Dame Lesley Max is the Co-founder and Trustee of Great Potentials Foundation.
Her background includes University of Auckland; secondary school teaching, mainly in London; freelance journalism, principally for METRO and writing. Her book “Children: Endangered Species?” (Penguin, 1990) has been profoundly influential in New Zealand.
Dame Lesley co-founded Great Potentials Foundation (originally known as Pacific Foundation) in 1990, together with businessman, author and broadcaster, Gordon Dryden. Lesley created the Family Service Centre model, introduced HIPPY (Home Interaction Programme for Parents and Youngsters) in New Zealand, and developed MATES (Mentoring and Tutoring Education Scheme).
Awarded a Winston Churchill Fellowship, Lesley studied successful interventions in child protection and education in five countries. On her return, she was influential in the establishment of Family Start in New Zealand.
Lesley is patron of Family Help Trust, the National Council of Women, and Teach First NZ.
She has been appointed to a number of roles by Governments, including as a Director of the Northern Regional Health Authority, and a member of the Family Violence Advisory Committee to successive Ministers.
She was a founding supporter of the Brainwave Trust and has filled advisory roles for a number of tertiary institutions.
Lesley was awarded a MBE in 1994 and was made Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2010 for services to the community.
Fuimaono graduated from Auckland University with a BA and LLB and then practiced for many years as a senior lawyer. Fuimaono then joined the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs, Auckland Chamber of Commerce with a focus on policy, research and operational projects.
Fuimaono has managed a range of strategic and operational relationships and has a strong interest in innovative approaches to community and business development.
Fuimaono is also currently a Trustee of the NZ Youth Mentoring Trust, Chair of Ember Service, and Pacific leader. Fuimaono is also a teacher at De La Salle College in Mangere, Auckland
Leeanne is a dentist working in Newmarket, Auckland. She grew up in Dunedin where she attended Queen’s High School and the University of Otago, where she completed her dental degree in 1990. In 1994, Leeanne completed a Masters degree in restorative dentistry at University of London.
She returned to New Zealand in 2003 with a young family of four children and has since then been working full time for her family and as a dentist.
Focus on her family and improving social outcomes for all New Zealanders motivates Leeanne’s involvement with Great Potentials.
Katie has worked in marketing roles for a number of companies in New Zealand, Australia and Japan and has extensive experience in branding, strategy and sponsorships.
After graduating with a BA/BCom conjoint degree from University of Auckland, Katie began her career in advertising, first with Saatchi & Saatchi in New York working with Johnson & Johnson and Procter & Gamble businesses, before continuing to roles in London and then back in Auckland.
Katie also sits on the Board of Directors for Auckland Theatre Company.
Murdoch is a property developer and investor with a particular involvement in the Auckland suburb of Glen Innes, where Creating Communities Ltd have led a regeneration of the State Housing Estate with the expectation that mixed housing tenure, in conjunction with improved housing quality, can be a catalyst for better health, education, and economic outcomes for the Glen Innes community.
Murdoch graduated with a Masters degree in Management from the University of Waikato and worked in project management roles within a number of New Zealand companies involved in the primary industries, technology commercialization, and construction and development. He has also had an involvement with NZ Rowing which continues with having a leading role in the establishment of The Highbrook Regional Watersports Centre at Highbrook, Auckland, a facility to foster the development of Rowing and Waka Ama sports in South and East Auckland.
Murdoch is currently a Trustee of the NZ Rowing Foundation, and sits on the Boards of several development entities.
Helen has worked in law and finance in London, New York and New Zealand. Currently she is the Head of Risk for NZ Funds and in her spare time is a volunteer at the Citizens Advice Bureau. Helen is committed to understanding and helping New Zealanders with some of the challenges that they have, both at a community and day to day level.
Wendy is a Chartered Accountant in public practice and has been involved with Great Potentials since 1994.
Prior to having children Wendy was a senior Manager in Business Services at Deloitte, Touche, Tohmatsu.