Our Board
Daniel Clay – Chairperson/President
Kia ora e te whānau CP!
I am currently in my second term on the CP Society Board, helping to maintain the momentum of improving member services and providing stability and continuity to the governance team.
My fun loving nine-year old daughter Indie is a power chair user and lives with CP. This empowers me with a thorough understanding of the challenges and successes of living with CP. My experience with the CP Society has also facilitated opportunities to connect with adults with CP, enabling me to build my knowledge of their needs and goals. This insight and experience motivates me to promote solutions that address the systemic issues and challenges that CP can create for whānau and individuals.
Since 2020, the CPS Board has made several bold and positive changes to the strategy and investments of the CP Society, which I believe were necessary from both a member focus and good governance perspective. I am proud to have been part of these changes, and am privileged to continue to provide my time and expertise to implement the remaining changes and new strategy.
I am also the director of one of the two investment subsidiaries, Cerebral Investments Ltd. These positions are unpaid voluntary roles, but could not be for a better cause and I am happy to utilise my professional experience and expertise to benefit the CP community.
I am married to Amy and we have four children, and live in Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland. I am currently Chief Executive Officer of an iwi owned property development and investment company. I have held directorship positions on various company and charitable trust boards.
Prior to this I was a practising lawyer for 20 years with two national commercial law firms and a partner in both firms over 10 years. This experience provides me with the skills to provide the oversight and insight into shareholder/member facing organisations such as the CP Society, investment companies (such as the CPS’s commercial subsidiaries) and a client (member) focus. My legal background also provides me with the ability to ensure good governance practices are maintained and risks and compliance are managed well.
Emma Lovett – Vice President
Thank you for the opportunity to represent you on the Cerebral Palsy Society board.
I have been on the CPS Board since 2020, I served as the Board Chair and President until 2022. I am extremely proud of the hard work and dedication of the Board in some very challenging circumstances. We have made some bold decisions and it is a pleasure to work alongside the diverse members of our Board. I look forward to being part of implementing further positive outcomes with strong Governance.
My husband Steven and I have a now 7-year-old son, Reid, who has Cerebral Palsy. My family and I can relate to many people who are travelling the hurdles medically, financially, educationally, and personally.
I have an operational background in Government Departments including Child Protection Services and New Zealand Customs Service.
In 2019, I founded the business ‘Adaptive Footwear’ which brings orthotic and user-friendly footwear options to New Zealand. Managing and operating our business has enabled me the privilege of meeting and talking to many of our members and gaining a greater understanding of the support and resources people of all ages require. Being entrepreneurial, I look at things from a holistic view, am collaborative, and not afraid to seek solutions outside of the box. I invite open, honest conversation to ensure decisions are made in accordance with the evolving needs of our community.
I make time to spend outdoors as much as possible. As a family we have taken up fishing regularly along with kayaking and biking in ways where Reid is actively involved. I also know a whole lot about how to play Minecraft!
Meg Smith – Secretary
Tēnā Koutou Katoa,
Thank you for voting me onto the board and providing me with this wonderful opportunity. The last year on the board has been an extraordinary experience and as a team, I am proud of the work we have done together to get to the place we are today. It is exciting to now be in in a position to move the Society forward with a fantastic strategic plan, team and vision.
My personal connection with Cerebral Palsy is through my daughter Molly who is now 12 years old. I also have a 10-year-old son, Archie. Molly has taught me a great deal about the world and what is important and I feel humbled and privileged to be her mother.
I am currently doing a doctoral degree looking into the experiences of Aotearoa whānau who have a child living with Cerebral Palsy. This is an area that I have discovered has had very little research done in NZ. I am really enjoying the journey that this work is taking me on.
I continue to work on the CP Clinical Network as co-chair with Professor Sue Stott. The network has made great progress over the last two years through work in early diagnosis and intervention, the CP Register, transition to adulthood, capturing the voices of people with Cerebral Palsy and therapy models. I see this work as crucial for improving and progressing the way people with Cerebral Palsy are supported in NZ and ultimately with optimising outcomes and quality of life.
I have been a nurse for more than 27 years and in the last 17 years I have worked mainly in management and leadership positions. I have a Masters in Health Management with first class honours. Previously I have worked as the Charge Nurse Manager for the Paediatric Orthopaedic service at Starship Children’s Hospital where many children with Cerebral Palsy came through the service. This allowed me to gain insight into the challenges and barriers that whānau living with Cerebral Palsy face. In my current job as a Clinical Nurse Director, I provide professional nursing leadership to a large nursing workforce at Counties Manukau DHB.
