OUR BOARD

Susan Henson
Chair

Susan has worked in the IT business for many years in various international marketing, consultancy and pre-sales roles, but has more recently been using her skills in the arts and heritage sector as fundraising manager for The Arts Centre of Christchurch, and is an active volunteer in the community. She is a computer science graduate and holds an MBA , is a Member of the Institute of Directors, and is a qualified CFRE.

Logan Smedley
Secretary/Treasurer

Logan has a background in finance and governance. He has a strong community involvement with Turtle Rescue, SAFE, GirlGuiding NZ and as a Justice of the Peace. Previously he has been a Pillars mentor.

Vince Hapi
Kaumātua

Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi

Engari taku toa he toa takitini

My strength is not my own

My strength is my family, tribe, tūpuna, and my people. Also the strength of representing the values of Ka Pou Whakahou. My backbone support is whare Pare and Matua Brownie Rauwhero. I have a humble disposition and a team player. Mahia te mahi hei painga mo te iwi enclosing. Always doing my best to benefit the Kaupapa. Pai marire.

Helen Te Hira

Helen is a local government leader who currently leads the Auckland Council Family Group response for Māori economic development, arts and culture. She has worked for over 15 years with organisations to build capability and application of Te Tiriti informed decision making.

Internationally, she has worked alongside communities, NGO’s and leaders linked to UNESCO, the independent forum for the rights of Indigenous People and migrant workers from South East Asia.

Her tribal and Iwi affiliations are to the Northern Iwi and Ngāti Whātua ki kaipara and Ngāpuhi-nui tonu. She lives with her whānau, including her mokopuna in West Auckland.

Nova Salomen

Nova has worked in the government sector for over twenty years in a variety of roles. Most of her experience is in the child protection and youth justice space, as well as having spent a number of years working for Ara Poutama, the Department of Corrections. Nova also has experience in human resources, financial management and service design. Her current role is Chief Monitor in the newly created Independent Children’s Monitor. Nova is dedicated to supporting families and whanau to be strong and to thrive. She has previously been involved with Pillars as a volunteer from 1994-2000.

Manu Sione

Manu has over 25 years’ experience in senior leadership in justice, social service and health management roles. Currently he is Director of Geotren Ltd managing a number of Māori and Pasifika projects for public and private organizations. Previously he was National Manager – Culture for Emerge Aotearoa for 5.5 years. Prior to this, he was Director of Operations Northern Region for Relationships Aotearoa covering from Kaitaia to Gisborne. Manu also has experience on Boards, national committees and advisory groups and loves to support organizations to be more culturally responsive.

Nick Burns

Nick has an extensive business background, and is a member of the senior leadership group at Jade Software Corporation in Christchurch. He has been involved in a number of entrepreneurial ventures, including co-founding Healthcare IT company Emendo in 2002, which he exited in 2015 after its sale to McKesson Corporation in the USA. With a keen interest in helping facilitate personal growth, Nick has mentored and coached a number of individuals and organisations, including chairing The Clown Doctors Charitable Trust, which works to bring joy to children and senior citizens in times of need. Nick has been a Pillars mentor since early 2020 and is delighted to be involved with an organisation with such a strong purpose.

Danté Fyfe

Danté is a self-employed Financial Adviser and entrepreneur. He was a mentor with Pillars having been with his young fella for 5 years. He has been involved as a Board Member for other charities and not-for-profits such as Avebury House Trust (past), Linwood Keas Rugby League (past) and Volunteering Canterbury (current). He also sits on the Lottery Grants Committee and University of Canterbury Pacific Advisory Committee as an alumni. He’s also heavily involved in the Canterbury Pacific community having co-founded a charity, the Pacific Peoples Trust, co-founding a Pacific business group, the Pacific Business Collective, and also starting his own social enterprise arm, Moana Home Ownership. Since the first mentors information session back in 2014 Danté has been a strong promoter of the Pillars kaupapa and is excited to be involved at a governance level.

Sandra McCallum

Sandra was Principal of Mt Cook School in Wellington for 15 years. She has worked in leadership positions in education for 35 years.

She has for the last 15 months been Interim General Manager of ChangeMakers Resettlement Forum. ChangeMakers is an NGO that works with/for  Kiwis from a Refugee Background In the areas of Advocacy, Research and Community Development.