The Team.

Nikki loves having the chance to find out her clients’ passions and connect them to opportunities in the community. She has been with Momenta six years and has seen the power of opportunities that enhance a person’s sense of value. Nikki loves bush walks, swimming, and connecting with friends and family. And she’d love to tell you the story of how she ended up driving her Mazda around the Bruce McLaren racetrack at Taupo while wearing her pink bike helmet.

Tania has been CEO of Momenta for seven years and loves empowering her fantastic team to do the important work of supporting disadvantaged people in the Bay of Plenty. When she’s not making the quick dash to Auckland to catch a rock concert, Tania spends her spare time catching up with family and friends over a coffee or wine, reading books, and enjoy the glorious Tauranga environment.

Julie is Momenta’s resident artist, and leads the team of community connectors. She has worked at Momenta for eight years and never tires of seeing people grow and come in to their own. Julie has dyscalculia – the maths version of dyslexia. She loves the Bay of Plenty’s abundant flora and fauna, and nature features frequently in her art.

Kerry is tasked with working in collaboration with thought leaders from across the Bay of Plenty keen to shift societal barriers for people who experience disadvantage. Kerry is motivated by the opportunity to work in a team aiming for greater social change. As an 11-year-old, Kerry was once smashed in the face with a cream pie on children’s breakfast TV show What Now – there ended her interest in TV stardom. These days, Kerry is happily at home with the Tauranga lifestyle, with its laid-back nature and proximity to a gorgeous beach.

Cam is new to his role as a Community Connector at Momenta. He loves engaging with people from all walks of life, learning something new from every connection, and seeing people grow as they navigate their own personal journey. He spends his weekends looking for an adventure, catching up with good friends and he will never say no to a game of football if it’s on the cards. As a young buck, Cam once broke the record for most times on the Splash Planet Speed Slide in one day!

Tan keeps Momenta’s back-office running smoothly so front-line staff can achieve the greatest outcomes for the people they support. He and his partner Aleisha and son Blake love to go hiking with their cavoodle dogs Ollie and Bella. Tan loves competitive sport and spends many hours at Fergusson Park playing for Otumoetai FC. He gets outside as much as he can to make the most of Tauranga’s fresh air and big open spaces. Tan grew up in Thailand and says most people struggle to pronounce his last name. He says it’s easiest if you break it down in to three syllables: Phuang-dok-mai.

Becky loves seeing Momenta’s clients achieve their aspirations.  She has been with Momenta for 3 years, first as a Community Connector, and now as Team Support following her return to Momenta after welcoming into the world, her beautiful twin girls Alice and Zoe. Becky is a force to be reckoned with when she dons a pair of skates for Roller Derby. And she may even share with you the story behind her derby name Flaming Hooligan!

Sara loves numbers. But what she loves even more is an expedition deep in to the business’s data – exploring ways to better support frontline staff and serve Momenta’s clients. Sara grew up in remote bush villages in Papua New Guinea. One of the only ways to get around was to fly in her Dad’s 7-seater Cessna. These days, Sara and her family go on intrepid travels as often as possible. They’ve been to many adventurous spots, including Thailand, Morocco, and Vietnam. And, after a hiatus of more than 30-something years, Sara has recently decided to take up piano lessons again.

Kim is Momenta’s newest recruit. As a Community Connector she enjoys making connections with clients and helping them achieve the good things in life. Kim loves living close to the beach and enjoys surfing, reading and exploring different parts of New Zealand. One of Kim’s hidden talents is hula hooping and her current record is for 22 minutes!

 

Kurt works with clients to help them develop their strengths and passions. Kurt has lived and worked in China, the United States and Australia, but he loves being home, close to family, and is a regular visitor to his parents’ farm. Kurt and his partner love reading, listening to music and devouring podcasts. Speaking of devouring, Kurt is an accomplished cook and is now learning to master BBQ cooking.

Paul brings to the board a long career of public service leadership, not-for-profit sector experience and an MBA. He joined Momenta in 2015, lured by the organisation’s focus on the human potential and social value of those we support. Paul is now semi-retired and spends free time in the company of those he adores – his family and friends. Paul has a major passion for meditation, which has brought him immense peace and gratitude over his last 20-plus years of practice.

Tina is a professional director, and PhD candidate, with a background as a contract executive specialising in growth and change in horticulture, with a focus on technology and research development. Tina brings a strategic skillset to the board, which she joined in August 2019. She is a mother of four teenagers and is of Native American Indian descent, through her father who comes from the Sioux tribe in South Dakota.

Sam is the manager of environmental regulation at Tauranga City Council. He’s a lawyer by profession so brings to the Board research, analysis and listening skills, as well as his management experience. He is a rugby referee and loves to get out and enjoy Tauranga with his wife and two sons. In 2017, Sam helped set a Guinness World Record for the world’s longest Chinese whisper by supporting Hearing Support Bay of Plenty to ensure all the requirements for an official record were met by the 1,792 primary school students involved.

Brad is CEO of an economic development agency in the Eastern Bay of Plenty. His commercial focus is helping Momenta develop and grow its assets for a sustainable future, and to deliver on the organisation’s social purpose. He loves working alongside a dedicated team with a true desire to see the best outcomes for people, and says the people he meets through Momenta are greatly contributing to his life. Brad speaks three languages – English, Tok-Pisin (the official language of Papua New Guinea) and Bislama (the official language of Vanuatu) – and spends his weekends chasing sun and good coffee.

Vanessa is director of Tauranga leadership development agency People Realm. As Momenta’s new chair, Vanessa brings to the table an entrepreneurial spirit, a gift for facilitating effective conversations, and a heart for helping people create lives of value. On weekends, she spends time with her friends and husband – hiking, brunching, gardening, reading, and devouring films. Her love of the outdoors was set alight by three consecutive years working at summer camps in Vermont, USA, where she taught sailing one year, archery the next and canoeing in her final year.

Scott Wikohika is General Manager of Mangatawa Papamoa Blocks Incorporation. Scott has a wealth of management, governance and operational expertise and has recently returned to the Board for a second term, having previously been our chair. He grew up in the Bay of Plenty and spends a lot of time near the ocean with his wife Cynthia and two daughters Maea and Tearani. Scott is learning to play the saxophone.

Keri is director of a Tauranga-based content creation agency called All the Words. She runs a team of expert storytellers who use words, video, audio, still images and a mountain of creativity to help businesses and organisations connect with the people who matter to them. As a former journalist, Keri brings a deep curiosity to her role on the Momenta board. Keri grew up in the Bay of Plenty and moved home with her family in 2011. She enjoys her husband’s amazing chef skills, a bit of tramping, belting out some heartfelt but woeful karaoke, churning through audiobooks, and how furiously her garden grows in our wonderful climate.

Paora has joined the Momenta board with a significant background in not-for-profit governance. For a decade, Paora was the founding chair of the national body for the sport of Waka Ama. His background spans teaching, writing, and youth development. In his current role, he is Kaitohutohu (advisor) for the Imagine, Believe, Achieve programme, which sits alongside Bay of Plenty Youth Development Trust’s Tauranga Boxing Academy programme. He works with young people who are not yet in employment, education or training, helping prepare them for employment or further training. Naturally, Paora spends much of his weekend competing in waka ama or paddling the waters around Tauranga Moana. He also enjoys walking the dog with his wife Jilly and writing entertaining songs on topical current issues.