Karen is our previous Board Chair at VNZ. She completed a PhD thesis in 1999 titled 'The management of volunteers at heritage attractions: literary heritage properties in the UK' at Nottingham Trent University, working at the University of Greenwich before moving to Victoria University of Wellington in 2003 and rising to full professor in 2017.

Smith's research focuses on the management of volunteers, particularly at large sporting events. She has conducted projects related to the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, London 2012 Olympic Games (funded by the International Olympic Committee) and the Rugby World Cup 2011 (funded by Sport New Zealand).

In the 2019 Queen's Birthday Honours, Smith was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to education and volunteering

I am a young adult who grew up here in Wellington. I am passionate about using the skills and talents I have to create community and journey alongside people from hardship to wholeness. After completing a social justice gap year in 2019 through the NZ Church Missionary Society, I started a job at the Wellington City Mission. I am currently doing a youth internship here. As apart of this I am looking into youth engagement in the volunteering space. Alongside this I do youth work in Porirua.

Michelle brings a valuable mix of management and leadership skills, and the ability to work collaboratively and innovatively. She is well known and respected within the sector and is passionate about increasing recognition for the value and impact of volunteering. Michelle has a background in communications, marketing and community engagement, and volunteer leadership. She has previously worked for a social enterprise, in the public sector and within the publishing and training industries and holds several governance leadership roles in the community sector.

Scott joined Volunteering Victoria in July 2018 as the organisation’s new CEO. In his previous role, Scott was Chief Executive of Volunteering New Zealand’s for 3.5 years. His extensive cross-sector experience in public, private and NGO roles ensures the organisation’s people, purpose and priorities are both sustainable and sector-leading.

Scott is active internationally, consulting on democracy, civil society and volunteering.

Shawn Elise Tierney is the Litter Intelligence Programme Manager for Sustainable Coastlines. She leads the team on this ground-breaking programme to recruit, train & support citizen scientists to monitor beaches for rubbish to build a national database and action platform. She is passionate about waste-reduction, community collaboration, and protecting the natural environment.

Chris Jarvis is a co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Realized Worth, a global agency focused on the design and implementation of employee-led volunteering and giving programs. His work with companies around the world is helping to mobilize employees to make meaningful contributions in the communities where they live and work.

Widely known for his thought-leadership in employee volunteering, workplace giving and corporate social responsibility, in 2011, Chris was asked by the United Nations Office of Partnerships to design and launch the first private sector led initiative to achieve the post-millennial Sustainable Development Goals through corporate volunteering. Chris serves on the board of IMPACT 2030, the only business led effort designed to unite companies in their corporate volunteering efforts to address the United Nations’ Development Agenda.

In 2015, Chris and his partner, Angela Parker, launched the RW Institute (RWI), a think tank focused on advancing the practice and theory of corporate citizenship through innovative projects, research, analysis and public policy change. RWI is comprised of an association of stakeholders who are committed to removing existing barriers and promoting the practice and theory of corporate volunteering on a global scale.

The goal is to help practitioners be more successful – whether they are clients, engaged formally or not. Chris believes the work these men and women do as part of corporate citizenship is critical to addressing the huge social and environmental issues facing our global society.

2020 has been a year of change and opportunity. Come along to understand from SEEK Volunteer the shifts that have occurred in volunteer intentions, coupled with the changes in the labour market, which will help you be more targeted with your volunteer recruitment.

Annabelle leads Talent Sourcing and Volunteer Sustainability at St John New Zealand, an organisation with a workforce that includes over 3,500 paid staff and 10,000 volunteers. Leading a team of 15 talented specialists, her team are responsible for recruiting over 3,000 internal and external roles across ambulance, commercial, charitable and corporate business units every year as well as a smaller team who support the volunteer sustainability strategy, implementations plan and initiatives. In 2018 Annabelle was asked to develop the next 5 years Volunteer Sustainability strategy for St John. This strategy seeks to support and enhance the multi-million dollar equivalent contribution that St John’s volunteers make, and that the organisation relies on, in order to deliver its programmes and services to communities across New Zealand.

Leisa is the Manager of Volunteer South in Dunedin and Waitaki. She has spent the last decade working in the volunteer sector and has set up volunteer programmes and supported volunteers across the country.

Anna works for IHC as a Volunteer Coordinator based in Auckland Central/West and has been involved in the volunteer sector for six years. Her current role involves recruiting and training volunteers to be in a friendship with people with intellectual disabilities; facilitating these friendships; and creating awareness and inclusion of people with intellectual disability in their communities. Anna volunteers herself, building houses and shelters with Habitat for Humanity in Fiji and New Zealand.

Worked with Blind Low Vision for 15 years, last ten years as a volunteer professional. We have over 5000 volunteers including street appeal collectors. Around 2000 are engaged directly or indirectly with our clients and staff; and as guide dog volunteers.

Blind Low Vision NZ volunteers are a diverse group of people who provide support with Technology, Recreation, Fundraising, Guide Dogs, Collage Book Production, Library, Accessible Formats, Administrative functions and Vision Support. They complement a wide range of services to empower people who are blind, deadfblind or have low vision live the life they choose.