Our board

Ms Pouwhare comes from a whānau steeped in tikanga and āhuatanga Māori, based on a strong Tūhoe foundation. Those principles and values have influenced every decision and initiative that Ms Pouwhare has had to make throughout her life. Prior to moving to Western Australia to undertake senior roles in Indigenous health with the Health Department and then disability services with My Place, Ms Pouwhare was a member of the Senior Leadership Team in Te Kete Hauora (Māori Health). In her 11 years with Te Kete Hauora Ms Pouwhare led a number of projects that focused on supporting Māori to participate in the health sector as governors, practitioners and providers. She was the architect of groundbreaking governance training based on Te Ao Māori; drove the establishment of one national rongoā organisation; led complex and highly challenging negotiations for the transfer of contracts from Regional Health Authority to District Health Boards; was instrumental in facilitating hui for the development of the Māori Health Strategy and Action Plan; and successfully promoted the importance of Māori leadership and participation at DHB board elections. Ms Pouwhare subsequently accepted the position of Business Manager with Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau to establish it as a kaupapa Māori service which supported Māori with intellectual disabilities in residential care. This involved transferring individuals from a mainstream service to a kaupapa Māori service. She supported Te Korowai Aroha (a group of Māori elders to guide and support the first kaupapa Māori residential service for people with intellectual disability in NZ).

Greg is a clinical and educational psychologist who has worked in the disability field for 35 years. From 1987 to 1996 he was Director of Country Services and a member of the Corporate Executive of the Disability Services Commission of Western Australia. During this time he established Local Area Co-ordination, which now operates across Australia and in several other countries. Until recently, Greg held the position of Adjunct Associate Professor at the Centre for Research into Disability and Society at Curtin University in Perth. He was formerly National President of the Australian Society for the Study of Intellectual Disability (1995 – 1997) and of National Disability Services (2003 – 2005). He was also Executive Director of EDGE Employment Solutions, a disability employment agency he co-founded in 1984. Greg was a co-founder of My Place, along with Peter Dunn and Phil Deschamp.

Peter arrived in WA from Christchurch in 1978 after teaching in country locations around New Zealand. Peter’s interest in disability was stirred after he commenced as a teacher in a large special education facility in Perth. From within the school system, he supported students to have greater opportunities in the local and wider community. In 1985, was promoted to position of principal at Mt Melville School in Albany. A key task was to provide support to teachers of students with disability in regular primary and secondary schools, and to progressively integrate the students with disability attending Mt Melville School into their local primary and secondary schools. In 1988, Peter was appointed inaugural Local Area Co-ordinator with the Disability Services Commission to support people with disability and their families across the Lower Great Southern. In this newly created position, the forerunner hundreds of such positions operating around Australia, he pioneered the development and delivery of supports that were individualised and reflective of what people with disability and their families wanted. In 1996, Peter was appointed Managing Director of the newly established My Place in Western Australia: a position he held for 13 years. Peter continues to serve on the Board of My Place Foundation.

Clyde is the NZ Managing Director of accounting and advisory firm William Buck, and a member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand. With significant experience and knowledge in management advice, Clyde works closely with businesses and organisations on business strategy, administration, accounting and strategic issues. His expertise has facilitated growth and stability for organisations through the development of long-term strategic plans and realistic goals, particularly in the not-for-profit, healthcare and education sectors. His sought after expertise is highlighted through his appointment to various boards. He is Chairman of Wellpack Ltd, a director of several private companies, and a Trustee for the Sir John Walker Find Your Field of Dreams Foundation and the ARA Trust. In 2004 he was appointed by the Hon. Trevor Mallard as Chair for the Pasifika Education.

Our Board

Ms Rangi Pouwhare

Dr Greg Lewis
B.Psych., M.App.Psych., Ph.D.

Dr Peter dunn
Dip.Ed., B.Ed., Grad.Dip.Special Ed.

Mr Clyde Young

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