Karen Coutts
Karen is on the board of Ngāi Tahu’s governing body, and is a board member with Transparency International NZ. She has over 15 years’ governance experience across NGO’s, Capital and Coast District Health Board, and several Māori trusts. Appointed: 2019
Greg Coyle
Currently Principal Advisor for the Salvation Army and has previously worked for the Tertiary Education Commission. His PhD is in the area of public policy. Appointed: 2017
Materoa Dodd
Materoa has served in leadership, academic, and governance positions in education, iwi, community and Māori women’s development for over 30 years. She is a former social sciences commissioner with UNESCO. Appointed: 2019
Dr Sally Davis
Doctor of Clinical Psychology, practitioner and consultant with experience in mental health issues and a range of offending behaviours. Appointed: 2015
Paul Elenio
More than 38 years experience in the newspaper industry, including as a reporter, editor, advertising and circulation manager and general manager. Appointed: 2014.
Dr Sharon Gemmell MNZM
For the past years Sharon has served in leadership, advisory, academic, and governance positions in education, health, justice, iwi, and community. She has a doctorate in Indigenous Studies, First-Class Honours Master of Māori studies and a Master of Education. Appointed 2024.
Alan Hackney
A registered clinical psychologist with 30 years of practice across a number of settings including the justice sector, health, private practice and not for profit Christian organisations. Appointed: 2016
Dr Julia Ioane
Julia is a clinical psychologist and Professor in clinical psychology at Massey University. She has extensive experience working with Pasifika and Māori children and families involved in care and protection and youth justice matters in community and residential placements. Appointed: 2022
Chris King
Is a clinical psychologist who has a background in New Zealand public prison management and prisoner rehabilitation. From 2008 to 2014 he helped to establish the Vanuatu Corrections Service and Parole Board. Appointed: 2017
Marian Kleist
Marian brings more than 40 years’ experience of working in the social service sector in New Zealand and the UK. She has held senior roles working with asylum seekers and refugees, families with a relative experiencing major mental health issues, people who have been sexually abused, and victims of crime.
Dr Paul Knox
Paul is a registered clinical psychologist who works in private practice in Dunedin and also works at the University of Otago. He spent the first six years of his career as a psychologist working in the criminal justice system. Appointed: 2024.
Matire Kupenga-Wanoa
Matire Kupenga-Wanoa brings over 30 years of experience in Aotearoa’s Criminal Justice System, spanning frontline probation work, regional operations, and senior leadership roles—including Regional Operations Director (Probation) and Deputy Prison Director at Arohata Prison. She also led national addiction and reintegration services as General Manager at CareNZ Manaaki Aotearoa. Matire holds a Master’s in Social Work (Applied) and brings extensive governance experience through her long-standing involvement with Māori land trusts and community organisations. Appointed: 2024.
Sam Perry
A partner in law firms for 35 years and current consultant at Brandons. Governance experience in the community sector, including with the Prisoners’ Aid and Rehabilitation Trust from 2010 to 2014. Appointed: 2015
Fiona Pimm
Fiona affiliates to Ngāi Tahu iwi with whakapapa links across the Ngāi Tahu rohe, though she identifies Arowhenua as her whanau home. She is an executive leader with extensive experience in governance roles in the health sector, government agencies, community NGO, local iwi and runanga. Appointed: 2015
Campbell Roberts
Campbell is the founding director of the Salvation Army social policy and parliamentary unit. He has held a range of governance roles with the New Zealand Housing Foundation, Robson Hanan Trust, Community Housing Aotearoa, and Habitat for Humanity. Campbell has held several ministerial appointments and was a member of the Children's Commissioner's expert advisory group on child poverty. Appointed: 2019
Gemma Rogers
Gemma has over 15 years' experience working in the public service leading portfolios across corrections, health and housing. Her experience in the criminal justice sector in New Zealand, and New South Wales and Victoria, Australia, involved both assessment and management roles. Appointed: 2024.
Alistair Spierling
Alistair was the Board’s founding manager and spent two decades in the role before being appointed a member himself. He is a public servant with 49 years’ service across courts, social development, and corrections. Appointed: 2019
Waimarama Taumaunu
Wai is a former captain and coach of the Silver Ferns. She is also a former secondary school teacher, with public service employment and governance experience in New Zealand and the UK. Appointed: 2016
Lawrence Tawera
Former probation officer with national management experience over 23 years. Lawrence recently served as chairman of a large scale iwi-based Ahuwhenua (Farming) Trust located in the Central North Island, and has a commitment to iwi economic and community sustainability. Appointed: 2015.
Desley Watkins
Desley has worked in the justice sector for over 25 years, from frontline police and probation to national management roles for Corrections. She has experience with parole, extended supervision, returning offenders and electronic monitoring. Appointed 2024.
Annabel Young
Annabel was in the NZ Territorial Army for nine years as a Signals Officer. For 15 years she worked in the taxation field, both as a solicitor and as a chartered accountant. She briefly worked with NSAD (now Care NZ) as a Trustee and as chief executive prior to becoming a Member of Parliament in 1997. After two terms in Parliament, Annabel worked for non-government organisations in the areas of tax accounting, farming, pharmacy and coastal shipping. Appointed: 2024.
