BOARD OF TRUSTEES

John Green

Chairperson

John practices as a barrister in Auckland. He has extensive experience working with confidential and sensitive information. During a wide ranging role in local and international business development, he has worked successfully with people from different cultures and circumstances.

John’s business experience has included high level management roles in industry and finance sectors. Entrepreneurially, he has been responsible for the creation of a major international television channel – Asia Business News (now CNBC Asia’s business channel) -and established the ARTS channel on Sky TV.

He is a world ranging sailor, recently having sailed to Chile then through the Straits of Magellan up the Atlantic to Cape Verde islands and back to New Zealand via the Caribbean, Panama and the Pacific. Other journeys include a voyage south to the Auckland Islands. John is a keen and eclectic reader and enjoys playing the piano.

Jonny Wilkinson

Deputy Chair

Jonny Wilkinson has a detailed knowledge and experience of the NZ health and disability sector. He has strong leadership and interpersonal skills and success in senior management and governance. Jonny’s particular strengths are in collaboration and relationship management, particularly in event organisation and public education campaigns and projects. He has applied these successfully in his current role as CEO at Tiaho Trust and as a board member of a number of Northland and national community based organisations and charitable trusts.

Jonny has Cerebral Palsy and has a speech impairment. He holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Business, (Pg.Dip.Bus.Admin), Management Information Systems, General.

Cathy Comber

Cathy is a postgraduate qualified Business Manager with significant experience gained at The University of Auckland and the University of Cape Town.  She has been responsible for managing corporate services with a focus on commercial and financial management and strong customer service delivery.

Cathy’s community work included being a trustee (with a short stint as Chairperson) of LifeKidz Charitable Trust – an after-school and holiday programme for special needs children. She contributed to Lifeline Aotearoa, initially as a Helpline telephone counsellor with suicide Intervention skills, then co-facilitating the Foundation Training, and formally mentoring new counsellors.

Although Cathy enjoys challenges she now looks for less arduous tramping outings than the two 100km Oxfam Trail Walk Fundraisers she completed with her teams.  Spending time with her extending family gives Cathy pleasure

Denise Cosgrove

Denise has broad experience as an accomplished senior executive with commercial and public sector experience in New Zealand and Australia. Her previous roles have included being Chief Executive at the Victorian Work Cover Authority in Australia, a general manager at the Accident Compensation Corporation and an assistant auditor general. Her current role is Chief Executive of Presbyterian Support North.

As well as contributing to various NGO organisations and actively supporting socially-minded entrepreneurs, Denise supports New Zealand’s contemporary art and design sector, especially new and emerging talent.

James Jordan

James has a New Zealand Certificate of Commerce (NZCC) and Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from Auckland University

James is the Director at Northbridge Lifecare Trust an established retirement village, rest home and hospital facility in Northcote Auckland. James has been involved in the retirement industry for 19 years, working in both the public and private sectors and served two years on the Retirement Villages Association Executive.

James brings with him a comprehensive knowledge of the health and disability sector, property and asset management, service provision and practical implementation of technology systems that benefit quality of life and independence.

As a member of Takapuna boating club the weekends often centre around sailing and other water activities.

Jim Higgins

Jim owns The Networking Edge Ltd, a company which provides consultancy services over various Public and Private Sector IT applications. The company has been involved in a wide range of e-business systems.

TalkLink, Lower North Island took over business from the Technical Aid Trust, of which Jim was on the board for many years.

Jim received the NZCS Award for the Greatest Contribution to NZ Public Sector Computing in the 20th Century. He has, over the years served on many, mainly IT-oriented companies and other organisations Jim is a Fellow of the NZ Computer Society and of InternetNZ.

Jim brings extensive knowledge of world wide technology development and issues to the Board. He is able to provide contacts with the business community to TalkLink that enable us to maintain excellence in our delivery of professional services. Jim has considerable experience at Board management level.

Margaret Ellett

Margaret has a BSc (Mathematics) from Victoria, a Diploma of Teaching (Secondary) and a BCom (Accountancy) from Auckland. Following this, she worked at Murrays Bay Intermediate School for 25 years as the Executive Officer and a member of the Executive team.

Margaret is a member of the North Shore Branch of Graduate Women New Zealand and has served on the National Executive on three occasions in the role of treasurer. She is the Academic Dress Convenor for the North Shore Branch and has managed the regalia hire for Massey Auckland since its inception in 1993. She is an honoured member of the North Shore Branch and a Member Emerita of NZFGW.

Her other associations include being a member of Zonta North Shore Auckland and the current treasurer of NCW Auckland. For many years Margaret has been the chair of Northbridge Lifecare Trust, which is a charitable retirement village on the North Shore.

In 1999, Margaret was appointed a trustee of New Horizons for Women Trust and served as Chair from 2002-2005. And in 2010 was awarded membership of New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for services to women.

Margaret is married and has three adult sons, an adult daughter and 6 grandchildren.  Her hobbies and interests include family, theatre, travel, current affairs interest groups, cooking, reading and puzzles.

Tuini Glenda Hakaraia-Tino

Glenda has close affiliations with Hoani Waitiiti Marae and Te Whanau o Waipareira Trust which has enabled her to develop strong relationships with Maori leaders and the community. Glenda has considerable experience with Community Safe projects and has worked in the unintentional injury prevention and health promotion field for the past 20 years.

Glenda is parent to Geneva who through her determination and passion for life is a successful student at the Auckland University of Technology undertaking a Bachelor in Communication Studies. Geneva uses a speech generating device for all her spoken communication. Geneva and Glenda are both achievers of breaking down barriers for people with disabilities and engage positively with all people of different cultures, beliefs and abilities.