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Simon Britten Simon provides management and marketing professional services, and has a strong interest in youth and community development. Simon holds a New Zealand Certificate in Telecomunications Engineering and a Graduate Certificate in Business Administration. He has broad experience in telecommunications, working in the professional mobile radio communications industry for over twenty years. Responsibilities have included management of product strategy, leadership of major bids and development of partnerships. In addition to his role with Pillars, Simon is a trustee on his local intermediate school board and with the Community Services Freedom Trust and he is a mentor to high school business students. |
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 Raf Manji - Vice President
Raf began his career as a risk analyst in investment banking before moving into trading. He traded the global financial markets for 10 years in London before an epiphany led him into the field of environmental sustainability. He helped develop the Trucost Environmental Sustainability framework before moving to New Zealand in 2002. Since then he has been an active angel investor in the IT and Cleantech sectors as well as starting the online policy space, The Sustento Institute. He also works for several volunteer organisations in the community and is an active social entrepreneur. He has degrees in economics and political science, which support his research into monetary reform and sustainable systems. |
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Susan has a background in the high technology business, encompassing pre-sales, product planning, marketing, alliances and business development. She is a computer science graduate, and has a Masters degree in Business Administration. Currently working as an independent consultant, Susan is also an active volunteer in her local Parent Teacher Association and church. |
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Verna McFelin, MNZM - Founder & Chief Executive Being the Founder and Chief Executive of Pillars Incorporated for over 20 years and having had the experience of a family member in prison herself in the early 1980’s, makes Verna a strong advocate for the rights of children of prisoners in New Zealand and developing best practice in order to prevent inter-generational offending. In 2011 she was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the community and the Every Child Counts Individual Award.She has spoken at many international and national conferences and edited an international journal on families and Corrections from the New Zealand perspective. |
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Barry Baker - Te Runaka Ki Otautahi o Kai Tahu Ko Mamari te waka
Ko Hokianga te moana
Ko Rangikohu te maunga
Ko Nga Puhi te iwi
Barry worked for 24 years for the Department of Corrections as Regional Advisor Maori Service Development. He has worked in management roles supporting Maori. He is totally committed to breaking the cycle of intergenerational offending and supports the important role that Pillars plays in effecting positive change for the tamariki of offenders. His experience of working with offenders has given him an insight into their lives having witnessed first hand the importance of breaking the cycle of offending. |
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Lyn has had a longstanding relationship with education starting off on her career path as a primary school teacher. After several years she moved into the Social Services by an ‘accidental path’ and became a full time employee of Christchurch Women’s Refuge delivering education programmes on Family Violence to both women and children. During this time she also facilitated Men’s Programmes at Stopping Violence Services. Lyn returned to teaching in 1999 delivering Alternative Education to young men excluded from High Schools. She then went overseas and taught English in Taiwan. On return to New Zealand Lyn became the ‘Just Us Youth’ Co-ordinator at Pillars and later returned to Christchurch Women’s Refuge’ delivering and overseeing education programmes as the Community and Service Development Manager. Lyn is a mother and grandmother of 3 adult children and 3 grandchildren.
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Tracey is a Public Relations specialist, having worked in corporate communications roles at Carter Holt Harvey and Coca-Cola Amatil. Tracey studied for a Graduate Diploma in Public Relations and has since worked on public relations programmes for a variety of clients in the tourism, not for profit and health care sectors. In 2012 she managed communication projects for private prison operator Serco to highlight the innovations that Serco are implementing to reduce reoffending. Tracey manages the strategic public relations effort for Pillars on a volunteer basis including major campaigns such as Children of Prisoners Week and is passionate about impacting positive generational change.
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Dr George spent 30 years at University of Canterbury teaching and researching in Management Science. While there he held the positions of Dean of Commerce and Head of Department of Management. John currently holds the appointment of Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Management at the University. For the last 10 years he has been a consultant with PA Consulting. He specialises in the economics of the wholesale electricity industry: market design, policy development for government, market evaluation and projection and asset valuation. John is a founding elder of Westchurch.
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- President
Susan Henson - Secretary / Treasurer 
