Our People

Toi Ora was founded by people with a lived experience of mental health challenges. Toi Ora continues to be led by people with lived experience or the experience of helping a loved one. Our staff and tutors provide emotional first aid to create a safe and inclusive environment. Most staff have Level 4 Mental Health Certifications and tutors go through Mental Heath 101 training. Our board includes people who have attended Toi Ora.

Check out opportunities to join the team as board, staff, tutor, intern or volunteer here.

Originally from Germany, she relocated to New Zealand with her Kiwi partner and dedicated her career to the for-purpose sector, following the completion of an MBA. With a great introduction to the performing arts working at Auckland Theatre Company, she led the development of the beautiful space of Q Theatre for Auckland.

Susanne then took the opportunity to serve in the social services sector, focusing on the mental health and disability sector. She has worked at Youthline, and as General Manager at Presbyterian Support Northern, she worked with Lifeline, Shine, Family Works and Enliven before leading the Fundraising team for Blind Low Vision NZ.

Susanne also serves as a Director of Creative Pathways Ltd.

Peace joined the team in 2022 as an intern for her a Level 4 Mental and Wellbeing certification at Unitec and stayed on to become Toi Ora’s Admin.

She now manages the mental health interns on placement at Toi Ora. Peace enjoys supporting tutors and artists in the studio and gallery to reach their potential. She is an expert at de-escalation and creative problem solving.

Outside of work, Peace is a top-notch gamer, volunteers with her church, and enjoys spending time with her nieces and nephews.

Joelle has a long-standing connection to Toi Ora — she first came here as a child with her dad, and remembers it as a place full of creativity, colour, and kindness. Now, as Artist Liaison, she’s excited to support others on their own creative journeys.

With a background in mental health and experience in community arts, Joelle is passionate about the power of creativity to build connection, confidence, and wellbeing. She’s worked on a wide range of inclusive art projects and brings a strong belief that everyone is creative, and everyone belongs.

At Toi Ora, Joelle is here to support artists, help classes run smoothly, and make sure the studio continues to be a welcoming, inspiring place for all.

When she’s not at Toi Ora, you might find Joelle painting, out in nature, or spending time with her whānau.

Hedieh is originally from Iran, drawn to New Zealand by her passion for cultural diversity and human connection. She completed her master’s in psychology as the first-ranked student nationally and went on to earn a PhD at the University of Auckland with a university scholarship, focusing on how parenting and culture may shape co-operation and development.

She also holds a certification in dance and movement therapy and believes in the healing power of creative expression. Hedieh integrates psychology and movement to support children and adults across diverse communities.

Research remains a central passion in Hedieh’s work. Within the organisation, she explores the needs and strengths of our artists and communities to help shape inclusive, responsive programmes grounded in the connection between mental health and the creative wellbeing.

Rose joined Toi Ora in 2024 as a grant writer and is now transitioning into the role of Communications and Fundraising.

She’s looking forward to taking on the challenge of raising Toi Ora’s brand awareness to support funding. Through grant writing, she has seen Toi Ora’s value and how creativity can save and transform lives.

Before coming to Toi Ora she held various communications and marketing positions for not-for-profits such as Starship Foundation and Blind Low Vision NZ (where she first met Susanne, although we swear we have seen each other before that but can’t pin down where…)

Rose works remotely from Mexico where she is living her dream of learning Spanish fluently. 

Katy Thomas is a programme, customer, and change leader with expertise in partnership development, impact measurement, and governance within innovation and design environments. She currently provides strategic leadership for a portfolio of change programmes in local government and holds experience across public, private and not-for-profit sectors.

A focus on hauora / wellbeing and creating safe spaces for people to connect is central to Katy’s leadership approach. To extend knowledge in this space she completed studies in sustainable human resource and change management and Māori and indigenous resource issues at The University of Waikato.

Hilary Lewis’ strengths and experience is in leading programmes of change, technology, innovation and business process improvement in large, medium, entrepreneurial and social enterprises. Her particular focus has been the airline and travel sector, with over 25 years in senior, strategic and global roles. Success has come from having clarity in vision, strong commercial imperative, attention to detail, and an ability to communicate and engage all involved. This is supported by a strong finance, IT, commercial, strategic and executive background.

Hilary has a strong affinity with creativity and the arts, and is a trustee for theatre company Nightsong, and has been a trustee for the NZ Contemporary Arts Trust and Silo Theatre. She was previously a trustee for Lifeline Auckland and Lifeline NZ and volunteered for Lifeline as a trained telephone counsellor. Hilary aims to combine her business and not for profit skills and experience with a passion for the arts to strengthen Toi Ora to further support its’ beneficiaries.

Te Aturangi Nepia-Clamp has over three decades of experience with cultural & tribal projects, community development, at-risk youth work, and social & community health. He holds a Bachelor of Health Studies degree with modules in Māori health, holistic health, recreational health, and environmental health. In 1983, he received a Winston Churchill Fellowship Award to travel and work with Native Americans. Te Aturangi is an internationally recognised artist and canoe builder and has received various art awards, commissions, and grants as a carver/sculptor. He has held a number of management and directorship positions in various tribal and arts organisations.

Te Aturangi has given international health presentations on using art and voyaging as a vehicle to heal our spirits/wairua and managed projects across a wide range of kaupapa from canoe building to organizational change. He believes that health and wellbeing affect every aspect of our lives, are integral ingredients in allowing us to live happy fulfilling lives (based on where we live, work, learn and play), and ensure that these environments are safe, culturally appropriate and fit for purpose. He loves a challenge where he can utilize his experience, knowledge, and abilities to benefit others to reach their full potential, blossom and bloom.

He is of Rongowhakaata, Ruapani, Ngāti Porou, Kahungunu and English descent.

Farhana Khan is a legal professional with seven years’ experience in the public sector in New Zealand and the United Kingdom in regulatory compliance. She also has experience in human rights law including historic physical and sexual abuse claims and Māori land law and currently works in refugee law.

She was the founder and director of an interior design social enterprise which employed women from former refugee backgrounds. Farhana also has a background in Indian classical dance and is a graduate of the New Zealand Academy of Bharata Natyam.

Wayne Ferguson is the CEO of an NGO providing support services to children and families. He has wide ranging international leadership and work experience gained in the UK, New Zealand, Japan and Australia.

Over the past 30 years Wayne has enjoyed working within the non-government sector leading service development for vulnerable children and their families. He brings a strong sense of social justice and a commitment to creating inclusive and accessible environments where people are valued in order to thrive and achieve their goals. He has extensive experience of setting up and developing high quality foster care, family support and community services that are responsive to meet local needs.

Wayne has a Master of Science in Family and Systemic Psychotherapy from the University of Bristol and has previously worked as a clinician and manager in child protection, child and family mental health, youth addictions and child bereavement services.

Yoojung Suh 서유정 (she/her) is a socially minded arts worker with experience across community arts, access arts initiatives, and creative strategy in Aotearoa and abroad. She has led Mairangi Arts Centre as General Manager, managed strategic relationships and partnerships at Creative United in London, and worked on the development of two international residency partnerships at McCahon House Trust. 

She is passionate about equitable access to arts and creativity for all people and currently supports community-led arts partners across the Central and East Local Boards as Place and Partner Specialist (Arts) at Auckland Council. Outside of work, Yoojung is a classical musician and enjoys attending concerts and gigs around Tāmaki Makaurau.