Tātou tīma he hui mai! Meet our team!
Jane 🌊
founder, peer support, tuākana
Jane is the founder of Whakaoranga Whanau Recovery Hub. Although she has no immediate ties to Kaikohe, she was brought up by by her Te Arawa whakapapa, but her grandfathers' roots are with Te Roroa and Ngāti Kahungunu.
She shares personal lived experience; maintaining mental wellbeing, as well as alcohol and drug addiction. Her recovery journey had brought her to Kaikohe and she wanted to give back and share the gifts of recovery with others who may be struggling. She couldn’t do this journey alone. He waka eke noa!
Jane has saved many lives, and we are forever grateful for her service.
Dee 🔥
kaimanāki, peer support, tuākana
Ka Kaimanāki ia Deeann Herkt; Dee is a peer support worker. She got clean and sober after being addicted to methamphetamine for many years. Dee checked herself into treatment, completed her programme in 2015 and is now very passionate about helping the next addict in their recovery.
Another strong wāhine, she is always there to rescue her whanau and support and teach Māoritanga via waiata & karakia especially.
Rhonda 🔥
manager, co-founder, nāhi, trustee
Rhonda is a registered Nurse and helped establish Whakaoranga Whanau Recovery Hub in March 2020 alongside Jane. She's like a mother to the Whakaoranga Whanau too. Born & bred in Rotorua, Rhonda moved North with her parents at the age of 13 and has lived in Kaikohe ever since.
Rhonda also helps with Freedom Whare as a director of Whakamanamai Whanau Charitable Trust; Freedom Whare help whanau with housing solutions. Kaha nui ia Rhonda & very busy to put it mildly.
Stu 💪🏽
he waka aotearoa, aod counsellor, kaumātua
Bess 🔥
he waka aotearoa, therapist, kaumātua
Noreen 🔥
kaimanāki, peer support, tuākana
Wāhine Māori Noreen has been blessed to have survived and overcome some of life's tribulations, such as child sexual abuse, abandonment, loss and violence. She has experienced her fair share of grief and emotional trauma.
She is a survivor of drug and alcohol abuse and has struggled to maintain her mental health all of her life. Now being clean and sober, as well as a Christian, she has a heart to help other people through their grief and trauma by sharing her experience and knowledge of health and wellbeing, particularly using the Māori world view of health and wellness.
Aiden 💻
kaipūkaha rorohiko, tuākana
Aiden has been described as more of a walker than a talker, so don't expect much charisma from him. Aiden wrote this website, manages the IT infrastructure and is our resident geek. 🤓
He was born in Auckland but moved with his parents to London at a young age where he spent 20+ years growing up. His whanau originates from Tāheke & Waima. He lives in Kaikohe these days.
You will probably see Aiden around, he runs ka kura rorohiko for the kaimahi, and hopefully for the rōpū in the near future.
Shannyn 📚
administration, front of house
Shannyn is the unsung hero of the Whakaoranga Whanau whose taken on the demanding role of being front and center handling administration for the Whakaoranga Whanau.
She was born in Rotorua and raised in Kaikohe - her roots lie with Ngapuhi and Te Arawa. She's a whangae to Rhonda Zielinski and Dave Winder, has lived in Kaikohe for most of her life, and loves working at the Hub.
You'll be hard pressed to find a more meticulous character than Shan.
Bells 🛠️
mahi rangatira, tuākana
Isabella, or Bellz, has been in recovery for last 2 years as of 2021, and she's been clean from meth for just as long. Bellz has come a long way in her journey from knocking on prison's door as a criminal in the justice system, to thriving and becoming the best person she can be.
She's a proud member of the Whakaoranga Whanau - she's got goals to achieve, she has heaps of energy and really enjoys life. You'll catch Bellz running the 'Mahi Rangatira' program where we keep everybody busy and do some mahi together.
Carol
Kaimanāki, tuākana
He kai awhina a Carol Thompson ki te Whakaoranga Whanau Recovery Hub o Kaikohe.
Life has been colourful for Carol, she has 1 son and 2 mokopuna and has also struggled with alcohol, drugs & violence. She completed the programs at the Whakaoranga Whanau and which helped her to identify and understand the reasons why mind-altering substances have played such a pivotal role in her life, and pivot she did.
Through a change of attitude and the WANT to break the cycle with addictions and unhealthy habits, she now has the drive to live a fulfilling life, not only now, but also for the generations to come.