RISE GM Dee Cresswell Retires

RISE's General Manager Dee Cresswell will retire in January after 16 years of leadership. The entire RISE whānau is sad Dee is leaving but happy for her as she heads into retirement.

Dee says it was a tough decision to leave a role she enjoys, and it has been a privilege to lead and work with RISE staff and stakeholders. However, after 16 years at RISE’s helm she feels the timing is right, and is looking forward to spending time with family and friends.

"What has always kept me in the role has been the incredible team I've worked with and the strong belief that what we do makes a difference to people's lives," Dee says.

Her last office day will be December 22.

Board Chair Angela Ricker says Dee will be sorely missed. "Dee is widely respected as a knowledgeable, caring leader and advocate for people who are often forgotten. She has been a tremendous partner to Trustees in guiding RISE over the years. Thanks to Dee’s leadership, RISE is in the strongest position it has ever been.”

Over the past five years in particular, RISE has grown significantly in both its programme offerings and using its expertise to increase the attention paid to family violence issues. RISE won significant contracts to offer prevention programmes alongside its highly-regarded intervention services. Government ministries and health organisations have also contracted the RISE clinicians to provide training and education to their staff.

The Board has begun recruiting Dee’s successor, with Dee joining the recruitment task force to ensure a smooth transition. "Changes seems ever-present in NGOs and social services and RISE is fortunate that this particular change comes at a time when we are financially stable and well-positioned for continued growth," Angela says.

RISE’s GM Dee Cresswell is leaving RISE in the strongest position it has been in.