PRESS RELEASE

Wednesday, 8 October 2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Appointment of New Chief Executive Officer – Fonua Ola Network Trust

I am very pleased and proud to announce that Kathleen Tuai-Ta’ufo’ou has been appointed to the new position of Chief Executive Officer for the Fonua Ola Network Trust.

Kathleen has previously held the position of Executive Officer with the Trust. Due to Social Policy changes and our commitment to meeting these challenges, we undertook an organisational review that was completed in March 2014. The Board decided to disestablish the Executive Officer role and establish a new Chief Executive position which went to market to find the best person that would be responsible for leading the strategic and operational direction of Fonua Ola Network going forward.

Kathleen brings with her 11 years of experience of working in the community within the Health and Social Sector. Within these past four years as our Executive Officer, Kathleen has brought together eight Child Youth and Family, and Family and Community Service funded Pacific Providers throughout the Auckland region under one umbrella through partnerships, acquisitions and sub-contracting. In the past 20 months through innovation, relationship building and implementing Social Policy changes, Kathleen has implemented one of the most difficult change management processes within the Pacific community’s history.

In her four years as the Business Manager of PIASS Trust and later through the formation of Vaka Tautua Ltd, Kathleen supported the growth of a small health provider in Hunters Corner Papatoetoe, Auckland to becoming a National mental health, disability and older people’s provider. As part of that work, she participated in the Pacific Disability and Older peoples’ research which allowed for evidence-based knowledge to grow the business. In that role she successfully led the certification and accreditation of Disability, Mental Health and Older peoples’ services through EQuIP4 and Quality Health New Zealand.

In terms of leadership skills and experience, over the past decade Kathleen currently and has sat on national and regional government and community Boards and advisory committees whereby she has been able to affect health and social policy changes, that positively affect our Pacific Communities. She is a member of the Law Revision Committee for the Methodist Church of New Zealand and a member of the Pacific Advisory Group (PAG) to the Ministry of Social Development.

Kathleen has a Bachelor of Arts (Double major Sociology and Political Science) and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Auckland. She is a qualified/ unregistered Barrister and Solicitor. Kathleen is Tongan and is married with three young children and she is a strong advocate for youth, cultural identity and is led by her faith.

As we come to the completion of the first phase of Fonua Ola’s development by supporting the transition of Pacific providers into one umbrella, we are now focussed on building accredited services that will improve the outcomes for our vulnerable children, youth and families. We are committed to working effectively and in partnership with our Network members to harness the knowledge and experience that they have gained over the three decades that they have served our families. We want to ensure that we carry on their legacy of providing a professional social service to our Pacific communities.

We embrace the challenges ahead of us and are pleased to have Kathleen on board.

Kia manuia
Hamish Crooks
Chairperson

ENDS

ABOUT FONUA OLA
Fonua Ola is a social services provider based in Auckland, predominantly supporting the local Pacific community to cope in times of economic, social and cultural adversity. With a head office in Otahuhu, network members are based in Mount Albert, Otara, Glen Innes and Mangere. Services include social work, counselling, youth mentoring, parenting programmes and budgeting. www.fonuaola.org.nz

FOUNDING NETWORK MEMBERS
• Pasifika Health and Social Services Incorporated
• Manukau Pacific Island Trust
• Tongan Tamaki Langafonua Community Centre Inc
• Vaiola PI Budgeting Services
• ACISST - Auckland Cook Island Social Services Trust
• Pasefika Mana
• O Le Lafitaga
• Pukapuka Community of NZ
• Mother of Divine Mercy
• The Project
• LIA Trust

© Scoop Media