Lynell Tuffery, President
Vanisa Dhiru, Vice President *
Amy Barnett, Secretary *
Yang Yang, Treasurer *
Melissa Marshall *
Anne Patterson *
Sally Connell
Cora Owen
Sue Hanrahan
* young women aged under 30 years.
Lynell Tuffery DipFinMaths, BA, BCA, LLB
PRESIDENT
Much of Lynell's governance experience has been in the not-for-profit sector. She has served on two educational boards, including the Board of Trustees at a local primary school, and two sports organisations (in which she was Treasurer for one organisation). She has been involved in a broad range of governance and organisational matters, including property management, financial reviews, strategic and business planning, human resource management (including health and safety) and fundraising.
Currently, Lynell is employed as a Senior Patent Attorney for one of New Zealand’s leading intellectual property law firms. On a daily basis, she advises clients of small New Zealand businesses to large international corporations, on the protection, enforcement, and commercialisation of trade marks. Her business experience brings a leadership focus to the Board.
Vanisa Dhiru BDes Hon, GDipCom
VICE PRESIDENT
Vanisa is a New Zealand born Indian with a background in marketing, branding and visual communications. She has held social marketing roles at New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, the NZ Transport Agency (formerly Transit New Zealand), Meridian Energy and The Quit Group. She has helped developed brands for local NGOs and consulted on design and marketing campaigns produced in the Wellington region.
Vanisa was selected in 2005 as a finalist for the NZIM Eagle Technology Young Executive of the Year and gained a place on the prestigious Future Leaders programme run by the New Zealand Leadership Institute, Excelerator. She is also a Trustee for the Trade Aid Wellington Trust and a board member of Dress for Success Wellington.
Currently she is a communications change manager for Telecom New Zealand. Her design and business communications background is used widely in the YWCA, including for the delivery of communications to stakeholders.
SECRETARY
Amy is studying at Victoria University of Wellington where she is doing a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree. She has been an active member of the Wellington Youth Council in the past which focuses on the youth of Wellington, organising and running events for youth to encourage them be active within the Wellington region.
As one of the youngest member of our Board, she brings a young perspective to the Board on issues facing young women in Wellington today.
TREASURER
Yang has immigrated from China. She has held various accounting roles before she came to New Zealand for further studying. Yang has graduated from Massey University of Wellington in 2006 with Bachelor of Business Studies majoring in Accountancy. She has worked in the cash office at The Warehouse Ltd for over two years and currently works at other non-for-profit organisations - Citizen Advise Bureau, Red Cross and Volunteer Hutt Valley.
Yang joined the board in 2009. She brings to the board her financial knowledge and experience in accounting and business sectors in hoping to improve the financial status of YWCA of Wellington and Hutt Valley .
Melissa works as an Policy Analyst for Compass Health in Welington. Melissa joined the Board in 2008.
Anne is in her final semester of study at Victoria University, Wellington where she is studying a Bachelor of Commerce and Administration (BCA), majoring in Marketing and Management. Anne is the Junior Business Development Manager for the Training Practice and she is interested in the growth and improvement of all businesses in their various facets.
She brings to her experience and knowledge in this area to her role at the YWCA. Anne joined the YWCA Board in 2009 and as one of the youngest members of our Board; she offers a fresh young perspective to the board providing insights into the concerns of young women.
Sally brings over an extensive 17 years worth of Sales, Marketing and Comms experience having worked in various industries, from utilities sector, through to the past 9 years being in the financial industry. She has held roles in Account Management, Business Development, through to Sales and Service Management.
Sally offers the YWCA a diverse range of skills, having spent the past three years being part of two financial leadership teams, evolving the development of customer etiquette, and processing improvement/change management.
Sally recently won the NZ Her Business Network of the Year 2009 award, with her Her Business Wellington network - a non profit organisation to promote and profile local women in business and more recently she acquired the Her Business Auckland network. She ensures that with both networks, each of them provide an ideal opportunity for like-minded women, to meet in a positive, supportive environment, similar to the values held by the YWCA.
Sally also supports her children’s school, has a web based business, has a homestay, is a volunteer at the Mary Potter Hospice, and is a member of various organisations around Wellington.
Cora has managed and operated a start-up non-profit recycling operation in Northern California. She has previously held financial advisory roles at the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) and the Ministry of Economic Development (MED). She has extensive experience in auditing and general accounting in the public and private sector.
Born and educated in the Philippines, Cora became a New Zealand citizen in 1992. She will be assisting Yang as Treasurer in looking after our finances and investments.
Sue has a background in professional development and a keen interest in cultural diversity. She was establishment manager for the Centre for Applied Cross-Cultural Research at Victoria University of Wellington, and until recently was employed by the Office of Ethnic Affairs as an Intercultural Advisor.
Prior to that Sue established the Wellington operation of 'Books in Prison' at Arohata Prison. Currently, Sue works as an independent contractor in cultural diversity. She has two teenage daughters.
