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ACE Aotearoa Staff

Hannah Pia Baral has been appointed as the Interim Director for ACE Aotearoa. Hannah has returned home from Sydney where she worked as the Student Development Manager for Arc@UNSW. She has held senior management roles in the non-profit and education sector in Auckland and Wellington. She has significant experience in the private training education sector where she taught at-risk youth and adult students in West and South Auckland and where she was also invoved in e-learning strategy and development. In 2006 Hannah was a recipient of the Flexible Learning Leader in New Zealand (FLLiNZ) award. She used this professional development travelling to the United States to visit non-profit organisations involved in bridging the digital divide for underserved communities. Hannah has a BA in English and Political Studies and an MA in Political Studies from the University of Auckland.

Amanda Moors-Mailei is our Professional Development Programme Support.

Amanda graduated in 2001 with a Bachelor in Education from University of the South Pacific, and she is currently studying for a Communication Management Degree at Massey University. After that she hopes to do post graduate studies in Education. Amanda has worked and volunteered in different areas and levels in Education institutions and Community Organisations in Fiji, Samoa, Auckland and Wellington. She comes from the position of Transition Coordinator for Porirua high school students who are in the final year at school. Amanda has two children (tri-nation babies with strong Samoan, Tongan and Fijian ancestry!). Samoa is her home and she tries to visit her family there 2-3 times a year.

Nazarene Rihari is our Receptionist/Administration Support. Nazarene was born in Kaponga and raised in Te Mata. She descends from both the Iwi of Nga Puhi and Ngaruahine. Before starting at ACE Aotearoa Nazarene completed a community computing course at the Pacific Training Institute. She had previously worked in banking and taxation in the government sector. Nazarene is a writer/singer and has studied towards an Arts degree in film scripts and voice.

Gerry Westhuis is our Finance Manager. Gerry, Dutch by origin, did her accounting studies while working in Mozambique where she has lived for six years. She came to New Zealand in 2003 and worked for five years as the finance administrator of the Wellington Interpreting Service. After doing some taxation and law papers to get up-to-date with the New Zealand regulations, she registered with the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants. At present she works part-time for three different organisations, a Maori mental health residency, an IT-company and ACE Aotearoa. She is also treasurer of the Human Rights Network of Aotearoa. And whenever there is time, you’ll find her on the roads!

Jo Lynch is the Editor of the quarterly newsletter and provides Secretariat services to the ACE Sector Strategic Alliance. Jo has worked as a contractor specialising in community development, social policy and writing for a number of years.

Mary Gavigan is our Communications Advisor. Mary manages ACE Aotearoa communications and adult Learners' Week/He Tangata Mātauranga. She has a background in secondary education, communications and arts management and is doing post graduate study in literacy education.