BOARD

Suzanne is an independent industry advisor and consultant in the health sector. For over a decade she provided expert advice to government and the regulatory industry in senior leadership roles. She also owned and managed her own healthcare businesses and ultimately franchised them.

Breaking the cycle of family violence in our community parallels well with a career in health, she says. Over time she has come to understand the psychosocial predictors of ill health and strategies to boost people’s physical and psychological capacity. After a long career in patient care, and with insight of family violence borne both from lived experience and through researching effective family violence support and empowerment strategies, Suzanne felt RISE was the perfect fit for her.

Suzanne has held several previous board positions in the aged-care, disability, finance, and health sectors across Australia. She is Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and is a Nelson Marlborough Branch Committee member of the Institute of Directors, NZ. She is delighted to join the Board as of January 2023.

As a strategic communications and public relations consultant for the last ten years, Angela worked on several high-profile projects and for some of Nelson Tasman’s most recognised organisations.

After emigrating to Nelson from the United States in 2006, Angela was on the communications team at Nelson City Council for eight years, including as Communications Manager for three. As part of that role, she served as the region’s Public Information Manager for Nelson Tasman Civil Defence.

Non-profit work is where Angela’s heart is. She co-founded and was the first employee of a statewide organisation in Colorado, USA. In New Zealand, Angela is a Trustee with the Fifeshire Foundation, was a board member for Nelson Netball Centre, was a member of the Brook Waimarama Sanctuary Trust’s Visitor Experience and Marketing Committee, and was a founding trustee of the Nelson Regional Breast Cancer Trust.

In 2023 Angela retired from private consultancy to enjoy a slower pace of life and increase work in governance roles. She lives in Tasman on an olive grove with her husband Don and their two feline kiddos.

Nicole has more than 15 years of marketing and management experience primarily within the community and not-for-profit sectors.

She is the New Zealand Manager of the Family Business Association, an organisation that supports family businesses with education, networking opportunities, succession planning and family dynamics. Nicole worked with the association in Australia before moving back to New Zealand to help establish it in Aotearoa.

During her 10 years living in Australia, she also worked for the Australian Institute of Company Directors for six years.

Nicole brings to the board a background in governance and experience in strategic planning.

As a young professional she is looking forward to honing her leadership skills and offering insights and perspectives from her generation.

Nicole is excited about working as part of RISE’s governance and is keen to deepen her connections to Nelson and the community here.

“I’m looking forward to understanding the impact RISE has in the community, and shedding a light on the good work that it does.”

She grew up in Nelson, and her family and her husband’s family live here. She lives in Stoke with her husband and step-children.

Sonia works for Oranga Tamariki where she has undertaken a wide range of roles for the past 14 years, including Senior Advisor, Site Manager, Regional Manager and Change Lead. She brings to the RISE board more than 25 years of work across the public sector.

Brought up in a council estate in South Wales, Sonia’s parents instilled in her a strong moral compass and showed her how to support and look out for your community. Sonia has worked in service and support roles throughout her career, and she remains passionate about helping and empowering people and communities.

Sonia studied a BA in Education and a BA Community Justice working in Probation and Youth Justice in Wales. Moving to Christchurch in 2008 she again worked in Probation, Youth Justice and Care and Protection teams in leadership roles in community and residential settings. She was seconded to work at the Ministry of Social Development, focusing on cross government collaboration to support better outcomes for tamariki and whānau. More recently she has worked as site manager on the West Coast and Nelson before moving into the role of a regional manager for Oranga Tamariki. She is currently the co-chair of Te Ohu Whāngaiā a Māui – the Upper South Island cross government, iwi and NGO joint response to family violence.

This is Sonia’s first board role. She is looking forward to using her public service experience to empower RISE as it carries out its specialist Family Violence work. She was drawn to working with RISE because of the organisation’s reputation and the important work it does. She supports RISE’s whole whānau approach of working with people who use violence and those who experience it.

She lives in Nelson with her partner and nephew. In her free time, she is studying for an MA in Applied Management.

Hoki mai, hoki mai, kia whitia ai
Kia mau ki te aroha e
Mau kaha, tū kaha,  
Aoraki matatū e!

Erin brings a deep commitment to kaupapa Māori and community wellbeing, underpinned by over 15 years of governance and executive leadership experience across iwi, government, and commercial sectors. She currently serves as a kaimahi within an iwi organisation, supporting multiple governance entities including a Trustee Board, Charitable Trust, Board of Directors, Risk and Audit, and various sub-committees. Her work has led to the implementation of streamlined systems that strengthen compliance and enhance strategic delivery.

In her previous role, Erin led Māori partnerships, embedding Te Tiriti o Waitangi and fostering enduring iwi relationships across Te Tauihu. Her governance style is grounded in whanaungatanga and kotahitanga—prioritising relationships, collective strength, and guided by courage, care, and accountability.

Outside of her professional mahi (work), Erin contributes to both the cultural committee of her imi Moriori Trust and a whānau committee, supporting kaupapa that nurture identity and connection. She is an active member of the Institute of Directors and is currently deepening her expertise through studies in Māori Governance.

Erin is passionate about building inclusive, future-focused systems that honour te ao Māori and uphold mana motuhake. She is excited to bring her governance experience, cultural insight, and systems-thinking approach to the RISE board.

Her favourite whakataukī (proverb), “Mō tatou, ā, mō kā uri a muri ake nei – For us, and for those who will come after us,” speaks to her heart and guides her commitment to breaking cycles of violence and supporting whānau across Te Tauihu to thrive in safety and strength.

She currently lives in Whakatū (Nelson) with her partner and twin daughters.