Like many parents of tamariki with Cerebral Palsy, I have dedicated a lot of time and energy into navigating the health and education systems in order to optimise outcomes for my daughter. This, along with my professional experience, has given me a good understanding of systemic structures across government services in NZ for our tamariki living with Cerebral Palsy. I have a strong desire to use my skills, knowledge and experience to help make a difference to improving the lives of all people living with Cerebral Palsy and to help navigate our society into a strong position of advocacy and leadership in health, wellbeing and inclusion.
Ngā Mihi,
Meg
Peter Wynne-Jones – Board Treasurer
Tēnā koutou katoa,
I am so privileged to be invited to join the Board of the Society and I am very much looking forward to working hard with a group of such very talented and dedicated Board members.
I was born and bred in Hamilton to a medical family. My mother was a Registered Nurse and my father a surgeon. My grandfather was also a doctor. Later on, I was lucky enough to marry Jacqueline, also a Registered Nurse who is now the Chief Nurse of the New Zealand Blood Service. We have three adult children, Victoria, James and Alexander.
I have a Bachelor of Business (Banking and Finance) from Chisholm Institute of Technology (now part of Monash University, Melbourne).
My career path has been interesting to say the least. I started off in banking but after 17 years, moved into local Government with the Hamilton City Council for 11 years and Fonterra for 3 years. Since then, my positions have all involved accounting more recently as a contract accountant with such companies as Auckland Council, Vodafone, Auckland Grammar School and Marsh New Zealand amongst others.
I live in Hamilton but have worked in Auckland since 2011, coming up to Auckland each Sunday afternoon and returning home each Friday night so I get the best of both cities.
As well as a lifelong interest in the outdoors and listening to and watching cricket, I am interested in movies, music (from the Beatles to Puccini), reading, theatre (on-stage as well as off-stage), public speaking, snow skiing, centreboard sailing and travel. Over the years, I have served on a voluntary basis (especially as Treasurer) on many committees.
I hope that my life experiences and professional expertise will be of use to the Society and I look forward to contributing to an organisation that is so important to so many people.
Ngā mihi nui,
Peter
George Hewitt – Board member
Kia ora tātou.
I’m George and I’m honoured to be serving my first term as a member of the Cerebral Palsy Society board. I am 25 and live with a spastic quadriplegia form of CP – which I would have to say provides pretty good life experience for this role.
I grew up just south of a small town called Pahiatua on a sheep and beef farm with my family. I studied at Massey University in Palmerston North before venturing into the unknown on a solo backpacking trip for six months in South America.
I have had a media role in the disability services sector for the last 3 years up in Auckland so have an understanding of a leading disability organisation and see huge potential in the part the CP Society can play in this sector.
I have a strong rural connection and can be a sounding board for society members outside of the Auckland region. When I grew up, I knew no-one else in my community with CP that I could relate to, with the same unique walking gait or disability.
Moving up to Auckland changed this. I met others with CP and got to know people with differing disabilities. I now see real value in connecting with others with CP, sharing life’s stories, tips and tricks to success.
I’m always more than happy to share my experiences with others and I hope through my time on the board young New Zealanders growing up with CP can see great opportunity in the lives they lead, and be inspired by the fact they can achieve anything they set their minds to.
I am very excited by what the CP Society is doing in this time and see the Society connecting more with its members and resources to better serve the 10,000 Kiwis living with Cerebral Palsy across the country.
Outside of CPS I have a role in digital marketing, play and volunteer for NZ Wheelchair rugby in social media, love working on decreasing my golfing handicap, I am also a New Zealand Young Farmers member and like to keep in touch with friends and family.
Helena Chan – Board Member
Kia ora koutou,
Ko Helena taku ingoa, 我的名字是 Helena. Many thanks for the opportunity to make a difference on the Cerebral Palsy Society Board this year.
I was born and raised in Tāmaki Makaurau to immigrant and refugee parents from Cambodia and China. I’m in my 30’s and have lived experience of Cerebral Palsy (Spastic Hemiplegia), which is pretty fitting for a role like this!
I’m confident that the adversities I have overcome, including being a female from an ethnic minority group will enable me to bring a balanced and diverse perspective to the board. At heart, I’m a people person and I’m energised by connecting and helping others. I look forward to having a kōrero with members and improving the quality of life for kiwis living with CP and perhaps sharing my stories with parents/carers of children with CP.
