In helping to form Men and Trauma and Trauma Recovery Aotearoa, I wanted to be part of a niche and national clinical service dedicated to masculine people, their families and whanau who live with unresolved trauma.

I follow the thought that unresolved anger, addictions, depression and suicidal behaviour can be a direct result of child abuse and sexual abuse.
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Earlier, I started attending peer support in Christchurch in 1993 and became a founding trustee for the Male Survivors Sexual Abuse Trust Christchurch in 1997.

In 2017 I completed my Psychology BA at University of Victoria, Wellington.

In 2018 I studied trauma informed Peer Therapy Groups at Men and Healing in Ottawa, Canada, and then brought back their world-leading trauma recovery model to New Zealand to complement our own.

​I have worked extensively for a number of years facilitating 1-on-1 and group sessions with male survivors of childhood abuse, sexual abuse and trauma. I have also provided professional development for New Zealand clinicians and healthcare providers to understand implicit issues around male trauma and recovery, and delivered lectures in tertiary organisations.

,A, trauma survivor myself, I graduated with a BSc in geology from VUW in 1990.

I have worked in a number of industries including an oil rig, marketing in legal publishing, an IT administrator, airline baggage handler, pine forestry worker, lab technician, and currently a marketing analyst.

I bring a range of skills that require innovation, problem-solving ability and creativity.
 
It is an honour to be asked to join the Board of Directors for Men and Trauma and Trauma and Trauma Recovery Aotearoa, as the professionalism, dedication and resolve of the team leading and delivering these much-needed services impresses me.

I am ready to do what I can to help support this innovative service and contribute to not just changing individual men’s lives, but to start challenging the societal and structural foundations that hold men back from resolving the trauma they have suffered.

After living and working in France, the Netherlands, and Canada, I eventually made Aotearoa New Zealand home. It was here that I found the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the community by supporting this organisation and its important work.

My career has largely centred on people-focused roles across hospitality, customer service, sales, and team leadership. Working alongside individuals from diverse backgrounds has strengthened my appreciation of the different cultural perspectives that shape how well-being is understood and supported.

I began volunteering with Men and Trauma and Trauma and Trauma Recovery Aotearoa, contributing to technical development, social media initiatives, and the creation of new projects aimed at expanding our services within the community.

It has been a privilege to be invited to join the Board of Directors. I am committed to supporting the organisation’s strategic direction and working alongside the dedicated and capable people who contribute to its impact at every level.

Supporting individuals in their trauma recovery journey is central to our mission, and our work also extends into prevention, education, and community awareness. I am particularly involved in developing our Insight programme, which supports organisations to strengthen trauma awareness in the workplace and move from awareness to meaningful action.

This professional development training is designed for organisations seeking to equip their leaders with the knowledge and confidence to recognise and respond to trauma, with the goal of fostering safer, healthier workplaces for everyone.