Meet our 2023 Leadership Network members


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Alexia Hilbertidou

Described by the NZ Herald as the Headmistress of Gen Z, Alexia is the founder of GirlBoss NZ - NZ's largest organisation for young women.

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Alton Gondipon

Alton was born in Sabah, Malaysia, and has called New Plymouth his second home for the past 11 years.

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Amy Strang

Amy Strang is a fleet strategy specialist at Air New Zealand, working on technical and commercial analysis of aircraft.

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Anisha Chawla

Anisha Chawla is the CEO of Beyond Tech Media. She is a Google and Facebook/Meta alumni, having worked across Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand.  

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Bonnie Selak

Bonnie is the co-founder and head of design of the creative wind sculpture company, Beauty and the Wind.

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Chelsea Wong

Chelsea is a second generation Chinese New Zealander who works at the intersections of culture, creativity and community.

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Clark Tipene

Clark is a senior consultant at Deloitte and a former policy advisor to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

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Daryn Govender

Daryn is a corporate strategy manager at the Bank of New Zealand where he specialises in strategy, planning and execution

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Ethan Laby

Ethan is a Management Accountant at PGG Wrightson Seeds in Christchurch.

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Felix Humphries

Felix is a doctor at Te Whatu Ora working in Auckland City Hospital.

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Fenn Anderson

Born in the hills of Kobe, Japan, and raised in Aotearoa, Fenn is a cross-cultural professional who is passionate about working with diverse teams to achieve ambitious goals.

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Gemma Bell

Gemma is a commercial lawyer who is excited about maximising the opportunities provided by technology, innovation, and globalisation.

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Hillary Tuason

Hillary is the driving force behind her family business Zelati and leads her young team with passion.

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Jake Law

Jake holds a Bachelor of Chinese Language and Culture, as well as a Post Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Primary) from the University of Auckland.

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Jamie Lakisa

Jamie Lakisa is an uri (descendant) of Ngāi Tāmanuhiri, Rongowhakaata, Te Aitanga a Mahaki, Kahungungu ki te Wairoa, Whakatōhea, me Samoa

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Jessica Chong

Jess is a passionate senior technologist in Aotearoa’s food and beverage industry and is the Chairwoman for the Auckland Branch of the New Zealand Institute of Food Science & Technology.

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Joshua Peauafi

Having a background in social impact, community development, relationship management, and youth development, Joshua is passionate about innovative approaches toward diversity, equity, and inclusion.

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Katja Phutaraksa Neef

Katja Phutaraksa Neef is a climate and social justice advocate.

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Leonard Hong

Leonard is a Singapore-based Leadership Network member with experience in public policy, specialising in political economy and macroeconomics.

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Logan Byrne

Logan Byrne (Ngāti Porou, Kūki 'Āirani) is a foreign policy officer at Manatū Aorere Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

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Lōtima Vaioleti

Lotima is of Māori descent from the Iwi of Ngāti Porou, Te Whanau-a-Apanui, Ngai Te Rangi, Ngā Puhi and Tongan descent from the islands of Vava’u and Haʻapai.

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Maia Te Hira

Maia Te Hira hails from tribal lands in Wairarapa (Ngāti Kahungunu, Rangitāne) and Muriwhenua (Te Rarawa, Ngāi Takoto).

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Mikhael Sayat

Mikhael Sayat is a PhD candidate in physics at the University of Auckland.

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Ming Xuan Richard Li

Richard is an investment associate at New Zealand Super Fund, aka the Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation.

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Monique van Veen

Monique is the Associate Director, International at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury.

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Oscar Damerham

Oscar is a senior policy advisor at the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development working on a variety of housing, land use and transport projects.

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Pang Suwanaposee

Pang was the Foundation’s Wilson Parking business intern in 2017, based in Seoul, South Korea.

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Peter Yoo

Peter, originally from South Korea, moved to Aotearoa with his family in 2003.

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Rebecca Tang

Born in China and raised in Tāmaki, Rebecca is a film practitioner and works in business affairs at NZ On Air.

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Ron Park

Ron is a KOWI (Korean Kiwi) who grew up in Ōtauhtahi. 

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Samuel Yap-Choong

A data scientist that is proud to be New Zealand-born Chinese, Samuel Yap-Choong loves data and technology driven challenges.

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Sean Prenter

Sean is co-president for the National Disabled Students’ Association and in 2022 was co-president of the Otago Disabled Students’ Association.

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Seraphine Williams

From the villages of Lepea and Magiagi, Upolu, Samoa, Seraphine was born and raised at Waitakere, Tamaki Makaurau

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Shahin Najak

Shahin Najak is a Indian-Kiwi, born in the UK, raised in Tāmaki Makaurau and is now based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara.

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Shaymaa Arif

Shaymaa Arif is a second generation Arab New Zealander. She considers herself a third culture kid, being Iraqi/Syrian, growing up partially in the UAE and partially in Aotearoa.

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Shisla Carvalho Macleod

Shisla is a Brazilian Kiwi who grew up in Brazil and moved to Aotearoa at the age of 13. She is passionate about diversity and sustainability.

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Sidney Wong

Sidney Gig-Jan Wong (he/any) was born in Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai (Lower Hutt). Sidney has familial links to Hong Kong, Macau, and Southern China.

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Te Wai Coulston

Te Wai Ariki (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Kahungunu, Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti) began his Asia journey as assistant national leader for New Zealand's delegation to the Ship for World Youth Leaders in Japan and continued with a Māori business tour in Shanghai.

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Thomas Durkin

Thomas (Tom) grew up in Auckland attending Sacred Heart College. He studied economics, international business and Chinese at Otago University.

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Ufitia Sagapolutele

Ufitia is an Aotearoa-Samoan multidisciplinary creative artist, artistic director and co-founder of Pacific contemporary arts collective TULOU. 

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Wesley Harfield

Wesley is a former Yenching Scholar who graduated from Peking University’s Yenching Academy with a Masters of Economics under Baidu’s Robin Li scholarship initiative.

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Yasir Demirbas

Yasir is a Turkish-New Zealander, identifies as a Muslim, and calls Tāmaki Makaurau home. Yasir is currently a senior advisor at the Ministry of Social Development following a successful spell at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities.