Team Bios
Shane Tong
Monica Leggat
Although a reasonably new member of the WILSS Trust Board, Monica has enjoyed a very long association with members of the organisation and has a keen awareness of the impressive variety of programmes they make available to sporting and community groups throughout the Waikato region. “During my many years of involvement with young people as a Secondary School teacher as well as my equally long involvement with sporting groups at local, regional and national level I have come to appreciate just what our WILSS organisation is able to offer. As a Trustee I now look forward to the opportunity to ensure that the WILSS organisation continues to offer support and help make a difference for the many sporting, educational and community groups within our Waikato community.
Mike Maguire
Mike has lived in Hamilton since 1973. He trained as a teacher through the University of Waikato and taught in Hamilton for 12 years specialising in Physical Education and Sport. Sport has been a focus for much of his life having played, coached and administrated. He was appointed Programmes Manager for Sport Waikato in 1988 and is currently General Manager for Sport Waikato. "Through my role in Sport Waikato, I have had the opportunity to work collaboratively with Territorial Authorities, Iwi, Health, Education, Sport and other community providers. I have had input into a number of regional and district plans and strategies and have been on advisory, funding and governance roles".
Jennifer Palmer
After six years as National Grants Manager for the Perry Foundation, Jennifer became the General Manager of the Brian Perry Charitable Trust (BPCT) in 2010. BPCT is responsible for a number of outstanding community projects including Te Awa: The Great New Zealand River Ride, the Adastra Foundation and the Perry Outdoor Education Trust.
Jennifer is also on the Lion Foundation's Waikato/Bay of Plenty Grants Committee. Originally from Canada, Jennifer has been in Hamilton for just seven years; she is married with four-year-old twin girls.
Jennifer joined the Wilss Board of Trustees in 2009.
Julian Williams
He is affiliated to Waiti Marae and works as an Environmental and Strategy Advisor for his Waikato Iwi. The main focus of his role is the restoration and protection of the Waikato River, and co-ordinating partnerships to benefit the Tribe and the Community for future generations. Julian believes that Wilss can be a direct partner to achieving that vision.
lisahunter
Lisa has been recently appointed to the Department of Sport and Leisure Studies at the University of Waikato and continues her previous relationship with The University of Queensland as an Honorary Senior Researcher. Her interests include: Young people and embodied subjectivities; Middle years of schooling; Pedagogy and movement experiences; Boardsports; Health and Physical Education; Movement and Physical culture. As a Senior Lecturer she currently teaches into the Primary Teacher Health and Physical Education paper and the Movement Education paper.
Roseanne Murray
Roseanne has an extensive background in the sporting sector. She has recently been promoted to the role of Sport Development Manager at Sport Waikato. Prior to this she was manager of the Kiwisport Programme. She has also held managerial positions both with Netball Waikato and Bowls Waikato and Event Manager role with Netball New Zealand. Reseanne is passionate about the provision of sport to our local communities and believes Sport Waikato and Wilss have an important part to play in ensuring sport continues to be an intergral component of our society going forward.
Jo Bailey
Jo has been with Wilss since 1995 and her role is General Manager. Before joining Wilss she worked in the legal sector and then as a late starter in tertiary education has completed a Bachelor in Business Studies (Massey), Post Grad Dip in Management (Waikato) and recently completed her Masters in Responsibility and Business Practice from the University of Bath, UK. Her other passions are to see people achieve in education and she is a registered and accredited workplace assessor as well as resource designer and developer. As a typical kiwi and environmentalist, Jo enjoys the outdoors with sailing, snow skiing, diving and walking.
Paula Dewar
As the School Programme Co-ordinator at Wilss, my role focuses upon leadership and volunteerism with Primary, Intermediate and Secondary School students as well as community groups. My qualifications include BTchg, BEd and PGDip SPLS. i have taught at both Secondary and Tertiary Institutions and thoroughly enjoy the interaction with learners and in particular, youth. I look forward to working with the talented and passionate team at Wilss to assist and guide our future leaders.
Robyn Polley
Robyn is the Sport Programme Coordinator at Wilss and is responsibile for up skilling volunteers in a range of sporting communities.
I completed my Bachelor of Education (Primary Teaching) degree in 2003 while running a family and working full time. Having represented New Zealand in both Hockey and Softball as a player, I am now largely involved in coaching at the Regional Level in the Waikato and am currently coaching several hockey age group teams. I thoroughly enjoy the challenges that arise in sport and have spent the past 30 years involved in clubs and committees working alongside many volunteers.
Claire Ashmore
Claire is the Community Programmes Co-ordinator at Wilss. Claire was an educator, trainer and programme developer for more than 25 years in New Zealand, Asia and the Pacific. This included teaching English as a Second Language for more than 20 years as well as training tutors in how to teach embedded literacy and numeracy.
Facilitating sessions on life skills and impletmenting strategies for personal, family and community development is a passion for Claire. She has recently published her first of a series of books on strategies of how to respond to life positively and proactively.
Primary trained Claire has also worked as an Education Facilitotor at Te Awamutu Museum; she has a great interest in history and the natural world.
Belinda Kane
Belinda is the the KiwiSport Leadership Development Officer at Wilss. This role involves recruiting and developing secondary school leaders to support the delivery of KiwiSport sessions in schools across the Waikato, and to provide opportunities for these students to become future leaders within their schools and communities.
She is a trained Physical Education and Health teacher with a Bachelor of Teaching and a Bachelor of Sport & Leisure Studies from the University of Waikato. Originally from Northland,Belinda has been in Hamilton since 2000, but spent three years living and teaching England. She is really looking forward to working with some enthusiastic and energetic young people, and helping pathway them into future leadership roles.
Zelda Tucker
Zelda provides programme administration and support to the Wilss team. Her experience within the education sector has included 12 years as a Business Administration Tutor for a Private Training Provider and for the past four years managing a community education programme at a local secondary school. She has a BA (Hons) from Massey University and a Certificate in Adult Teaching.
