Our Board
The Drowning Prevention Auckland Board
Jo Fagan - Chairperson
BSc (Hons) Accounting and Modern Languages, Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (AICPA)
Jo is a qualified accountant and is the General Manager Finance and Business Services at Dingwall Trust. She has over 25 years of finance experience working with various not-for-profit and corporates in NZ and corporates in the UK. During this time she has led, managed and mentored teams in finance and payroll and other business areas like HR, governance, legal, property, IT and fundraising.
She has more than ten years board experience in NZ having served as a former board member and treasurer for ME Support (Auckland), former board chair at Northcote Intermediate School and former board member for Birkenhead Primary School.
Describing herself as a life-long learner, Jo enjoys upskilling and the opportunity to mentor and pass on her knowledge. She also has a personal and professional interest in employment law, neurodiversity, equality, human rights and helping people in need.
The ability to cut through detail and provide concise advice is something Joanne prides herself on. Her peers say she is pragmatic, optimistic, authentic and collaborative.
Health and safety and team wellness have been strong priorities for Jo throughout her career. She is also a fluent French speaker.
Dr Kevin Moran - ONZM
Affiliations:
- Drowning Prevention Auckland Inc (DPA)
- Surf Lifesaving New Zealand
- University of Auckland
Kevin is a recently retired Principal Lecturer in Physical Education at the Faculty of Education, University of Auckland. Kevin has had a lifelong commitment to drowning prevention as a lifeguard, researcher, and educator. He has been a frontline surf lifeguard for over 50 years, still currently patrolling one of New Zealand’s rugged west coast beaches at Muriwai, near Auckland where he has been awarded Life Membership. In 2010 he was awarded a Distinguished Service Award by Surf Life Saving New Zealand and Surf Life Saving Northern.
Professional positions include: member of the International Advisory Committee for the WHO 2014 Drowning Report; member of the International Lifesaving Federation (ILS) Research and Information Committee; Co-chair of the International Task Force on Open Water Drowning Prevention; foundation member of the New Zealand Drowning Prevention Council, and Foundation Chairman of Watersafe Auckland Inc (WAI) from 1994-2012.
In 2014 he was awarded the Water Safety New Zealand Award for his “outstanding contribution to water safety” and the 2014 Irish Medal by the Lifesaving Foundation in international recognition of “his exceptional contribution to the saving of lives from drowning.” He was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the New Year’s Honours list 2015 for “services to water safety”.
He is the author of two books on water safety and drowning prevention, has published 50+ papers in international journals, and presented 60+ papers at more than 20 international conferences in the last decade.
Matthew Sabourin
BA(Hons) Politics with North American Studies.
Matthew is Head of Regulatory Policy and Intervention Design at the Financial Markets Authority New Zealand.
With over 20 years’ experience – spanning customs policy, grocery regulation, agricultural policy reform, civil service, and financial markets – across the UK, EU, and New Zealand, Matthew was previously the Deputy Director: Customs and Border Design at HM Revenue and Customs (UK). He led several teams developing customs policy, particularly in relation to Brexit. He helped ensure policy was implemented on time, responding to complexity with his trademark pragmatism and commitment.
Throughout his impressive career, Matthew has progressed policy initiatives and demonstrated high quality management and corporate governance. He is experienced in influencing senior leaders and officials across the public and private sectors.
When navigating complex regulatory landscapes, Matthew gets to the root of the issue quickly. His vast international perspective makes him an asset to any board.
Outside work, Matthew enjoys travelling (he has visited over 60 countries), hiking, swimming, paddleboarding, and the gym.
Hannah Ross
BA (hons) Politics, PgDip Communication Studies (majoring in PR), IAP2 Certificate in Community Engagement
Hannah is a communications leader that supports companies in an advisory role.
Throughout her career Hannah has delivered creative outside-the-box campaigns for companies in the corporate, consumer, government and not-for-profit sectors, leveraging her skills in media relations, community engagement, strategic planning and marketing communications. A number of campaigns have caught the eye of judges here and abroad, landing nine award wins so far including a highly commended in the Sally Logan-Milne Young Practitioner of the Year at the 2018 Public Relations Institute of NZ Awards.
Hannah brings her sought-after skills and personality – strategic thinking, planning, resilience, flexibility and adaptability – to every team and project she is engaged in.
She joins the board permanently after spending a year as a board intern and health, culture and wellbeing committee member with DPA from September 2020.
Kate Holtmeier
MBA International Business, BA Communications and Marketing
Kate is an Executive Consultant at KH Consulting. She works with executive teams to develop customer strategy. Her role includes identifying customer pain points and analysing opportunities for improving the customer’s journey with the organisation.
Moving from the US to NZ in 2007, she has spent over 15 years in customer experience and strategy roles with companies like IAG, Air New Zealand and Vodafone New Zealand.
Kate describes herself as having an energised communication style and is passionate about creating and sustaining an engaged and empowered culture.
As a member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors, Kate is experienced in being a committed and responsive board member.
In her leisure time, Kate loves to keep active. She grew up in Minnesota, where she was a successful swimmer – setting her first national age group record at age 10. This swimming ability secured her a full swimming scholarship for her undergraduate degree. Kate and her husband are keen members of North Harbour Triathlon Club.
Ireen Rahiman-Manuel
Ireen Rahiman-Manuel is an International Development Consultant, strategist and trusted advisor. She is the founder and director of Impactdev360, as well as family-led construction business Rapid Builders and Renovators in Auckland. With a strong background in project management and leadership, Ireen oversees a specialist development policy and planning team. She has managed programmes in various areas including health, education, environment, tourism and agriculture, and continues to work alongside leading agencies in Europe, New Zealand, Australia and across the Pacific.
Ireen completed a Masters of International Development, Sustainability Studies and Change Management from Massey University, and holds a Certification in Improvement and Change Management from Te Whatu Ora (Counties Manukau). She has also received several awards, including the Le Tautua Pasifika Leadership Programme Award, and a scholarship from the Women in Advanced Leadership Programme.
Ireen was previously elected to Auckland Council, where she co-chaired the Climate Change Working Group and sat on the Ethnic Peoples Advisory Panel. Ireen has served many other organisations as an advisor and consultant, which included her role as CEO of the Pacific Society for Reproductive Health in 2018.
Warren Megget
A semi-retired Coastguard Education Tutor and boating lifestyle consultant, Warren brings an impressive commitment to water safety education and drowning prevention. His many water-related qualifications include Maritime NZ Safe Boating Adviser, NZ Certificate in Maritime (Commercial Inshore), RYA Powerboat Trainer and NZ Underwater Small Dive Boat Trainer.
Warren’s involvement with Coastguard began as a volunteer radio operator. A boat owner and operator himself, Warren’s spent extensive time on the waters around the Hauraki Gulf, Whitianga, Great Mercury Island and Aotea Great Barrier Island.
A Scout Adult Leader for around 30 years – culminating in Assistant National Water Activities Adviser for Scouts NZ – Warren revised the adult leader water training programme, set up new programmes for youth activities, and served as Scout Liaison to Waikato. He contributed to the success of Pools In Schoolz New Zealand and later ran the Manukau area pools for The John Walker Find your Field of Dreams Foundation.
He has been a member of the Papakura Rotary Club for 40+ years and the current chair of the Club’s Charitable Trust. He is also a Trustee on the board of Kokako Lodge an outdoor adventure camp in the Hūnua Ranges.
When Warren realised South Auckland youth were avoiding school camps because they included water-based activities, he approached DPA for advice – and the current support of Papakura youth with DPA’s Tāmaki Herenga Waka programme was born.
