Board Chair

Kath Cooper

Kath Cooper is a qualified Early Childhood Teacher, who has also worked as a Centre Manager and Senior Lecturer at Te Rito Maioha. Kath is married to Jody, and they have four children, and four grandchildren.

Kath is also a qualified Gallup Strengths coach and is passionate about helping teams work better together. Kath enjoys time with friends, family, and walking her wee dog, Meg.

Deputy Chair

Daniel Wark

Daniel was a member of the fundraising committee and board at his local early childhood centre, and a community representative, then Chairperson on the South Otago Kindergarten Association  Board.

He is passionate about what kindergartens offer families, their values and inclusiveness, and the importance of having trained teachers supporting and growing our young tamariki. 

Daniel is also part of Kindergartens Aotearoa and recognises the importance of growing the Kindergarten movement again in our country. In Daniel's everyday life he manages a sheep and beef farm, is a volunteer fire fighter, and a baord member for two local schools. 

Mana Whenua

Hayley Galo

Finance Chair

Kylie Semu

Kylie lives in Upper Hutt with her husband and four children. She currently has one child attending Irmgard Ritchie Kindergarten.

She is very family orientated and has a large extended family highlighted by their weekly family dinners where there can be 40+ attending. She also has a passion for giving back to her community through various coaching and volunteering roles.

Kylie joined the board this year as she is passionate about early childhood and the role this plays on developing children before they head off to school. Going through the journey herself she really values what great early childhood teaching is and is very grateful to be in this position to be able to represent the community.

Community Member

Martha Iosia

Community Member

Miranda Zander

Miranda Zander became involved in kindergarten through her daughters Chloe and Bianca. They have both attended Paparārangi Kindergarten, and she enjoys the kindergarten ethos.  She particularly appreciates that kindergarten involves the whole family, not just the kindergarten child.

As a lawyer and a celebrant, Miranda had skills to share on the board and she has been able to learn more about the early childhood sector and all it entails. She says it’s a lovely accommodating environment to be a board member, where members are not afraid to ask tough questions to enable good decisions.

Community Member

Natasha Munroe

Community Member

Rachel Graves

Rachel has a background in teaching and lives in Lyall Bay with her partner and their blended family of three girls. Her youngest, Sophie, attends Lyall Bay and Te Ō Newtown Kindergarten, where Rachel also works as a relief teacher while completing her PhD.

She is passionate about ensuring all communities have access to high-quality early childhood education and values the strong connection that kindergartens foster between tamariki, whānau, and Kaiako.

Rachel has experience as an early childhood teacher and a master's in educational leadership. 

Staff Member

Alexandra Owens

Alexandra Owens is an itinerant teacher with He Whānau Manaaki Kindergartens and has worked for HWM as a Teacher and Head Teacher for 20 years and now mainly works across Porirua East kindergartens. Working across many kindergartens in vibrant and diverse communities has given Alex a strong appreciation for the different ways quality education is provided for tamariki.

Alex values working collaboratively, with kindness and respect for all perspectives. 

Staff Member

Jessica Firmin

Jessica lives in Whanganui with her 3 children and has been the Head Teacher at Marie McFarland Kindergarten since 2019. She has many years' experience working within schools in supporting roles and has taught in Kōhanga Reo, day care and kindergarten.

As well as representing our staff on the Board, Jessica has completed the first Indigenous Full Distance Triathlon in Napier and has gained a full scholarship in memory of Corrine Te Au-Watson through sharing her story. Her strength, courage and determination has inspired many, and she is a great asset to our Board. 

Taranaki Transition Member

Jaydn Hammond

Taranaki Transition Member

Kieran McCorkindale

Ex Officio Senior Teacher

Leanne Nelson

Leanne is a Senior Teacher at Whānau Manaaki, working with Upper Hutt/Wairarapa and South Otago kindergartens.

She truly values and feels privileged to be supporting and connecting with our greatest resource, our kaiako who work so hard with true vision to support their tamariki, whānau and communities.  

Leanne has been teaching since 1996 in various roles and loves the passion, diversity and advocacy of the Board, the Association and the Senior Teacher team.  When she's not busy with all things “kindyland” she lives in Upper Hutt with her husband Steve and two children Zac and Abby.  She loves the outdoors and exploring the coastline on the Wairarapa coast.