Our Group Executive Team

John has been a key member of the Emerge Aotearoa Group’s leadership team since 2015. He was appointed Group Chief Executive in 2023 and was previously Chief Financial Officer.

John is a Chartered Management Accountant, and in 2022 the Emerge Aotearoa Trust Board was pleased to support his professional development by sponsoring his attendance at the prestigious Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Programme.

John also has a particular interest in social housing and property related matters. Before working for Emerge Aotearoa, John spent 12 years in the UK, including six years as a Director at Colliers International.

Gemma has worked in a number of operational and project management roles within the Emerge Aotearoa Group over the past 15 years. She has a master’s degree in Industrial and Organisational Psychology.

As Emerge Aotearoa’s National Director Services, she oversees health and disability services, housing services and the national practice team.

She says the best part about her job is hearing the outcomes and impact the organisation has had for people.

Nathan has worked with the organisation for more than 10 years, initially as an accountant, Finance Manager and, since 2023, as Group Financial Officer.

Nathan graduated from The University of Auckland with a Bachelor of Commerce, and gained a Graduate Diploma in Commerce, before becoming a Chartered Accountant in 2012.

He says family mental health experiences are a driving factor that puts people at the centre of his work.

Callum has been involved in the innovation and technology sector for more than 20 years. He has a passion for solving today’s business challenges through innovative solutions, strong governance frameworks, and empowering people.

He joined Emerge Aotearoa as Group Chief Information Officer in 2023 after spending eight years in the agri sector at Farmlands Co-operative Society Limited.

In July 2022, Callum completed a Master of Technological Futures through Auckland’s learning programme academyEX, where he investigated financial instruments to help farmers adapt to environmental sustainability requirements.

Sarina joined our digital mental health and wellbeing business, Ignite Aotearoa, in May 2022.

She started her career in human resources and business transformation roles before moving into digital strategy and proposition development, followed by executive leadership. With experience in both the public and private sectors in New Zealand and the UK, her most recent roles were with IAG and BT Global Services.

Sarina has applied these skills to grow and diversify Ignite Aotearoa and runs an Innovation Hub to pilot new ways of working at Emerge Aotearoa.

Magdel is the National Manager for Mind and Body and kaitiaki for Lived Experience.

She moved to New Zealand in 2002 and began working as an employment consultant in the mental health supported employment field, which aligned with her past work in South Africa as social worker and Human Resources Professional.

Magdel says this role significantly shaped her worldview of the lived experience and peer workforce, and she became a passionate advocate for the growth and development of the peer and lived experience workforce, and challenging prejudice and discrimination.

Kellie is a senior HR leader with over 20 years’ experience in the public and private sectors.  She brings a broad range of human resources experience and expertise to Ka Puta Ka Ora Emerge Aotearoa.

Group Chief People Officer since November 2023, Kellie is passionate about employee experience, diversity and the critical role people play in the delivery of business and tāngata whaiora outcomes.

Her private sector experience focuses on the financial sector where she has led large-scale change programmes and organisational development initiatives at both BNZ and ANZ.

She has a strong academic grounding, including a Bachelor of Arts from Victoria University, with Honours in Industrial and Organisational Psychology.

As Group Director Business Improvement, Faye focuses on developing effective systems to ensure the organisation delivers the best possible outcomes for the people we work alongside.

Faye has been part of the Emerge Aotearoa whānau for more than seven years, initially as the Southern Regional Manager. In her current role, she oversees Quality and Improvement, Risk Management, Assurance, Business Development and the Project Management Office.

Earlier in her career, Faye trained as an Occupational Therapist, specialising in Forensic Psychiatric care, working at the Canterbury District Health Board and Good Health Whanganui. She also has a Bachelor of Business (Management), majoring in Marketing and Communications, and PRINCE2 project qualifications.

“E iloa le Tautai matapalapala i aso leaga”. The ability of the lead fisherman (Tautai) to chart the course during rough seas to bring the crew back to land, safely. Leading with intent to support the people in our service.

Sulutumu hails from the villages of Solosolo, Luatuanu’u, Vailoa Aleipata and Leone Amerika Samoa. She has held numerous leadership and Pacific advisory roles across government, philanthropy, and the not-for-profit sectors.

She has an MBA from Southern Cross University and is a member of the Institute of Directors. Her work is driven by her passion for social justice, equity and service. Serving the Pacific community in this leadership role, is a “calling” she accepts with respect and humility.

James was appointed Group Director Governance & Strategy in 2024 and oversees the Group’s governance, strategy and communications functions. He has been with Emerge Aotearoa since 2021 in governance and strategy roles.

James’s early career included journalism, public relations consulting and communications management. Prior to joining Emerge Aotearoa he worked for more than 20 years as a communications and governance consultant across a broad range of sectors including not-for-profit, local government and financial services.

Hope has spent more than 18 years working in the housing sector, beginning with Housing New Zealand (now Kainga Ora) in 2005 when the agency received crown funding to grow the number of community housing providers and increase the community housing supply. Several organisations were established as housing providers as a result of this funding.

She leads the Emerge Aotearoa Housing Trust, which oversees the Group’s growing social housing portfolio of safe, warm, dry homes for whānau across the motu.

Hope is Co-Chair of the National Science Challenges’ Building Better Homes Towns and Cities, co-chair of Community Housing Aotearoa, and committee member of the Aotearoa branch of the Australasian Housing Institute.

Phyllis (Ngāti Pikiao/Ngāti Ranginui/Ngāti Awa) joined Emerge Aotearoa in 2022 and has worked for many years in the health sector.

Her mahi has included managing the first ever kaupapa health service in the Lakes District and leading the creation of the kaupapa community mental health and addictions service in Rotorua. Prior to joining Emerge Aotearoa, Phyllis worked as the Lakes District Health Board General Manager Māori Health and Pou Manukura.

She is a director and member of several national and regional committees, including the Mental Health Review Tribunal of New Zealand and Platform Trust.