Our team

Alasdair Finnie took up the position of Director of the OCVS in November 2008. 
Immediately before this, he was Manager Strategic Development at the Legal Services Agency.

Alasdair has a long history in the community sector - as chief executive of Arthritis New Zealand from 1986-2005. 
Prior to this, he was a senior investigating officer and head of the Official Information Section at the Office of the Ombudsman.

In his spare time, Alasdair is a home tutor for the Wellington ESOL Home Tutor Service
and is Committee Chair of English Language Partners Wellington Inc.

He has been a member of the Rotary Club of Wellington since 1996,
and was a member of the Disability Sector CEOs group (2001-2005),
a member of the Fundraising Institute of New Zealand (1991-2005),
and a member of Associations New Zealand (1996-2005).

Before co-ordinating the establishment of the OCVS, Diana continued her exploration of community and voluntary sector issues at the Ministry of Social Policy (now Ministry of Social Development). Here she investigated barriers to volunteering and ways to enhance participatory processes.

Diana’s exploration of the government-community relationship started while she was at the Department of Internal Affairs for 12 years. During her time as a senior policy analyst, she was involved in recreation and sport, community work training, grant funding, crime prevention, social capital, volunteering and youth development.

She has also worked as an analyst in the Transition Education Unit, and at the Secondary Examinations Council in London.

Diana stepped down from the Aro Valley Community Council in late 2008, after many years of voluntary service. She has previously worked part time as a counsellor at the Wellington People’s Centre and many years as a co-counselling teacher. Diana has also been involved in several groups related to women’s issues, peace, aid and development, building heritage, conflict resolution and counselling.

Gabrielle commenced working in the Office for the Community and Voluntary Sector in November 2005. Gabrielle's role involves ensuring the office runs smoothly by supporting the team and the Director, and managing the administrative aspects of the office.

Before joining OCVS, Gabrielle worked for the Ministry of Youth Development (formerly the Ministry of Youth Affairs) in both secretarial and advisory roles.  Prior to this Gabrielle worked as Sales and Marketing Executive for a London based medical software company, which allowed her to travel, work and experience life in such varied places such as Nigeria and Switzerland.

Grant joined the OCVS part-time in October 2005, after more than two years with the Department of Labour. A born and bred Mainlainder until July 2003, Grant has a Diploma in Business Studies (endorsed in Public Relations) from Massey University and completed accreditation with the Public Relations Institute of New Zealand (PRINZ) in 1998.

Before accepting a marketing role in tertiary education (at Christchurch's CPIT), Grant spent a decade advising a range of organisations on communication issues through his work in a Christchurch-based public relations consultancy.

Grant's experience with community and voluntary groups includes voluntary work with Lifeline, Guides New Zealand, PRINZ, the Canterbury Children's Theatre and the Hoon Hay Learning Centre; and paid work for Workbridge Inc., Trade Aid, Wigram Lions and The Community Trust in Canterbury.

Grant's part-time role with the OCVS is mainly focused on updating the websites, preparing the e-newsletter and database management.

Hugh has been closely involved in the community-government relationship since its commencement in 2000. The involvement began, as Hugh was managing community and voluntary sector projects as part of the community policy team within the Ministry of Social Development.

Hugh also has experience in education and sport, having taught at secondary schools for 17 years, and lectured at Victoria University of Wellington for five years. He has also coached in many sports to international and Olympic level and sat on and chaired national sport organisations boards (Coaching New Zealand, Sport Science New Zealand and the Sport, Fitness and Recreation ITO) as well as having held the role of Chief Executive of Basketball New Zealand.

Hugh currently chairs Papakowhai School Board of Trustees in Porirua, and has recently chaired Achievement Porirua/Whakatutukitanga Porirua, which is a Ministry of Education city-wide education initiative.

Hugh has particular interest in junior development coaching and non-profit governance in contemporary settings.

Iris initially joined the OCVS team in July 2007 on secondment from the Ministry of Social Development's Planning, Purchase and Governance team. She has worked in the Ministry since its inception in 2001 and, prior to that, worked for Work, and Income and Income Support since 1995. Iris is currently the Secretary for the MSD Pasifika Helava Group.

Iris' employment background includes working as a Service Manager at the MSD National Community Services Card Centre and MSD International Services. Before joining the public service, Iris worked as a PA and Art Gallery Guide, and studied at Victoria University for a BA in English & Education.

Iris’ current involvement in community and voluntary work covers netball coaching, being an avid rugby mum and a Sunday School teacher for the St Johns’-in-the-City Kids Friendly Church, and helping out where she can to make a difference.

James came to OCVS in October 2007 from Statistics New Zealand where, as part of his work on the Non-Profit Institutions Account, he was involved in finding good data sources for volunteering in New Zealand. James is now continuing his work on volunteering and voluntary sector data, drawing out the policy implications of the data.

He studied at Victoria University, majoring in marine biology, marketing and commercial law, and joined Statistics New Zealand in February 2005 on the graduate leadership development programme.

When he’s off duty, James heads to the beach for surfing, free-diving and spear fishing. He is Secretary of the Victoria University Anglican Chaplaincy and Treasurer of the Victoria University Ecumenical Chaplaincy.

Judith joined the OCVS team in May 2009 and will be working with us on a fixed-term basis until March 2010, while Kat Paton is seconded to Minister Turia's office as Private Secretary.

Judith will be familiar to many of you as she has previously assisted OCVS on projects such as the regional funders forums and the Building Better Government Engagement project.

Judith has extensive managerial and senior analyst experience in government, particularly in housing and social policy, and more recently has worked as a contractor/consultant to government and the community and voluntary sector. Judith's qualifications include a Master of Public Management degree and a Certificate in Public Participation from the International Association for Public Participation. 

Kat joined the OCVS team in May 2005. Before joining the OCVS, Kat worked with the Department of Labour. She has also spent many years working in the private sector.

Kat has extensive community and voluntary experience in New Zealand and overseas in the areas of health, environment, social and legal services, as well as refugee and migrant support.

Kat has a conjoint Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws, and is currently completing a Masters in Development Studies through Victoria University of Wellington.

The work of the OCVS has been influenced by all those in our team - past and present.
We acknowledge the contribution former staff have made to the impact our work has had since OCVS's journey began in September 2003. 
They include full-time, part-time and long and short-term team members:

• Ann Walker
• Brenda Ratcliff
• Felicity Wilton
• Glenda McCallum
• Jo Boyle
• Jo Scully
• Jo Woods
• Joyce-Anne Raihania
• Karen Upton
• Laurie Coetsee (intern)
• Madhu Narayan
• Penny Harding
• Richard Davis
• Rosie Pears
• Sally Jackman
• Sue Driver
• Susanna Robinson (intern)
• Thijs Van Lierop
• Victoria Hinson