Richard Northey, Chairman

Richard Northey has been Chair of the Problem Gambling Foundation of New Zealand since November 2002. For six years he was the Director of the Problem Gambling Foundation's Advisory Services for Territorial Local Authorities Programme.

Richard was born in Hamilton but lives in Onehunga and has lived in Auckland all his adult life. He is married to Robyn and has three children and seven grandchildren. He is interested in astronomy, politics, gardening, aerobics, cricket, rugby, athletics, fishing, reading, films, theatre and in trying to help others build a more open, just, participatory and co-operative New Zealand and world society.

Richard has been chair of the Auckland District Council of Social Services for the last 12 years and has been an Auckland City Councillor for 16 years where he currently chairs the Audit and Risk Committee and the Opposition City Vision / Labour Caucus. Richard has chaired the Auckland / Northland Zone of Local Government New Zealand for the last 8 years and he also chairs the Auckland Community Housing Trust. He is a member of the Ministerial Public Advisory Committee on Disarmament and Arms Control.

Richard Northey was a Member of Parliament for 9 years, first for Eden and then for Onehunga. He has worked as a University Lecturer in Political Studies and also in Planning. He has worked for both the Ministry of Recreation and Sport and for the Arts Council.   Contact Richard on northeyr@xtra.co.nz .

Dr Robert Brown

Dr Robert Brown holds a Ph.D. in addictive behaviour, a Diploma in Clinical Psychology and a Masters in Public Policy (with distinction).

Robert has worked as a senior clinical psychologist in psychiatric hospitals, prisons, and community settings in New Zealand and overseas. With other psychologists he established a community psychological practice in Auckland in 1978.

Robert designed and established the first educational courses in responsible drinking in New Zealand. He has published some 35 papers in international research journals, primarily on alcohol, gambling and addiction.

Robert has worked as a senior scientist and provided policy advice to a number of New Zealand Government Departments including the Ministry of Justice, the Department of Justice and the Department for Courts. In addition he has business interests in private companies and property.

Rod Perkins

Rod has been on the Board of the Problem Gambling Foundation since 2003 and is currently the Chair of the Strategic Development Committee. He is committed to PGF's goal of reducing the harm caused by gambling.

Rod is a part-time Senior Lecturer in Health Management in the University of Auckland's School of Population. He also has a research and planning position with the Selwyn Foundation, a large NGO provider of aged care services.

His wife Chris is a psychogeriatrician who works in Auckland and his adult children became parents over the past year.

Rod has had a long career in health administration and management in the public health system in New Zealand.

Contact Rod on r.perkins@auckland.ac.nz.

Maureen Waaka

Maureen Waaka MNZM JP of Te Arawa/Tuwharetoa is the Chairman of the PGF Ethnic and Cultural Committee, member of Rotorua District Council, Lake District Health Board and NZMACI -Te Puia Board.

Stephanie McIntyre

Stephanie has held the position of Director of Downtown Community Ministry (DCM) for four and a half years. DCM is a social service agency in Wellington city that has a current emphasis on addressing and preventing homelessness. The agency, established in 1969, has a longstanding reputation for providing down-to-earth support for its service users and for speaking out on issues affecting disadvantaged and marginalised people. DCM is leading the call for "wet housing" as an innovative solution to provide housing for people with long histories of homelessness and alcohol dependence.

Stephanie was previously Social Justice Commissioner for the Anglican Church. In this capacity she had a pivotal role in organising the 1998 Hikoi of Hope when New Zealanders marched the length of the country protesting a huge rise in poverty. She is also a member of the NZ Social Entrepreneur's Fellowship.

Greg Keay

After fifteen years with a major international accountancy firm (including ten years in South-East Asia, London, California and Apia), Greg was appointed as Chief Financial Officer for the Auckland Area Health Board in 1989.

Subsequently he operated as CFO for North Health from 1992 -1998, in a similar role, but with additional responsibilities for the strategic planning and purchasing of Oral health, Mental health, Alcohol & Drug, and Emergency services for the 1.2 million residents in the NRHA area.

A period then followed as general manager for firstly ESR - Air Quality Division, then Geddes Dental Group Ltd, between 1998 -2003.

Since then Greg has provided a range of consultancy services to a number of significant NGOs in the health & disability support sector, ACC and private health insurers.

A graduate from the University of Canterbury, Greg is currently involved advising Boards on a range of health related projects in Northland, the Waikato, Otago and Indonesia.

Karen Davis

Karen Davis is a community worker from West Auckland, and currently has two paid work roles: as the administrator and research support for Kotare Research and Education for Social Change, a community education organisation which supports social justice in communities; and as an Out of Parliament worker for the Green Party MPs' Auckland office. 

She has a PhD in Linguistics, specialising in a Solomon Islands language, and has been a community researcher and campaigner with the Auckland Unemployed Workers Rights Centre and the Auckland Peoples Centre.

Sandra Geange

Sandra has more than two decades of experience in senior marketing, including general management roles at Telecom New Zealand, Lion Nathan, Ag Research and Mitre 10.   Sandra brings corporate, service and public marketing skills to PGF, and has a track record of successful campaign development and strategic planning across a variety of markets both in New Zealand and abroad. 

Uesifili Unasa

Uesifili Unasa was born in Samoa, grew up in West Auckland and now lives in Parnell.

He is an ordained minister of the Methodist Church of New Zealand and since
2004 has held the position of Maclaurin Chaplain at The University of Auckland.

Uesifili's previous ministry appointments were to the parishes in Dargaville, Northland, Mangere-Otahuhu, Manukau, South Dunedin and Mosgiel, Otago.

Uesifili is a keen sports fan. When time allows, he enjoys following the rugby and cricket teams of his two teenage sons.

As a minister and past student of politics and history, Uesifili has a strong interest in national/international political processes and their implications on community development and wellbeing.