I’m not the type to let my CP get in the way of things I want to do. I was an AUT Uni Scholarship recipient and graduated with a Bachelor of Business (Marketing and Advertising) and then completed postgraduate studies. I have worked across a variety of sectors, including local and central government, engineering and the not-for-profit sector. I currently work in the Energy sector in Learning and Development, covering Wellbeing, Diversity and Inclusion. During my time here, I’m proud to have re-established our accessibility network for employees, while increasing the visability of our disability community in the workplace.
I am passionate about raising the profile of disabled people and maximising their potential to succeed by listening to them and focusing on their strengths, instead of focusing on “What we can’t do”. It is paramount to shift the mindset from seeing CP as a “deficit” and focusing on what value individuals with CP can bring to the table.
In my free time, I enjoy reading self development books, painting, stand up comedy and always up for a good podcast recommendation for my walks!
Renata Kotua – Board Member
Kia Ora Koutou.
Ko Renata Kotua toku ingoa
E tipu ana ahau ki Hongoeka.
Tū mai rā te Mana o Kupe,
Ka pari a Raukawa Moana ki uta
Nei rā a Toa Rangatira e mihi atu nei.
He hine Hōkai Nukurangi ahau, na reira he hine whaikaha.
(My name is Renata. I grew up in Hongoeka Bay Plimmerton looking out toward Mana Island and Raukawa Moana. Toa Rangatira is my iwi. I am a disabled woman with Cerebral Palsy.)
I am like most Māori x Samoan girls, hearty, a bit feisty, good at cooking, and better at eating. My smile is wide and my laugh is distinctive. I make the best of whatever cards life deals me. I am a confident, happy and resilient person. I work hard to make sure my life is good.
After many years in Tāmaki Makaurau, I have moved to Ōtautahi (Christchurch) to live with Matt. We have a blended family. My big girl Te Ākau is 7 and my pōtiki (youngest) Martha is 3. Matt’s daughter Léala is 12. Life is chaotic, busy, and fun. We all enjoy roasting Matt at the dinner table and dominating the in-car Spotify playlist. Matt has many days to look forward to being outnumbered by us girls.
For the last 10 years, I have been working in disability project management and in governance roles doing my bit to help drive change for tangata whaikaha (disabled people). I advocate for social justice and work to modernise support systems, achieve accessibility, and improve attitudes towards disabled people.
I work as the disability and inclusion consultant at Mind Matters, a workplace mental health clinic. I serve on the Whaikaha Transformation Board and the Your Way Kia Roha Board. When I can, I contribute to disability health research projects and have collaborated with the Starship Foundation and Donald Beasley Institute.
I am a strong, outspoken and creative problem solver. With maturity, I have gotten better at listening and not attacking everything in full lioness mode – although that is what I am most well known for. The deaf community recently gifted me the sign name “firecracker”. That is the energy I bring to the table. And during these challenging times for our disability community, this is the type of strength you want on your team.
We are all connected to CP, I acknowledge we are all experiencing it differently. I intend to serve the CP Society by supporting management in focusing on delivering programs and better outcomes for all people with cerebral palsy. I would love to see more Māori and Pasifika whānau in our membership and balance in how support, resources and programs are distributed to members regardless of their location in Aotearoa and what life stage they are in.
I am so pleased to be back on the Board. Coming back to the CP Society feels like coming home.
Mauri ora!
Reuben Woods – Board Member
Kia ora koutou, I have been a corporate solicitor for more than 25 years working in New Zealand and London, and a partner at global law firm DLA Piper for approximately 15 years.
I have an adult daughter (Phoebe) and identical twin boys (Nico and Quinn), one of whom has Cerebral Palsy.
My partner is a medical doctor which helps our whānau to navigate and understand the various treatments and therapies available to our son and also the inner workings of our public health system.
My work involves advising corporates, private equity investors and others on acquiring companies and businesses, capital raising, restructuring and governance.
I also have governance experience having sat on the board of a not-for-profit regional sports trust for more than a decade, being a trustee of my marae trust and having served on the Cerebral Palsy Society board for many years.
I believe that there is some real talent in our membership and I would like to see the Cerebral Palsy Society identify and harness that talent, where possible.
The Society is an entity of real substance that can and must make a positive impact on the lives of members. I believe it must be governed professionally, responsibly, and transparently.
I am from Ngāi Tahu. My hobbies (pre-kids) were surfing, guitar and most any sport I could get involved in. Nowadays all my time is consumed by my whānau and work, but I’m hopeful those hobbies will return to my life at some stage soon.
To contact the Board please email them at secretary@cpsociety.org.nz
