​​​​​Her role focuses on developing and driving the innovation practice alongside the wider Healthy Families team. Cathie brings expert knowledge in both systems change theory and design methodology, as well as a strong social justice/human rights focus. She enjoys exploring the evolving role of systems innovation in improving health and wellbeing for those currently underserved in West Auckland and beyond. Email

MikeTipene 
Rautaki Māori / Māori Systems Strategist
Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa​​​​​​​

Mikes primary focus is improved Māori health outcomes, his knowledge of Te Ao Māori helps to inform our practice when working with and for our Māori communities.

Mike brings strategic direction and guidance that supports our team to work in a culturally appropriate manner, therefore improving the likelihood for successful Māori outcomes. Email

Repeka George-Koteka
Pacific Systems Strategist​​​​​​​
Ngāti Ruatea, Ngāti Terei (Cook Islands)

​​​​​​​Repeka has a priority focus on improved Pacific wellbeing, leadership, and health outcomes. A Masters of Applied Indigenous Knowledge and lived experience working within West Auckland, helps to inform her practice when working with and for our Pacific communities.

Repeka brings strategic direction and guidance that supports our team to work in a culturally appropriate manner, therefore improving the likelihood for successful Pasifika outcomes. Email

Caitlin MacColl
Governmental Systems Lead

Caitlin builds and manages relationships across a variety of settings to foster a collective leadership approach, including finding new opportunities and building alliances to influence systems change. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Email.                                 

Grace Vujnovich
Strategic Communications Manager

With a background spanning corporate and consumer public relations, Grace brings theory and experience to her work. She most enjoys championiong stories of community innovation and action in West Auckland.​​​​​​​ Email

Priscilla TuiSamoa
Māori Communications Innovator
Ngāti Maniapoto

Priscilla's role includes developing stories and content to support and promote kaupapa Māori in West Auckland. She also manages our online platforms and supports the team with digital content creation. Email

Louise Kirkwood
Data Insights and Evaluation Lead​​​​​​​

As Data Insights and Evaluation Lead, Louises's role is to support the team to build robust evaluation practice into their day-to day work, so we can continuously refine and improve what we do to promote healthy lives.​​​​​​​ Email

Michele Eickstaedt
Systems Innovator  

As a Food Systems Innovator and registered nutritionist, Michele's passion is to identify and support opportunities to improve the food/nutrition environment in places where people live, learn, work and play in West Auckland. ​​​​​​​Email

Rea Kenkel
Systems Innovator

Rea has a background in community development and food sovereignty movements and is passionate about working alongside the community to help influence system disruption, strategic innovations and strengthen community connection. Rea has an interest in how people relate to the spaces they occupy and the positive impacts that a sense of place can bring to our health and wellbeing. Email

Giuliana Sewell
Systems Innovator (Māori)
Tūhourangi, Ngāti Porou

Giuliana brings experience in health prevention, rehabilitation and clinical teaching to the Healthy Families Waitākere team. Her role is to work alongside community groups to positively impact health across physical, learning, and work environments. She has a strong focus on equitable opportunities for Māori and developing innovations that support diversity and embrace mātauranga with authenticity. Email

Ruta Tai
Systems Innovator (Play & Physical Activity)
Iva, Falelatai (Samoa)​​​​​​​

​​​​​​​Ruta has a background in athlete and coach development in the Pacific and Aotearoa. She is passionate about creating and fostering community connections and providing ​​​​​​​navigational support to access opportunities that strengthens the wellbeing of individuals and whānau, in order to achieve their goals and aspirations. Email

Ella Falakoa
Systems Innovator (Pacific)

My focus is to weave a Pacific worldview that serves, nurtures, and strengthens the health and wellbeing of our Pacific community. I enjoy implementing strategic innovation that influences local cultural renewal and welcomes sustainable change to provide positive health outcomes. Email

Miriama Ohlson 
Systems Innovator
Ngai Tūhoe, Ngati Whare

Originally from Otepōti (Dunedin), Miriama is of Tūhoe and Ngāti Whare descent nō Te Whaiti Nui a Toi ki roto i Te Urewera. She has run and managed a small business for many years and has extensive experience in the Health and Disability sector, specialising in high and complex needs. Miriama is a registered Coach with Sport NZ and has a vast array of skills working in the community for the community.

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