Board Member Profiles
Sam Fairhall - Chair
Sam is Managing Director of The Business Farm Limited, a company that works to assist small to medium enterprises to increase profitability and company value. Prior to this, he was an executive at TVNZ working in various management and business development roles, the last of these as Managing Director of TVNZ Satellite Services Limited. Sam is also currently chairman of TalkLink, a Charitable Trust which was established in 1991 to provide assistive technology services for people who have communication difficulties.
Sam is an experienced senior executive who brings his expertise in negotiation skills, in strategic planning and in all aspects of management to the Home and Family Counselling Board.
Anne Hargreaves - Vice Chair
Anne has a background in media and public relations. Promotions have included the Trinity Garden Festival. She was for many years involved with Marriage Guidance New Zealand, both locally and on the national council, and was a founder of the Christchurch Citizens Advice Bureaux. As Education Chair of the Auckland Philharmonia Guild, she helped develop its programme for schools. Anne is also a JP.
Ian Jagger - Honorary Treasurer
Ian is a qualified accountant and also holds a BA. ( Hons) Business Studies - first class ( major in computing). He is CFO of Herbert Insurance Group and his recent past experience includes with Pricewaterhouse Coopers and the Dresdner bank in the Grand Cayman Islands and contact work for Axa Insurance and Norwich Union Insurance in Norwich, England. He has been honorary treasurer of a number of sports clubs over the years.
Eric Allan
Eric has been a member of the Board since 1990 and is Convenor of the Policy sub-committee. He is Director of Catholic Family and Community Services and shares his knowledge as a director of a peer social service agency with Home and Family in particular his insight into the needs of a counselling agency. Through his involvement in a number of other social service agencies he brings a wide perspective and knowledge of social issues.
Carol White
Carol is a counsellor with over 25 years professional experience. She is a former National President of the NZ Association of Counsellors (NZAC) and is a Life Member and a member of the NZAC's Ethics Committee. She manages a team of counsellors at Auckland University and also has a small private practice. She has been closely involved with Home and Family counsellors by participating with them in professional development related to narrative therapy. Carol has also supervised some of the team. She has been elected to the Board particularly to provide guidance about the professional work of the counsellors.
Michael Adams
Michael lectures in company law on the business faculty at AUT university. He is a lawyer by profession. Michael’s past experience of committee work has included pre-school and school committees and a neighbourhood network committee.
Michael Wilding-Perry
Michael is a great grandson of the founder, Henry Wilding and continues that connection on the Board. He is a traffic safety engineer for Auckland City responsible for the Eden/Albert Ward. Michael was a member of the Tauranga YMCA Board of Management for three years and also for one year as the secretary of the Tauranga Orange Festival committee.
Edwina Pio
Dr. Edwina Pio (PhD, MA, BEd, BA, MNZAC) is Associate Professor at the Business School of AUT University, and Visiting Professor at Boston College, USA. Her main research domain is ethnic minority studies where she combines her research interests of management, psychology and spirituality. She has recently published a book "Sari: Indian women at work in New Zealand" and is a passionate advocate of research in action. She has been invited for research and presentations to ESADE Barcelona and Cambridge University, UK and has been published internationally. Edwina is on several boards including the PhD MPhil Committee of AUT and the Journal of Immigrant and Refugee Studies, USA. She is the Equity Coordinator of the Business School at AUT. Edwina also works with women and children who have experienced domestic violence on a voluntary basis and is registered with the New Zealand Association of Counsellors.
Robin Yates
Robin retired from her 12 year business liaison position at Manukau Institute of Technoloy at the end of 2005. She was also responsible for the short courses run by the institute for three years. Previous to working full time she was actively involved with her children's school committees, Anglican vestry and synod and a ratepayers' association in Coromandel. Robin was also a telephone counsellor for Home and Family and has been interested in the organisation's progress since then.