Our People and Contacts

The NZDSA is a family-driven organisation with members and regional branches throughout New Zealand. Governance is administered by an elected committee, including a member of STRIVE (our self-advocacy leadership group), and supported by a national team of five part-time staff

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Home 9 About us 9 Our People and Contacts

National Committee

President

President

Kim Porthouse

Vice President/Zone 2 Representative

Vice President/Zone 2 Representative

Gwen Matchitt

Treasurer

Treasurer

Shelley Waters

Zone 1 Northland Representative

Zone 1 Northland Representative

Bev Smith

Zone 1 Auckland Representative

Zone 1 Auckland Representative

Maia Faulkner

Zone 5 Representative

Zone 5 Representative

Angelique van der Velden

Zone 6 Representative

Zone 6 Representative

Averill Glew

Our Staff

National Executive Officer

National Executive Officer

Zandra Vaccarino

National Administrator

National Administrator

Linda te Kaat

Social Media and Information Officer

Social Media and Information Officer

Jessica Waters

Chat 21 Editor

Chat 21 Editor

Sarah Paterson-Hamlin

Administration Support Officer

Administration Support Officer

Siobhan Vaccarino

STRIVE Members 

STRIVE is a team of people with Down syndrome who are a members’ advisory and leadership group. We advise and support the NZDSA and act as ambassadors and advocates for others with Down syndrome

Erin Smith

Erin Smith

Northland Zone 1

Mohit Chand

Mohit Chand

Auckland Zone 1

Abigail Knight

Abigail Knight

Auckland zone 1

Vincenzo Vaccarino

Vincenzo Vaccarino

Manawatū zone 3

Duncan Armstrong

Duncan Armstrong

Wellington Zone 4

Peter Rees

Peter Rees

Canterbury Zone 6

Rochelle Waters

Rochelle Waters

Canterbury Zone 5

New Zealand Down Syndrome Association Regional Contacts