DIRECTOR & CEO

A belief in strong communities led Sandy to a career in training and consulting for not-for-profits. Prior to becoming part of LEAD, Sandy was one of the team delivering the Unitec Graduate Diploma in Not for Profit Management, after her 10 years as the founding leader of the National Association for OSCAR.

At LEAD, Sandy is an expert in values-based management and leadership. She works with boards and leaders from various not-for-profit sectors, including social services, faith-based, environmental, arts, and migrant organisations.

With extensive experience in the Pacific Islands, Sandy also focuses on organisation development and cross-cultural environments. She has written extensively on leadership and management, including organisation sustainability, which she focused on in her Masters in Community Development.

DIRECTOR

Aly has over 20 years of experience as a trainer, consultant and leadership development practitioner across the business, public and not-for-profit sectors of Australia & New Zealand. She was a founding lecturer of the Unitec programme and has a passion for teaching and mentoring.

Aly has worked with hundreds of not-for-profit organisations and leaders to navigate the various challenges they face delivering impossible tasks on minimal resources.

Aly worked for five years with Pacific NGO leaders on a United Nations Development Project/PIANGO partnership programme, running workshops in Fiji, Samoa, Vanuatu, Guam, Pohnpei, and Papua New Guinea. She is regularly called upon to present at international conferences in America and Europe to share her expertise in coaching and mentoring.

DIRECTOR

Garth’s ongoing love-affair with not-for-profit organisations is an expression of his passion to create a more just and inclusive world. Over the years he’s led a government policy unit, worked in a cabinet minister’s office, was National Director for the Australian Council of Social Service, and for 20 years developed curriculum and taught part-time in the Unitec’s programmes.

At LEAD, Garth brings extensive review and evaluation expertise, through his broad experience in strategising, coaching, government policy, and evaluation. He has facilitated workshops in New Zealand, the Pacific, Australia, and Hong Kong on a range of values-based leadership issues, including Governance, Monitoring & Outcomes, Lobbying and Influence, and Strategy and Contracting.

Garth is deeply committed to improving the not-for-profit sector and has written extensively on sector issues.

ASSOCIATE

With significant leadership experience throughout the Pacific, Solomone has managed an NGO and provided training and capacity development to multiple NGOs and community based initiatives.

As a trainer and tutor, Solomone was directly involved with the Unitec Graduate Diploma in Not for Profit Management programme and continues to provide great insight towards NGO Managers around the Pacific including Fiji, Tonga, PNG, Vanuatu, Solomon Is, and Samoa. He developed certificate level courses for NGOs on behalf of the Pacific Island Association of Non Government Organisations (PIANGO), and also developed MaiMagi, a programme for Transformational Leadership for churches.

As a former General Secretary for the Bible Society of the South Pacific, Solomone oversaw work on 16 islands. Solomone also co-created the Octagon Leadership and Community Development Program (OLCDP) - aiming to develop Pacific leadership models which empower local communities and builds capabilities. Solomone is also the Chair of the Praxis Pacific Trustees, providing developmental training for youth in at least five countries of the Pacific.

ASSOCIATE

Hilary’s focus is on empowering individuals and communities. Highly motivational in approach, Hilary encourages and inspires others to recognise their own skills and wisdom, and this is reflected in her work with and advocacy for youth, young children and women.

As a nurse, Hilary spent 20 years working with government and non-governmental organisations from a community development perspective. Hilary was a member of the NZ and Pacific teaching team for the Unitec programme for ten years. She holds a Certificate of Adult Education and a Post-graduate Diploma in Educational Leadership and Management.

At LEAD, Hilary facilitates workshops, provides coaching for leaders in the not-for-profit sector, and is an integral part of the training and leadership courses around the country. She is an experienced and skilled facilitator of Te Tiriti Workshops, exploring with participants both the significance and history of The Treaty of Waitangi, and how to apply its intention and principles in their organisations, as well as how to build relationships and accountability in partnership with Maori.

ASSOCIATE

As a well-respected trainer, facilitator, and community leader, he is passionate about seeing Pacific and Maori learners and leaders realise their potential, and Pacific communities achieve their aspirations. Originally a primary school teacher, Steve spent 22 years at Unitec, supporting Pacific students to succeed. At LEAD, Steve is instrumental in our Pasefika Governance Programme. Steve provides Governance training as well as our Pasefika youth leadership programme which supports young people in governance roles.

Steve was instrumental in setting up a programme helping hundreds of people in the Maori and Pacific community join the NZ Police. His 15 years with this programme was the most fun he’s ever had teaching. Steve is also the Senior Pastor at Word of Life Church in West Auckland. His 25 years in youth ministry has given insight into motivating and coaching young people to become leaders. Coaching rugby and American football has provided learnings around helping disconnected Pacific boys find purpose.

Stephen has graduate and post-graduate qualifications in education, leadership and theology, but is always on a learning journey of some kind.

ASSOCIATE

Ruth works with visionary leaders and managers of not-for-profits, helping them to translate their great ideas for social good into implementable reality.

At LEAD, Ruth provides coaching through her extensive experience in organisational development, not-for-profit leadership, and coaching and mentoring. She is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) through the International Coach Federation (ICF). Ruth focuses on organisation development and change management, process and meeting facilitation, coaches leaders and managers. She consults to organisations in strategic and effective communications and marketing.

In Southern Africa, Ruth led Promotions for NonProfits for six years, a marketing and organisation development consultancy. She also facilitated the regional fellowship network for Ashoka Innovators for the Public, providing mentoring to 50 leading grass-roots change agents and social entrepreneurs.

ASSOCIATE

Eleanor is passionate about the rights of minority groups and youth. Eleanor works one on one with emergent leaders in a mentoring capacity, as well as supporting youth governance boards.

At LEAD, Eleanor focuses on youth development. Her interest in strengthening the voices of young people, combined with her experience of community development, ensures Eleanor is well placed to run community consultation for young people. Her role with the Aotearoa Youth Leadership Institute saw her mentor young people on their return from word leader forums such as the United Nations and support them in their personal and professional development.

She is currently the Director of ECPAT Child Alert, as well as previously working at Amnesty International NZ and in Southeast Asia coordinating experiential education programmes. Eleanor completed her Masters research in Development Studies on disaster risk mitigation in vulnerable communities.