Our Committee
Daniel Clay – Committee Chairperson
LLB, EMBA (Hons)
I am honoured to serve the CPS community as a Committee member since 2020, and as President and Board Chair since 2023.
Drawing on my experience in leadership, law, and business, and my lived experience with Cerebral Palsy – Hōkai Nukurangi, I work hard to support CPS members.
I am married to Amy and live in Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland. My daughter, India-Rose, lives with Cerebral Palsy and is a wheelchair user. To support Indie, Amy and I have extensive experience with the health, housing, and education sectors.
I am currently Chief Executive Officer of an iwi-owned property development and investment company. Prior to this, I was a practicing lawyer for 20 years with two national commercial law firms and a partner in both firms for over 10 years. I have held directorship positions in various companies and charitable trusts.
This experience equips me with the skills to provide oversight and insight into shareholder/member-facing organisations, such as the CPS, investment companies (including the CPS’s commercial subsidiaries), and a client (member) focus, and ensure good governance practices are followed.
My focus is on understanding and serving members’ needs and advocating on their behalf. A key priority for me has been the Government’s recent changes to the disability funding regime, ensuring that CPS members’ needs are properly understood and met by the Government.
My priorities also include improving the public understanding of Cerebral Palsy, creating social opportunities to foster friendships and reduce isolation, maintaining financial sustainability, and attracting additional financial support to expand services.
TBC – Vice-Chairperson
TBC – Secretary
Peter Wynne-Jones – Committee Treasurer
Tēnā koutou katoa,
I am so privileged to be invited to join the Committee of the Society and I am very much looking forward to working hard with a group of such very talented and dedicated Committee 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
Helena Chan – Committee 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 Committee 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 committee. 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!
Kris Edwards – Committee Member
I am a married father of 2 boys and live with CP (Spastic Diplegia).
Professionally I have 40 years of experience in broadcast media (radio) with current senior roles in management, announcing & music programming.
In recent years I have reconnected with the cerebral palsy community and am now a fierce advocate for the disabled, committed to giving CP a “louder voice”. I am literally doing that with The Cerebral Palsy Podcast a series I host which tells the stories of people in the NZ CP community.
Growing up as a disabled child in the 1970s and 1980s and into adulthood with an independent attitude, now as a parent, I have experienced all the ups and downs of a CP life.
I stood for the CPS Committee to genuinely make a difference for people who live with CP in New Zealand and the wider whanau who live with the challenges of a loved one with CP.
I know many of you suffer in silence, I would like to hear what you have to say.
There is work to do in raising the profile of people with CP. More inclusive attitudes and processes are needed across all sectors of our society, I want to be part of that change.
Outside of my work I am passionate about time with family, watching movies, martial arts, finance and travel!
My voice on the committee will be a positive one, let’s see what we can accomplish together. CР needs a louder voice.
Tiresa Sio – Committee Member
Tālofa lava, I’m Tiresa.
I come with rhythm in my bones, laughter in my lungs, and a cultural heritage that keeps me grounded and glowing.
From my Sāmoan roots, I bring warmth, joy, and a sense of humour that could probably qualify as a public service.
From my Chinese heritage, I carry wisdom, humility, and a work ethic so strong it occasionally forgets to take lunch breaks.
Both cultures have taught me the value of dignity, community, and harmony—essentials in any leadership role.
I lead with collaboration, equity, and a firm belief that diverse voices don’t just add flavour—they’re the whole recipe.
I host the Addington CPS Coffee Group, where the tea is hot and the conversations even hotter.
I also stay closely connected to Vaka Tautua and the Christchurch disability community, which keeps me grounded in the voices and values of those I serve. Leadership, to me, isn’t about titles — it’s about trust, empathy, and showing up (preferably with snacks).
I believe the Cerebral Palsy Society can build a future that’s inclusive, empowering, and maybe even a little fabulous — but only if it’s led by people who truly understand our lived realities.
I’ve seen how housing, income, education, and access to services hit harder for people with CP. That’s why I advocate passionately for greater inclusion, equitable access, and authentic representation — because every voice deserves to be heard and celebrated.
Fa’afetai tele lava. Let’s do this!
Meg Smith – Committee member
Tēnā Koutou Katoa,
Thank you for voting me onto the committee and providing me with this wonderful opportunity. The last year on the committee 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
Murray Waring – Committee member
Hi, I’m Murray, from the rural community of Pukekohe East in the southern region of Auckland.
Having lived here for 37 years — within an hour’s drive of Auckland’s CBD during off-peak times — I know first-hand the extra challenges faced by those of us who live in rural communities and regional towns outside the main centres. These places matter just as much as our main centres do as every member matters. If you’re feeling disheartened, forgotten, or less engaged, I’m determined to change that — to ensure every one of us feels connected, valued, and heard.
Living with CP and using a wheelchair, I understand the persistence it takes to secure and maintain essential support, as it took me four years and the goodwill of those involved to secure funding for my two-weekly physiotherapy sessions in the private sector, and even now, maintaining that funding is ongoing.
My advocacy work has included contributions to Air New Zealand, Ansett New Zealand, Auckland International Airport, the Pullman Hotel, the Ministry of Education and local governments helping improve accessibility for all.
I’ve also lived in the Middle East, the UK, and travelled the world widely, bringing a broad perspective to inclusion and community engagement.
This year, with four nominations for five vacancies, we the members weren’t given the opportunity to vote for the Committee nominees we wanted. I want to acknowledge as I am elected unopposed, I remain fully accountable to you as I am committed to earning your trust through action, transparency and inclusive leadership for which I don’t take lightly.
As a Committee member, I will:
- Ensure every member has a genuine voice and is actively included.
- Work to improve accessibility across the main centres, regional centres and rural communities.
- Share practical strategies to help members navigate funding and services from my personal experiences.
- Collaborate constructively with my fellow Committee members, the GM and staff.
- Keep politics and personal agendas out of the way.
- Encourage more members to have their say to strengthen accountability.
Outside of advocacy, I enjoy current affairs, travelling, catching up with family and friends, watching travel, comedy, and documentary content on YouTube, and teaching myself new skills.
To contact the Committee please email them at secretary@cpsociety.org.nz
